Nursing Home and Long-Term Care

What is Long-term Care?
Long-term care is programs or services that help older adults and/or people with disabilities accomplish everyday tasks. These tasks may include bathing, getting dressed, fixing meals and managing a home. Long-term care services allow individuals to live healthy, secure and independent lives, either in a long-term care facility or in a home and community-based setting. Before an individual can be enrolled in long-term care services, they must first be determined Medicaid eligible.

For more information on Long-Term Care and the services provided, please visit –
https://ltc.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/ltc/consumer-guide

Application Process
When applying for long-term care through Medicaid, applicants will need to show proof of income, resources, disability, citizenship (if not a U.S. citizen) and other health insurance. Individuals must also meet Transfer of Resources provisions. To be eligible for long-term care services paid by Medicaid, an applicant must:
• Be an Ohio resident
• Have (or get) a Social Security Number
• Meet Citizen requirements
• Need an institutional level of care (care in a nursing home or other long-term care setting for at least 30 days)
• Meet certain financial and non-financial requirements

To apply for Medicaid, please click the link below or use the following forms and submit to your local JFS office, or call 740-578-3593 to request an application be mailed to you or come into the agency during regular business hours to complete an application.
https://ssp.benefits.ohio.gov/

JFS 07216 Healthy Start/Healthy Families Combined Program Application

LTC Cover Letter       LTC Questionnaire

For more information on waiver services available with Area Aging (PASSPORT and Assisted Living) please visit –
https://aging.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/aging/

For more information on waivers available with Department of Developmental Disabilities please visit –
https://aging.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/aging/ohio%20dodd

How will this affect family members?
If an individual is in need of care in an institution or home and has a spouse and/or dependent family members, it is possible that some or all of that person's income and assets can be kept to support those who remain at home. This is called Spousal Impoverishment and was established as a provision in the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act (MCCA) of 1988. Its purpose is to protect the community spouse from becoming "impoverished". A resource assessment is conducted to determine the amount that will be given to the spouse and/or dependents at home. The spousal impoverishment law allows one year for the institutionalized spouse to transfer assets to the community spouse. From here, the patient liability is determined.

Qualified Income Trusts
Some individuals with income over the state limit may remain eligible for Medicaid by depositing excess income into a Qualified Income Trust (QIT). Your caseworker will let you know if applicant needs a QIT and how to set one up.

QIT Template