If you or a loved one is facing the rising cost of long-term care in Florida, you’re not alone. Nursing home care can easily exceed $10,000 a month—and even assisted living or in-home care adds up fast. Many families feel overwhelmed, wondering how they’ll afford it all without going broke.
The good news? Medicaid in Florida can help pay for these expenses—even if you think you don’t qualify. With the right plan, you can protect your life savings and still get the care you or your loved one needs.
Check out Jason Neufeld’s book, How to Get Medicaid to Pay for Some or All of Your Long-Term Care Expenses—a great guide written by a Florida elder law attorney, specifically for non-lawyers. It explains, in everyday terms, how Medicaid planning works and how it can save families thousands of dollars.
What Counts as Long-Term Care?
Long-term care includes help with everyday activities like eating, bathing, dressing, and moving around. This care can be provided:
- At home (with paid caregivers or home health aides)
- In an assisted living facility (ALF)
- In a skilled nursing home (24/7 care)
Unfortunately, Medicare only covers short-term rehab stays (up to 100 days), not long-term care. As the book points out, “It can be quite a shock when clients’ families realize that when Medicare stops paying, they will be faced with the prospect of exorbitant long-term care costs”.
That’s where Medicaid steps in—as the only government program that can cover ongoing long-term care.
How Medicaid Helps in Florida
Medicaid in Florida offers two major long-term care programs:
1. Institutional Care Program (ICP)
This pays for care in a skilled nursing facility (nursing home). Medicaid covers nearly the full cost, minus a small monthly allowance.
2. Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) — also called the Medicaid Waiver
This program helps people receive care at home or in an assisted living facility, instead of a nursing home. It covers personal care, transportation, adult day care, and more.
As Neufeld explains, “Medicaid is really an umbrella term that refers to multiple different types of programs,” and the Waiver and ICP are the two most important for long-term care.
Who Is Eligible?
To qualify for Florida Medicaid long-term care, an applicant must:
- Be 65 or older (or disabled)
- Need help with daily living
- Meet financial criteria for income and assets
Many people assume they’re ineligible because they have too much income or savings—but that’s often not true. With proper planning, even people with substantial assets may qualify.
As Neufeld writes, “Many people who think they won’t qualify actually can—with proper planning”.
Florida Medicaid Income & Asset Limits (2025)
As of 2025, here are the financial limits:
- Income limit: $2,829/month (gross income)
- Asset limit: $2,000 (individual) or $3,000 (married couple)
These limits can feel scary—but you do not have to go broke to qualify.
There are legal and ethical tools to protect income and assets while applying for Medicaid. These include:
- Qualified Income Trusts (QIT) — for applicants over the income limit
- Personal Services Contracts — to fairly compensate a caregiver child
- Medicaid-Compliant Annuities and Promissory Notes
- Spending strategies on exempt items like home improvements or burial plans
Neufeld stresses, “Most clients go to an elder law attorney with significantly more than $2,000 in assets—and we present multiple ways to protect those assets”.
What About Married Couples?
Florida protects the spouse who is not applying for Medicaid (the “community spouse”) from being left penniless. These protections include:
- Community Spouse Resource Allowance (CSRA) – allows the well spouse to keep up to $157,920 in assets
- Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance (MMMNA) – lets the well spouse receive some of the Medicaid applicant’s income to cover living expenses
Neufeld explains, “The government recognizes it has an interest in not forcing well-spouses into poverty”. These rules ensure that one spouse can qualify for Medicaid without dragging the other into financial hardship.
Do You Have to Wait 5 Years?
This is one of the most common Medicaid myths.
The truth? You do not have to wait five years to apply for Medicaid. The so-called “five-year rule” only applies to gifts or transfers made for less than fair market value.
Most of the strategies used by elder law attorneys—like QITs, annuities, or personal service contracts—are Medicaid-approved and do not trigger a penalty.
As Neufeld says clearly: “Proper Medicaid Planning can legally and ethically be conducted within a few months of applying… you do not need to wait five years”.
Why You Should Work With a Medicaid Planning Attorney
Medicaid planning isn’t a DIY project. The rules are complex, and a simple mistake could delay benefits or even cause denial.
Neufeld notes, “The Medicaid system is filled with complex rules, and an experienced attorney can help you navigate them effectively”.
A qualified elder law attorney can:
- Help you apply for Medicaid sooner and safely
- Legally protect your home, savings, and income
- Avoid penalties and accelerate approval
- Advise you on how to pay for care right now, not years from now
As the book emphasizes, “Not only is Medicaid planning completely ethical and legal, but nothing is hidden from the government”.
The Sooner You Plan, the Better
Even if long-term care isn’t needed yet, planning early gives you more options. You can lock in better protection, avoid rushed decisions, and secure peace of mind.
That’s why the book also includes strategies for pre-planning, such as setting up a Five-Year Medicaid Asset Protection Trust—ideal for people who are healthy now but want to be ready later.
But even in a crisis, it’s not too late to act.
Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late: Get Help Today
If you’re caring for an aging loved one or worried about your own future, now is the time to learn how Florida Medicaid can help cover long-term care costs. You don’t need to sell your house. You don’t need to go broke. And you don’t have to do it alone.
To learn more, pick up a copy of How to Get Medicaid to Pay for Some or All of Your Long-Term Care Expenses (8th Edition) by Jason Neufeld. It’s written for everyday people—not lawyers—and offers real-life strategies, examples, and peace of mind.
