Michigan's Affordable Assisted Living Programs & Medicaid Waivers

Learn About Affordable Assisted Living Programs, Medicaid Waivers & Michigan’s PACE Program (All Inclusive Care)

Summary: An overview of the handful of programs in Michigan available to help seniors gain access to affordable assisted living, in-home care support through Medicaid Waivers, and Michigan’s PACE program, which is the “Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly.”

Author:Regina Woodard – exclusively for Assisted Living Directory

Gross Point Blank Getting Help in Michigan

There are many things to enjoy in the state of Michigan the great lakes, the motor capital at one point, and the origins of Motown and it’s the 9th For those residents of Michigan who are looking for assisted living facilities, the state has two different types of facilities that of homes for the aged and adult foster care homes. Both of these offer assistance and supervision with daily living activities, with the only difference between the two being that homes for the ages require residents to be at least sixty years or older, whilst adult foster care facilities are available to any adult eighteen years or older.

Visit Assisted Living Directory’s Michigan Facilities page for more information on State programs and support. Additionally you can learn about facilities statewide using the Department of Human Services Adult Foster Care /Homes for the Aged search tool!

The national average for assisted living facilities were about $3,550 a month in the year 2012, with the median for the state of Michigan around $2,850, putting in in the category of states with the least expensive monthly costs. The state itself is home to over 560 assisted living facilities and while the costs may be low, it still means monthly costs of nearly three thousand dollars, which can be a tough road for many people. most populated state within the US.

The Role of Medicaid/Medicare

In many cases, when individuals or families began to discuss the idea of assisted living or nursing homes for their loved ones, the concept of Medicaid or Medicare will mostly be a part of the conversation. Medicaid is an assistance program that helps pay for certain services, especially if you are fifty-five or older.

Many people assume that Medicaid pays for all services, however it is only when the cost of an assisted living community comes up that people discover that Medicaid and Medicare may not or do not pay for these services. In general, Medicaid does cover doctor visits, prescriptions, inpatient and outpatient services, emergency services, and medical equipment; things that Medicaid doesnt pay for include private nurses, experimental services/items, chiropractic services, and others.

One thing that Medicaid and Medicare may not pay for are assisted living, but this will usually be dependent on the actual facility and what services a person’s Medicaid actually covers. When first looking into Michigan’s assisted living services, checking the coverage of Medicaid is incredibly important.

Affordable Assisted Living

One of the options Michigan residents can look into is a program called affordable assisted living. The AAL is a specialized form of senior apartment living, helping to provide affordable rent rates, along with on-site personal care and health related services. One objective of the program is to blend housing with community based services, helping to bring together private apartments with private pay and other services.

The AAL helps to support those individuals who are unable to remain at home, who prefer to live in residences that offer long term care services, and those who may be in nursing homes and want to go back to a more community based residence, while paying less for their long term care.

MI Choice

The MI Choice service is Medicaid waiver where Medicaid pays for home care services within an individual home. While Medicaid does pay for several different services, in many cases it does not pay for assisted living or home care services; with the Choice waiver, individuals that would like to stay at home, but need some in home care are able to receive these services. Services that are covered in the Choice program include personal care, homemaking, adult day services, in home respite, meals on wheels, and personal emergency response systems.

To qualify, individuals must be eighteen or over, require nursing home level care, and have a monthly income of $2,130 or more.

PACE

The Program of All inclusive Care for the Elderly, or PACE, is managed program that features a delivery system with coordinated Medicare and Medicaid financing. PACE is for individuals who want to stay at home to receive services instead of having to go to an assisted living facility or a nursing home. With PACE, individuals are afforded such services like day care, in-home care, and nursing home care as needed.

To qualify, individuals must be at least fifty-five years, live in a PACE opted area, and be certifiably eligible for nursing home care. Currently, the PACE program is offered to residents in Battle Creek, Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Muskegon.

Veterans Administration

Many people often forget that former members of the armed forces, veterans and their spouses are eligible for those who qualify, with many services being paid for thanks to these resources. For the VA, the individual or their spouse must have been in the armed services, on active duty; other requirements vary depending on the city, county, and sometimes state, so you or your loved one should make sure that all paperwork that needs to be filed is filed correctly within the state of residence.

Finding the right assistance for you or your loved one is relatively easy thanks to Michigan’s various health department resources and long term care services. There are many different ways in which services are able to assist their elderly citizens and their families with looking for affordable and lasting assisted living facilities within the state and their corresponding cities.

Resources

AAA1B Home Care Services: MI Choice Medicaid Waiver

MSHDA Medicaid Service Funding Options for Affordable Assisted Living in Michigan (.pdf)

MDCH Choices for Older or Disabled Persons who May Need Help Caring for Themselves to pay for these types of communities: http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,4612,7-132-2943_4857_5045-16263–,00.html

Copyright © by Regina Woodard

– Article by Regina Woodard exclusively for Assisted Living Directory