Eligibility for Medicaid in Florida for Nursing Home Care

Eligibility for Medicaid in Florida for Nursing Home Care

If you have a loved one who may need nursing home care but would like government assistance in paying for it, you will need to make sure the candidate meets all of the criteria in Florida to receive Medicaid for nursing home care.

These criteria are as follows:

  • Legal residency in Florida
  • A need for “nursing facility level of care”
  • At least 65 years old, OR between 18 and 65 years old and designated by the Social Security Administration as being disabled
  • Meeting the financial requirements for Florida Medicaid

“Nursing facility level of care”

The phrase “nursing facility level of care” does not necessarily mean the person receiving care requires nursing. Instead, Florida has standardized degrees to which a person needs assistance or partial assistance for completing at least two “activities of daily living,” such as bathing, eating, mobility and personal hygiene.

Financial eligibility

The state will consider an applicant’s income and owned assets for Medicaid eligibility for nursing home care. As of 2020, the individual income limit is $2,349 per month, and double that for couples. The asset limit for a single applicant is $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple, but there are many assets (including owned homes) that will be exempt from counting toward this eligibility standard.

For more information about Medicaid eligibility for nursing home care and how to apply for Medicaid in Florida, contact an experienced Tampa estate planning lawyer at BaumannKangas Estate Law.