How to Pay for Assisted Living in Florida on Social Security

There is good news for people who are either currently living at home but are considering assisted living, or are in a nursing home but can qualify for a less restrictive and expensive level of care.

The state of Florida has announced that they have $33 million dollars set aside for a program called the Medicaid Waiver Program which helps pay for assisted living for seniors over 65 who qualify. This program is for people who need help with at least three areas of activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, food preparation, etc.

The income limit for qualified persons is $23,000 a year, with no appreciable assets. Most of a person's social security or other income is taken by the facility, and the state of Florida provides the rest.

Assistance with application for the program can be provided by the assisted living facility that has openings, a discharging hospital or nursing facility or a social worker or RN with a local home health agency. A family member can also obtain the initial paperwork to start the process which can take 30-60 days or possibly more depending on the circumstances.

Here are some suggestions to help you locate and apply for an affordable assisted living facility in the state of Florida.

Things You'll Need

• Assisted Living Facility that takes the Medicaid Waiver program

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Instructions

• 1

  Determine whether you are seeking a private room and bath as some facilities only offered a shared room.

• 2

  Call the Department of Elder Affairs or Agency for the Aging to obtain a list of facilities which take the Medicaid Waiver program in your area.

• 3

  Look in your phone book under Assisted Living Facilities for other listings you can call to find out if the Medicaid Waiver Program is accepted there.

• 4

  Visit each facility you are interested in to see if the accommodations are acceptable. Many facilities that accept the Medicaid Waiver are very nice and of high quality.

• 5

  Be prepared to pay for the initial month or two if the person needs this program right away, as it takes that long for the Medicaid Waiver to be approved through the state of Florida. Patients in a hospital or nursing home can transfer directly to an assisted living facility if desired, with the approval of the person's physician for that level of care.

• 6

  Wait awhile if the person is in rehabilitation or recovering from an illness that necessitates a higher level of care. People often fluctuate in their self-care abilities over time. What a person does not qualify for one month may change the next.

• 7

  Be informed about the level of care and financial responsibility for assisted living vs. nursing home so you can make the appropriate choice for a person considering assisted living under the Medicaid Waiver Program. This information is available through the Dept. of Elder Affairs and The Area Agency for the Aging in your area. Local assisted living facilities can also help you in planning.