How to use Medicaid to pay for assisted living in Florida (2026)
Florida Medicaid can pay for care in assisted living through the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care program. Getting there takes several steps with different state agencies, and there is a waitlist. Here is the order, who to call, and where families get stuck.
FindRetireHome is not a government agency and does not decide eligibility. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Families never pay FindRetireHome.
Step by step
- Call the Elder Helpline for a screening. Florida pays for assisted living care through the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care (SMMC) Long-Term Care program. The first step is a phone screening with your local Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), reached through the Elder Helpline. The screening gives the person a priority score and places them on the long-term care waitlist. Call back if health or living situation changes, because a rescreening can change the priority. Elder Helpline: 1-800-963-5337
- Wait for release from the waitlist. The long-term care program has a waitlist. People are released based on priority rank and available funding, so waits can be months or longer. When the person is released, the ADRC sends a letter explaining what to do next and by when. Keep the letter and watch the deadlines.
- Apply for Medicaid with DCF through ACCESS Florida. The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) decides financial eligibility. Apply online through ACCESS Florida or with help from the ADRC. DCF will ask for proof of income and assets. If income is above the limit, a Qualified Income Trust may be needed. For questions about assets, transfers, or trusts, talk with an elder law attorney.
- Complete the CARES level-of-care assessment. After release from the waitlist, a CARES (Comprehensive Assessment and Review for Long-Term Care Services) assessor from the Department of Elder Affairs confirms that the person medically needs a nursing facility level of care. This is the medical side of eligibility.
- Choose a long-term care plan with the enrollment broker. Once eligible, the person picks a Medicaid long-term care plan through the Florida Medicaid enrollment broker. The plan assigns a case manager who arranges services. Assisted living is only covered at a facility that contracts with that plan, so ask each community which plans it accepts before you choose. Enrollment broker: 1-877-711-3662
- Find a contracted assisted living facility with an open Medicaid bed. Medicaid long-term care pays for care services in assisted living. It does not pay for room and board, which the resident usually covers from income such as Social Security. Some residents with low income also qualify for Optional State Supplementation through DCF. Contracted facilities often have few Medicaid beds, so ask about openings early.
Medicaid readiness checklist
Check each step the person needing care has already finished. Nothing here is saved or sent unless you ask an advisor for help below.
Where you are: Has not started the Medicaid processStart with a call to the Elder Helpline. The screening is what places someone on the long-term care waitlist.Next step to check: called the elder helpline and completed the screening.
Finding a community that accepts your plan
Not every assisted living facility accepts Medicaid, and those that do contract with specific long-term care plans. Before a tour, ask which plans the community contracts with and whether a Medicaid bed is open now.
Browse communities marked as accepting Medicaid
Common questions
- Does Florida Medicaid pay for assisted living?
- Yes, for people who qualify. The Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care program can pay for care services in an assisted living facility that contracts with the person's long-term care plan. It does not pay for room and board, which the resident usually pays from income.
- How long is the Florida Medicaid long-term care waitlist?
- It varies. Release depends on the priority score from the Elder Helpline screening and on available funding, so waits can be months or longer. Tell the ADRC if health or living situation changes, because a rescreening can change the priority.
- Who decides if we are eligible?
- DCF decides financial eligibility, a CARES assessor from the Department of Elder Affairs decides medical eligibility, and the ADRC manages the waitlist. FindRetireHome is not a government agency and does not decide eligibility.
- Can we choose any assisted living community?
- Only a facility that contracts with your long-term care plan and has an open Medicaid bed. Ask each community which plans it accepts, and ask your plan case manager for its list of contracted facilities.
- What if income or assets are over the limit?
- Florida sets income and asset limits each year. People with income above the limit may still qualify with a Qualified Income Trust. For questions about assets, transfers, or trusts, talk with an elder law attorney. FindRetireHome does not give legal advice.
- Does FindRetireHome charge families for Medicaid help?
- No. Families never pay FindRetireHome. An advisor can explain the steps, help you prepare for calls, and shortlist assisted living communities that accept your plan.
Sources
- Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA): Statewide Medicaid Managed Care
- Florida Department of Elder Affairs: Aging and Disability Resource Centers and CARES
- Florida Department of Children and Families: ACCESS Florida
- Florida Medicaid enrollment broker
Program rules, plan rosters, and limits change. Confirm details with the agency before you act. Last reviewed 2026-09-22.