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Who Qualifies for Assisted Living Financial Assistance in Tennessee?
Date Updated: July 26, 2024
Written by:
Rachel Lustbader is a writer and editor with a background in healthcare and technology. Her work has been published on websites including HealthCare.com, BiteSizeBio.com, BetterHelp.com, Caring.com, and PayingforSeniorCare.com. She studied health science and public health at Boston University.
Both of Rachel’s grandmothers had very positive experiences in senior living communities, and Rachel saw firsthand the impact that kind, committed caregivers and community managers can have on seniors’ and their family members’ lives. With her work at Caring, Rachel hopes to help other families find communities, caregivers, and at-home products that benefit elderly loved ones and make life less stressful for family caregivers
Individuals ages 21 and older who require assisted living or nursing home care may qualify for financial assistance in Tennessee. The state’s CHOICES program is open to Tennessee residents who medically qualify for Medicaid long-term care. They also must meet financial eligibility requirements to receive this assistance.
CHOICES Program
CHOICES is TennCare’s program for long-term care services. This program ensures that eligible Tennessee residents have access to services they need, whether home-based or in an assisted living facility. As a part of this program, qualifying individuals may receive financial assistance for assisted living care.
To qualify, program applicants must need the level of care provided by a long-term care facility, such as an assisted living facility. They also must qualify for Medicaid’s long-term services and supports. This means that individuals must meet financial requirements, including monthly income and total assets. Their income cannot exceed $2,742 per month, and the assets they own cannot exceed $2,000, excluding their home. Additionally, Medicare’s long-term services and supports eligibility states that individuals cannot have given away or sold anything for less than its value in the last 5 years.
Three levels of benefits are available, with the first two offering the most support to individuals who need nursing home care. The third level offers some support to individuals who do not yet need nursing home assistance.
How to Apply
Individuals must be a member of TennCare, the state’s Medicaid program, to qualify. Once they are a member of TennCare, they can contact the health plan to begin the application process. TennCare will review the candidate’s eligibility to determine whether they can receive assisted living financial assistance.