Who Qualifies for Medicaid?
Emics Elder Care
Worried You Won’t Qualify for Medicaid?
Navigating Medicaid eligibility in New York can feel overwhelming, especially for families in Long Island, Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Westchester who are trying to protect their loved one’s care and savings. At Emics Elder Care, we help seniors and their families understand what it really takes to qualify for Medicaid—without losing everything they’ve worked for. Many people mistakenly believe they have too many assets to apply, but with the right guidance and planning, eligibility is often within reach. This page outlines the key criteria and shows how Emics can help you or your loved one get approved for Medicaid coverage sooner.
Medicaid Eligibility
One of the main hurdles preventing the elderly from filing for Medicaid is they are worried they won’t qualify. Elders have seen the laws and regulations around Medicaid change and become more complex over the course of the last 50 years. Because of this confusion, many mistakenly believe they don’t qualify if they have any sizeable assets.
Medicaid For Seniors
This simply is not true. In fact, delaying filing for Medicaid means your long-term care bills will quickly eat away at your life savings until there is nothing left. The reality is, you are entitled to receive Medicaid benefits and should take advantage of programs available to you as soon as possible. With the proper planning, Emics Elder Care Advisors can help you get coverage if you meet the following requirements.
Get NY Medicaid For Seniors
Learn More About Medicaid Eligibility in NY
Home health care can cost $100,000 a year in New York, and skilled care facilities often cost more. Because of the heavy stress and desire to care for our elders, and confusion about qualifying for Medicaid, people often delay filing for too long. This delay can quickly eat away at your loved one’s assets.
Planning their assets to qualify for NY Medicaid sooner can allow your loved one to receive Medicaid approval and still have money left to:
- pay their utilities, credit cards, and other recurring bills
- leave behind an inheritance for their loved ones
- pay for extra therapeutic treatments to improve their quality of life
3 Conditions to Qualify For Medicaid
Medical Need
This requirement is usually easy to define. A medical need is evident if you require daily treatment, monitoring or assistance. For example, if you can’t perform your Activities of Daily Living , or you need assistance to perform the basic functions of life, this is a medical need. People who require daily medical supervision or need 24-our support of a skilled care facility also qualify. You qualify if you have complex medical issues who require daily treatments from a nurse.
Age & Disability
An elder must be in one of the three (3) following categories to qualify for Medicaid:
- Over the age of 65
- Legally blind
- Disabled
People under the age of 65 can still qualify if they are considered to be disabled. Disabled is defined as being unable to perform gainful activities (i.e. work) for a period of a year. For example, a 61-year old with severe joint or back problems would be considered disabled. This is determined with the approval of a doctor.
Financial Need
Often the most complicated category, in order to qualify for Medicaid, you must meet your state’s eligibility requirements.The amount varies depending on the amount of people in the home. If you exceed this monthly income amount, there are still many options available to qualify for Medicaid. Contact an Emics Elder Care Planner to assist you in the process of managing your assets to qualify today.