Who Qualifies for Assisted Living Financial Assistance in Oklahoma?

To qualify for assisted living financial assistance in Oklahoma, seniors meet with a Department of Human Services caseworker who then determines if they are eligible for the Oklahoma SoonerCare ADvantage Waiver Program. Requirements include that their modified adjusted gross income is less than 185% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines and that they need a nursing home level of care. This program provides funding to help seniors stay in their homes instead of moving to a nursing home to receive care. It also contributes toward the costs of assisted living care in approved assisted living facilities in Oklahoma.

Seniors who qualify for the SoonerCare ADvantage Medical Waiver Program meet several criteria. These include:

• Qualify financially for SoonerCare
• Be 65 years or older
• Need a nursing level of care
• Not be cognitively impaired
• Be a permanent resident of Oklahoma
• Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident

Financial requirements for the ADvantage Program are that an individual senior may not earn an adjusted income of more than $2,265 per month and have assets that are less than $4,000. For a senior married couple, the income limit is $3,052 and the maximum asset amount is $6,000. The modified adjusted gross income is generally the same as the IRS adjusted gross income and includes taxable income less allowable deductions.

The Oklahoma ADvantage Program provides assisted living services to seniors living at home who qualify for nursing home care or who live in an approved assisted living community. In-home services include case management, personal care, housekeeping, laundry, meals, exercise, intermittent nursing and occupational and physical therapy. For those living in an assisted living facility, the program covers care costs except for board and rent.

Another alternative is the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), which operates in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Tahlequah. This is a Medicaid and Medicare program that includes primary care, nursing, meals, home care, hospitalization, nursing home care when needed, transportation and hospice care. Eligibility requirements are that seniors must live in a PACE service area, require a nursing level of care, be 55 years or older and earn less than 300% of the limit for Social Security Medicaid coverage.