What Every Family Should Know
Caring for aging parents is one of the most loving and stressful responsibilities a person can take on. In Florida, the cost of home care, assisted living, or nursing homes can quickly drain a family’s savings. Many adult children wonder if Medicaid can help cover their elderly parent’s care. The answer is yes — but the process is complex.
Thankfully, elder law attorney Jason Neufeld, Esq., lays it all out in his helpful book, How to Get Medicaid to Pay for Some or All of Your Long-Term Care Expenses…. This article pulls key insights from his book to help families understand how Florida Medicaid works for elderly parents, and how to plan smartly, legally, and compassionately.
Why Medicaid Matters for Elderly Parents
If your parent is age 65 or older and needs long-term care, whether at home, in an assisted living facility (ALF), or in a nursing home, Florida Medicaid may be able to help cover the cost. The challenge is that Medicaid has strict rules about income, assets, and eligibility.
Jason Neufeld explains the emotional and financial toll many families face:
“From hiring a home-health aide, to paying for assisted living facilities or skilled nursing home care — five years of long-term elder care can easily cost between $200,000 and $600,000. These costs threaten to completely decimate the life savings of many elder Floridians.”
Medicaid can be a lifeline but most families don’t realize they can qualify without going broke first. That’s where planning comes in.
Common Questions Families Ask About Medicaid for Elderly Parents
Before applying for Medicaid on behalf of an elderly parent, most families have a lot of questions—and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the rules and requirements. The good news is that many of the most common concerns have clear answers. Below are some of the key questions adult children often ask when trying to help a parent qualify for Medicaid in Florida.
“Can my parent still own a home and qualify for Medicaid?”
Yes, in many cases they can. Florida allows a primary residence to be considered a non-countable asset, as long as it meets certain requirements.
“If the Medicaid applicant either lives in the home or expresses an ‘intent to return home,’ the house is exempt… If married, when the healthy spouse continues to reside in the house, it is exempt, regardless of value.”
This means your parent doesn’t have to sell their home to qualify — which is a huge relief for many families.
“What if my parent has too much money?”
Florida has an asset limit of $2,000 for individuals applying for long-term care Medicaid. That seems low — and it is. But here’s the good news: there are legal ways to protect assets.
“Medicaid planning is essentially the process of legally and ethically shifting assets from the status of ‘unprotected’ or ‘countable’ — to the status of ‘exempt’ or ‘non-countable’ — in order to qualify someone for Medicaid long-term-care benefits.”
With the right help, many elderly parents can still qualify for Medicaid without spending down everything they’ve saved.
“Can my parent qualify if their income is too high?”
Even if your parent’s income is above the Medicaid limit ($2,901/month in 2025), they can still qualify using a tool called a Qualified Income Trust (QIT) or Miller Trust.
“By utilizing a QIT/Miller Trust, we can qualify [someone] for Medicaid by placing slightly more than the income cap into the Qualified Income Trust. We advise slightly overfunding the QIT to provide a cushion for any deviations in income from month to month.”
This means that your parent’s income doesn’t have to be a barrier to getting help — as long as the proper planning is done.
“What if I already help take care of my parent?”
Many adult children care for their elderly parents every day — cooking, managing medications, driving them to appointments, and more. There’s a way to formally compensate that effort with a Personal Services Contract (also called a caregiver agreement).
“A properly drafted personal services contract can legally transfer a significant amount of money to a trusted caregiver, usually a family member, without it being considered a gift or penalty by Medicaid.”
This is one of the most powerful tools for helping elderly parents qualify for Medicaid while keeping money in the family — instead of spending it all on long-term care.
How to Start the Medicaid Process for a Parent in Florida
Here are practical steps to take if you think your elderly parent may need Medicaid help soon:
1. Gather All Financial Information
Start by collecting documents that show your parent’s income, assets, property, insurance policies, and expenses. Medicaid requires detailed financial records, including Social Security award letters, retirement account statements, bank records, and more.
“Florida Medicaid… is only interested in gross income. You are, in fact, obligated to add the Medicare Part B premium back when counting gross income.”
Even small details like this matter. The application process is very precise.
2. Avoid Gifting Money Without Legal Advice
Many families try to “spend down” money by giving it to relatives but this can backfire badly.
“Giving assets away within five years of applying to Medicaid… is the long-term care Medicaid program’s cardinal sin.”
If gifts were made recently, your parent may face a Medicaid penalty period. Always check with an elder law attorney before making transfers or gifts.
3. Understand the Look-Back Rule
Florida Medicaid will examine all financial activity from the past 5 years. This is called the look-back period, and it’s used to find any disqualifying gifts or transfers.
“The 5-year rule only restricts access to Medicaid if — and only if — assets have been given away… within the past five years.”
Planning ahead can help avoid penalties — or reduce them if your parent needs Medicaid sooner.
4. Ask About Asset Protection Strategies
There are many tools available to help protect your parent’s savings, even if Medicaid is needed soon. These include:
- Qualified Income Trusts
- Personal Services Contracts
- Medicaid-compliant annuities
- Spend-down strategies
- Legal exemptions for certain assets
Elder law attorneys know how to apply these tools properly, based on your parent’s specific needs and timeline.
Why Professional Help Is So Important
Helping an elderly parent apply for Medicaid in Florida is emotional and complicated. The rules are strict, the paperwork is intense, and the stakes are high. One wrong move could cost your family tens of thousands of dollars or delay much-needed care.
That’s why working with a qualified elder law attorney is one of the best things you can do.
As Jason Neufeld writes: “You should never attempt any of the techniques described without the supervision of an experienced Medicaid lawyer… My real goal… is to help you become a better advocate for yourself or the person you are trying to help.”
Learn More with Free Resources
If you’re caring for an aging parent and want to better understand how Medicaid works in Florida, Jason Neufeld’s book How to Get Medicaid to Pay for Some or All of Your Long-Term Care Expenses… is a must-read. Written in a clear and compassionate tone, it’s filled with real-world strategies to help families protect their loved ones and their savings. Jason Neufeld, Esq., is a respected Florida elder law attorney with years of experience guiding seniors and their families through the Medicaid process.
To learn more, visit www.ElderNeedsLaw.com, where you’ll also find free educational content on their blog and YouTube channel at YouTube.com/@ElderNeedsLaw.
Helping Your Parent — Without Losing Everything
Getting care for your elderly parent is one of the most important things you’ll ever do. Medicaid can help, but only if you apply the right way and use the right strategies. With proper planning and guidance, your parent can qualify for Medicaid without selling the house, losing their savings, or going through unnecessary stress.
Start early. Ask questions. And don’t do it alone.
