When a person is in a nursing home and on the Medicaid benefit, that person uses their income to pay their portion of the monthly nursing home bill and the Medicaid Institutional Care Program (ICP) benefit pays the difference to make up the 100% monthly payment to the nursing home.

The portion that the person in the nursing home pays is based on a calculation and is subject to community spouse rules.  Generally, an unmarried person will pay their monthly income to the nursing home minus $130 per month that they get to keep for their personal needs.  A married person would pay whatever amount was left to them as income after the allowance for the community spouse was made, and minus the $130 per month they keep for personal needs.

If it appears that your loved one could leave the nursing home and live safely at home with home care services, your loved one can be evaluated for this.  If the criteria for safety and appropriateness are met and the plan is approved by the Medicaid plan case manager, then your loved one can transition home from the nursing home and Medicaid would pay a Medicaid home care provider directly for 20 to 40 hours per week of care.  Your loved one, the Medicaid recipient, would keep their income up to the income cap amount for that year (ex. 2019 = $2313/mo).

Diana Mangsen focuses her practice as an elder law attorney in Clearwater, Largo, St. Petersburg, Dunedin, Palm Harbor and the Tampa Bay area.

For more information, visit our website at
https://www.mangsenlaw.com/
or call (727) 888-6282.