Long-Term Care Medicaid
Long-Term Care Medicaid is for aged (65 and older), blind or disabled individuals or couples who have been in a hospital or nursing facility for 30 days or longer. It helps pay the cost of care in a nursing home or Intermediate Care Facility for the mentally retarded when such a stay is medically necessary.
Medicaid recipients must use their income to pay for nursing home care. Medicaid pays the difference between the recipient's income and the nursing home rate. The recipient keeps $30 per month for personal needs not provided by the nursing home. An additional amount may be set aside for a spouse living at home or special needs like health insurance premiums and charges not covered by Medicaid.
Who Is Eligible?
To receive Long-Term Care Medicaid, an individual must be:
- aged, blind or disabled
- a U.S. citizen or qualified immigrant
- a resident of North Carolina
- meet income requirements
- have financial resources of $2,000 or less for an individual; $3,000 or less for a couple sharing the same room. Countable resources include bank accounts, real estate, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, IRAs, CDs, life insurance, burial contracts and vehicles. If there is a spouse at home, some of the couple's resources may not be counted.
- If an individual, his/her spouse or legal representative gives away or sells any assets for less than fair market value within 36 months prior to application, Medicaid may not pay for the cost of care in a nursing facility. Discuss the transfer of assets with a case manager to determine if it could result in a sanction.
Please contact our office for more information about how financial eligibility is determined.
Each program has specific time limits for processing applications. Your case manager will explain this to you when you apply.
Wake County Human Services does not monitor nursing homes or handle complaints about nursing home care. If you have any complaints about a facility, you may call 919-733-8499 (North Carolina Division of Facility Services) or the Long-Term Care Ombudsman at 919-558-2711.
View locations where you can apply.
Bring this information when you apply.
Ask for a brochure to be mailed to you. Please include the address where you would like the brochure to be mailed.