The average cost of assisted living in Florida in 2020, according to Genworth's 2019 Cost of Care Survey, is $3,500 per month. However, the range of cost across the state varies greatly, with an average low of $2,836 / month and an average high of $5,375 / month.
As of March 1, 2014 Florida discontinued all Medicaid HCBS Waivers relevant to the elderly for long term care. Seniors now receive assistance from the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long Term Care (SMMC LTC) Program.
Medicare will pay for 100% of the cost of care up to 20 days at a skilled nursing facility and approximately 80% of the cost up to 80 more days. The care must be for recovery following an inpatient hospital stay. Medicare does not cover any cost of assisted living.
The short answer is yes, in most states, Social Security (through Optional State Supplements) provides financial assistance for persons that reside in assisted living communities provided they meet the eligibility criteria.
Monetary Benefits for Assisted Living Medicaid
In Florida, Medicaid will generally help with assisted living costs by reducing the by $1,100-$1,500/month. Medicaid does not pay for the room and board for the ALF, but only can pay for the medical portion.
Medicaid is one of the most common ways to pay for a nursing home when you have no money available. Even if you have had too much money to qualify for Medicaid in the past, you may find that you are eligible for Medicaid nursing home care because the income limits are higher for this purpose.
DOEA Programs and Services
The staffing ratios for these facilities are usually much higher, and these places can often times care for more advanced conditions, or more complex health issues. The environment might be more like a vacation resort than a senior care business.
If you have no family, no money, you become a ward of the state or county. The state assigns a guardian to you, and that person makes the decisions about your living situation, your health care, your finances.
For instance, nursing homes and assisted living residences do not just “take all of your money”; people can save a large portion of their assets even after they enter a nursing home; and a person isn't automatically ineligible for Medicaid for three years.
Yes, your spouse can keep a minimal amount of assets. This figure varies by state, but in most states, the spouse entering the nursing home can keep $2,000 in assets.
Nursing homes may offer resident trust funds into which patients can deposit their pension checks, Social Security checks, and other monies. The problem is that unscrupulous nursing home employees can potentially steal from these accounts—and they have.
Overall, the main difference between nursing home care and assisted living is that nursing homes provide medical and personal care in a clinical setting, while assisted living primarily provides personal care in a home-like, social setting.
Yet No Comments