Update: Florida Medicaid Longterm Care Benefits Criteria Modified

The Florida Department of Children and Families has modified two rules that impact on applicants for Medicaid longterm care benefits, and their spouses.

Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance changes: If the Medicaid applicant has a well (i.e., "community" spouse) whose income is below $1839, a portion of the applicant's income may be diverted to the well spouse to bring the well spouse's income to the minimum level. Effective July 1, 2011, the Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance increases from $1822 to $1839.

Home Equity Exemption: Under Florida law, an applicant's homestead property is exempt if the fair market value is below $506,000. (The figure prior to July 1 was $500,000.) If a home is held in any form of shared ownership, Medicaid considers only the fractional interest of the applicant requesting long-term care Medicaid benefits.

Comprehensive information on qualifying for Florida Medicaid benefits for longterm nursing care.