Question from Caring.com Community Member, terry and liz
Is there a program in Kentucky to help pay for assisted living?
Expert Answer by Joseph L. Matthews
Joseph L. Matthews is a Caring.com senior editor, an attorney, and the author of Long-Term Care: How to Plan & Pay for It and Social Security, Medicare, & Government Pensions: Get the Most Out of Your Retirement & Medical Benefits.
Medicaid in a few states covers residence in an assisted living facility, but not in most states. And apparently not in Kentucky. According to the Kentucky Department for Aging and Independent Living (DAIL) Web page on assisted living in Kentucky, neither Medicaid nor any other state program covers assisted living in that state. The explanation they give is that assisted living communities in Kentucky are operated on "social models" and do not provide health services, so Kentucky's Medicaid program doesn't cover them.
One possible avenue for help, though, is to combine Medicaid home care services with assisted living or some other form of residential care facility. Medicaid can provide long-term home care to people who qualify, and it can be provided wherever the Medicaid beneficiary lives. So, if you or a family member are looking for help paying for care, find out about Medicaid eligibility in Kentucky and the rules there for Medicaid coverage of home care.
