Nursing home care can cost thousands of dollars each month. If you or a loved one needs daily medical care, these bills can quickly drain years of savings. Mississippi Medicaid may help pay for nursing home care if you meet its medical and financial rules. However, living in Hattiesburg or having limited savings does not guarantee coverage. Your income, assets and need for care all play a role.
Who qualifies for nursing home coverage?
Mississippi Medicaid helps pay for care in nursing homes that take part in the program. To qualify, you generally must meet these requirements:
- Age or disability: You must be 65 or older, blind or disabled.
- Medical need: Your doctor must confirm that you need nursing home care.
- Length of stay: A doctor must confirm that you need care for at least 31 days in a row. This rule concerns your expected need for care, not a requirement to pay out of pocket for 31 days before Medicaid can help.
- Income: Your gross monthly income generally must not exceed 300% of the federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit rate. If your income exceeds this cap, a Qualified Income Trust (QIT), also called a Miller Trust, may help you qualify. The trust must follow strict state rules.
- Assets: You must meet Mississippi’s limits on countable assets, such as money in bank accounts and certain investments.
Mississippi also reviews asset transfers from the five years before your application. Giving money or property to relatives for less than its fair value may delay coverage.
What happens to your home and savings?
Owning a home does not always prevent you from qualifying. Mississippi may exclude your home when you meet certain rules, such as having a spouse who lives there or stating that you intend to return home. Other assets may also qualify for exemptions.
However, an exemption during your lifetime does not always protect your home after death. Under Mississippi’s Medicaid Estate Recovery Program, the state may seek repayment from the estate of someone who received long-term care benefits at age 55 or older. A surviving spouse or certain dependent children may prevent recovery, and hardship exceptions may apply.
Having an elder law attorney can help you review your income, explain QIT rules and help you plan for possible estate recovery.
Planning ahead for care
Mississippi Medicaid may help cover nursing home costs, but the rules can affect both your savings and the home you hope to leave your family. Reviewing your options early can help you plan for care while protecting assets the law allows you to keep.