How To Qualify For Medicaid In Florida
Recently, the Florida legislature passed the state budget, failing to use billions of federal aid and rejecting a proposal to expand Medicaid. The proposed amendment to the health care budget would have greatly expanded eligibility for residents, who typically often struggle to qualify more than other states. Given this news and the continued difficulty Floridians face, it is important to understand how to qualify for Medicaid in Florida.
What is Medicaid?
Medicaid in Florida is a health coverage program sponsored by both the state and federal governments that provides health care to specific categories of people who are classified as low-income earners. Its goal is to improve the quality of life and health of those who often struggle to make ends meet. This group of people often have to make the difficult decision to forego medical aid for themselves and their families due to its costs.
Am I Eligible?
Eligibility in Florida is based on three requirements. The first is residency. To qualify for Medicaid, you must be one of the following:
- Resident of the state of Florida
- S. national
- S. Citizen
- Permanent Resident
- Legal Alien
The second requirement is that you must fit into one of the following categories:
- Currently Pregnant
- Responsible for a child 18 years of age or younger
- Blind
- Possess a disability (or a family member in your household has a disability)
- 65 years of age or older
The last requirement is that your financial situation must be characterized as low income or very low income. There are maximum annual income levels for which you cannot be earning anything over these amounts to qualify. These levels increase in conjunction with the number of members you have in your household.
| Size of Household | Maximum Income Level (Annual) |
| 1 | $17,131 |
| 2 | $23,169 |
| 3 |
$29,207 |
| 4 | $35,245 |
| 5 | $41,284 |
What services are provided under Medicaid?
The state provides Medicaid for both health and dental coverage. The health program provides different services based on the plan. The Managed Medical Assistance (MMA) plan covers medical needs such as doctor visits, hospital care, prescribed drugs, and even transportation. The Long-Term Care (LTC) plan provides services such as nursing facilities and assisted living.
The dental plan provides dental services for both children and adults; however services change and are different depending on whether you have reached the age of 21.
How do I qualify for Medicaid to pay for Nursing Home and assisted living assistance?
For the nursing home qualification, an individual must meet strict income, asset and level of care requirements. Currently the income limit is $2,382.00 a month and the countable asset level is $2,000 a month for an individual and $3,000.00 for a married couple where both spouses are applying. For a married couple where one spouse is applying, the spouse in the community may have $130,380.00 in countable assets. For Home and Community Based Services, one must meet the same requirements but there is a waiting list for persons who meet the eligibility requirements.
The rules and requirements in this are complex. We recommend that you receive advise from an elder care attorney before applying on your own.
Who do I contact?
The state government runs a website that allows those who believe they qualify to apply. There are eleven area offices based on locality within the state. That said, struggling to obtain healthcare is often overwhelming and stressful. Understanding and navigating the process and government applications can be difficult. At Strategic Counsel Law Group, L.C., our Tampa elder care planning attorneys can help you and are ready to assist in every step of the way to achieving medical coverage for you and your family. Learn more by contacting us at 813-286-1700 for a complimentary consultation.
Resources:
benefits.gov/benefit/1625
floridaphoenix.com/2021/04/27/lawmakers-wrap-up-state-budget-failing-to-use-3-5-billion-in-federal-covid-dollars-to-help-floridians/
