How Do You Qualify for Medicaid Assistance for Nursing Home Care?

Nursing home care is expensive in El Paso, TX, which is why the government helps some seniors cover the cost through its Medicaid program. While this state-administered program ensures that low-income elders receive the care they need, applying and qualifying for coverage requires careful planning. We look at how an experienced Medicaid lawyer can help secure your assets and ensure you qualify for Medicaid.

Medicaid is the federal health insurance program that helps low-income Americans fund medical and long-term care, including skilled nursing care. To qualify for Nursing Home Medicaid, seniors must meet certain financial and medical requirements.

Non-Financial Requirements

Medicaid will only cover nursing home care for people needing a skilled nursing level of care. You or your loved one can either apply before moving into care or while already residing in a nursing home.

Financial Requirements

Here in Texas, there are strict income limits for Medicaid eligibility. For 2025, applicants must have a monthly income lower than $2,901 or a monthly household income of less than $5,802 for a married couple.

Asset Limits

In addition to income limits, eligibility is also dependent on asset limits. Single Medicaid applicants must hold less than $2,000 in assets, while married couples can not have more than $3,000. Countable assets include:

• Cash savings
• Investments
• Second homes
• Life insurance policies with a cash value

However, the good news is that some assets are exempt, such as your vehicle, household items, personal property, and retirement accounts. Your Texas home or primary residence is also exempt under certain conditions.

Medicaid Look-Back Period

Unfortunately, it’s not just the assets you hold today that count towards these limits. Nursing Home Medicaid has a look-back period where any financial gifts, undervalued sales, or asset transfers you’ve made during the last five years are examined and scrutinized. Any improper disposal of assets could result in a penalty and a rejected Medicaid application.

How a Medicaid Lawyer Can Help

The Medicaid system is complex, and the only way to know if you qualify is to complete an application. An experienced elder law attorney will understand the intricacies of the eligibility process and the ins and outs of the legal and financial requirements. Most importantly, a lawyer can help protect your assets while ensuring you’re still eligible for benefits.

Here at Townsend Allala Coulter & Kludt, we provide legal strategies tailored to your individual circumstances to secure your assets against the limits and look-back period, such as exempt transfers, irrevocable trusts, and asset spend-down strategies. We ensure you receive financial coverage for the nursing care you need while allowing you to keep hold of your home, savings, investments, and other valuables.

For more than 45 years, we have helped seniors apply for and receive the benefits they’re entitled to while keeping their assets intact. If you or a loved one is applying for Medicaid or has previously been denied coverage, contact Townsend Allala Coulter & Kludt (TACK) in El Paso, TX today, and let us help you navigate the complex Medicaid system.

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