Assisted Living Community in Missouri City, Texas

The average cost of assisted living in the city is $3,863 a month. This guide is a starting point covering the cost of assisted living care in the city, as well as financing options to pay for it. You’ll find in-depth information on Assisted Living Community in Missouri City and several in surrounding areas. The Cost of Senior Care in Missouri City, TX

• Assisted Living: $3,863
• Nursing Home Care: $5,095
• In-home Care: $3,909
• Adult Day Health Services: $1,300

Genworth’s 2018 Cost of Care study shows that the average monthly price of assisted living in Missouri City is $3,863. Prices are below the national average ($4,000) and similar to the state average ($3,795) and neighboring areas, such as Beaumont ($3,900) and College Station ($3,995). 

Statewide, you’ll find the highest assisted living prices in Austin, where the average cost is $5,190 per month. Prices are significantly lower in many other areas, including Texarkana ($2,265), Corpus Christi ($2,975) and El Paso ($2,250). 

Note: Senior care cost data wasn’t available for Missouri City, so data for the closest city, Houston, was used. 

A number of factors influence the cost of senior care with the most important one being the level of care provided. Nursing homes provide around the clock medical care to fragile seniors, therefore, this type of care costs the most at $5,095 for a semiprivate room.  Assisted living is much more affordable at $3,863 per month, and while it doesn’t include medical care, the price does cover room and board. Hiring a homemaker for 44 hours a week costs $3,909 per month and a home health aide costs $4,099. It’s important to recognize that in-home care costs are in addition to regular day-to-day expenses, such as home repairs, rent or mortgage payments and property insurance. 

 

Medicaid is the federally mandated, state-administered health program that gives low-income children, seniors and adults with disabilities access to health services. By law every Medicaid plan must include essential benefits, such as:

• Primary physician care
• X-rays and basic diagnostic tests
• Emergency and acute hospital services
• Transportation to Medicaid-funded care
• In-home and nursing home care

Individual states also have the option to provide additional services and supports through special programs and waivers.

In Texas, the Medicaid program is administered through Texas Health and Human Services. Medicaid services are delivered through select managed care organizations on a county-by-county basis, and there must be at least two Medicaid providers in each county. 

Qualifying for Medicaid

Seniors aged 65 and older must meet income and asset limits to qualify for long-term Medicaid services, including home and community-based waiver programs. 

Medicaid applicants can earn up to $2,313 per month in income from wages, pensions, investments and most other sources when applying as an individual and up to $4,626 in joint income when applying as a married couple. 

Asset limits are set at $2,000 per individual and $3,000 per couple. These limits include all cash, bank account balances and investments. Certain assets are exempt, such as one vehicle and a house, condo or mobile home assessed at $585,000 or less that the applicant and/or spouse live in.

If only one spouse in a married couple requires long-term Medicaid services, any income earned by the non-applicant spouse is disregarded, and that spouse can also keep up to half of the couple’s joint assets, worth up to $126,420, in addition to all Medicaid-exempt assets. 

Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance

If the non-applicant spouse relies on income from the applicant to cover shelter costs, the applicant can provide up to $3,160.50 per month under the minimum monthly maintenance needs allowance rule. Money transferred under the MMMNA is deducted from the applicant’s income on their Medicaid application. 

STAR+PLUS Medicaid Managed Care Program

Seniors aged 65 and older who qualify for Medicaid and meet the clinical criteria for nursing home placement may be eligible for services through STAR+PLUS. 

This managed care program provides additional community-based services along with all the basic Medicaid benefits to let seniors remain in an assisted living setting. 

Missouri City is located in the STAR+PLUS Harris Service Area. Available medical plans include Amerigroup, Molina Healthcare of Texas and Superior HealthPlan. By law, each of these plans must provide: 

• Adult day activity and health services
• Personal and attendant care
• Assisted living
• Disposable medical supplies
• Nursing care
• Respite care
• Occupational, physical and speech therapy
• Minor home modifications to improve safety and accessibility 
• A personal medical alert system
• Transitional support for seniors moving into assisted living from a nursing facility

By law, all Medicaid enrollees who request long-term care services must complete an assessment to determine the most appropriate, least-intrusive placement. 

For more information on Texas Medicaid and the STAR+PLUS program, contact the Houston-Galveston Area Agency on Aging at (713) 993-2436 or Fort Bend County Social Services, Missouri City Annex at (281) 403-8050.  

Elderlife Financial Assisted Living Bridge Loan

Elderlife Financial’s assisted living bridge loan is designed to give seniors access to the funds they need to pay for a move into an assisted living facility. This loan may be ideal for seniors selling their home or waiting for benefits to start paying for their monthly care costs. 

The assisted living loan is set up as a 12-month line of credit with open repayment terms, therefore, applicants must have a high credit score in order to be approved. Up to six applicants can be listed on the loan to improve the overall credit worthiness. 

Monthly payments are interest only, and money from the loan can be sent directly to the assisted living provider.

For more information and to apply over the phone, contact Elderlife Financial Services at (888) 228-4500. 

VA Aid and Attendance Housebound

Veterans and survivors who receive regular VA pension benefits and have either a permanent disability or chronic illness may qualify for either the VA Aid and Attendance Benefits or the VA Housebound Allowance. These two VA enhanced pension programs provide beneficiaries with additional cash that can be used to pay for assisted living costs. 

To qualify for Aid and Attendance, applicants must: 

• Have severe visual limitations that result in corrected vision tested at 5/200 or lower, or

• Be bedridden as a result of a chronic illness, or

• Live in a nursing home, or

• Have concentric contraction of the visual field tested to 5 degrees or less, or

• Need help to perform activities of daily living

For Housebound Allowance, veterans and survivors must:

• Have one permanent disability rated at 100% that limits their ability to leave their home

Note: Successful applicants are granted either Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits, but not both. 

For more information and assistance with the application process, call the Fort Bend County Veterans Service Office at (281) 341-4550. 

The Missouri City Parks and Recreation department offers free and low-cost fitness lessons, arts classes and drop-in games for seniors. The department also hosts monthly outings to local restaurants, regular field trips to area attractions and regular bingo games for seniors aged 50 and older. 

Fort Bend County operates the PINNACLE senior center, a newly constructed multipurpose center for seniors aged 50 and older. Programs are free for all county residents and include dance classes, drop-in table games and fitness classes. 

PINNACLE Senior Center
5525#C Hobby Rd., Houston, TX 77053
(832) 471-2760

Veterans and survivors can contact their respective county veterans service office for up-to-date information on local, state and VA benefits programs. Veterans service offices can also help with VA benefits applications and appeals, service record requests and transportation to VA health services. 

24 hour emergency, acute, and specialty care is available at the nearby Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston. 

Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
2002 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030
(713) 791-1414

Fort Bend County Veterans Service Office
4520 Reading Rd., Rosenberg, TX 77471
(281) 341-4550

Harris County Veterans Services Office
9418 Jensen Dr., Houston, TX 77093
(281) 876-6600

Senior Homes has an extensive directory of senior living options, with care and living providers across the United States.