Medicaid & Nursing Home Coverage

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services, Medicaid is a form of health care provided at federal and state level for individuals from poor and low income families who cannot afford health care.

Nursing Homes

• Georgetown University's Long Term Care Financing Project reports in 2003, ¾ of the long-term care in the U.S. was provided in nursing homes. Medicaid provided around half of the funding for all nursing home bills in 2003.

Assets

• According to Georgetown University, an individual can qualify for Medicaid funding for nursing home care by reducing their assets to below $2,000. Married couples qualify to keep a larger portion of their assets.

Certification

• According to the Massachusetts Department of Health & Human Services, nursing homes must become certified to take part in Medicare and Medicaid programs. Prior to applying to take part in Medicaid programs, the nursing home must be operational and have gained state level certification.