{"id":355788,"date":"2016-04-04T10:46:14","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:46:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ability-fl-prod.internetbrands.com\/ability-law\/healthcare\/medicare-medicaid\/medicaid-for-nursing-home-for-spouse-if-i-can-still-live-independ.html"},"modified":"2026-08-21T16:07:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T21:07:00","slug":"medicaid-for-nursing-home-for-spouse-if-i-can-still-live-independ","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/healthcare\/medicare-medicaid\/medicaid-for-nursing-home-for-spouse-if-i-can-still-live-independ.html","title":{"rendered":"Medicaid Coverage of Spouse’s Nursing Home Expenses"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Medicaid Coverage of Spouse's Nursing Home Expenses<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Melissa McCall, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Susan Mills Richmond, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n

Medicaid helps pay for nursing home care, and federal spousal impoverishment rules allow the community spouse to keep certain income and assets so they aren\u2019t left destitute. During eligibility review, Medicaid assesses the couple\u2019s countable and exempt assets to determine how much the institutionalized spouse must contribute toward care. If the applicant qualifies, Medicaid covers nursing home costs and may protect additional resources through spousal allowances and planning tools.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Many seniors can’t afford long-term health care, like nursing home care.\u00a0Medicaid<\/a> is a federal government program that provides health insurance for low-income individuals and the elderly. It can also help pay for nursing home care services for older adults.<\/p>\n

Given nursing home costs, paying for nursing home care out of pocket is not realistic for many older adults. But Medicaid can help cover nursing home costs for eligible seniors, and federal spousal impoverishment rules ensure the spouse at home can keep certain income and assets. <\/span><\/p>\n

This article explains how those protections work, eligibility requirements, and the options couples have to protect their assets when one spouse needs long\u2011term care. You can also consult a healthcare attorney near you<\/a> for targeted legal advice. An experienced lawyer can review your finances and help you structure assets to best protect yourself and your spouse.<\/span><\/p>\n

Medicaid and Nursing Home Care<\/h2>\n

Medicaid will cover nursing home costs as long as the recipient meets Medicaid eligibility criteria. You must need the care given in a nursing home, and the state Medicaid agency<\/a> has certified the nursing home. Although this seems relatively straightforward, this approach can get complicated for married seniors with assets. Many seniors risk losing their life savings if they need nursing home care. Medicaid often pays only after they have depleted their assets.<\/p>\n

Before the passage of the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act\u00a0in 1988, elderly couples faced impoverishment if one spouse entered a nursing home. This was often catastrophic for the community spouse, or the spouse who was not in a nursing home. The institutionalized spouse is the spouse who is in the nursing home.<\/p>\n

Congress passed the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act of 1988<\/a> to protect the community spouse from impoverishment. The Act provides spousal impoverishment protection for legally married couples when one spouse needs nursing home care.<\/p>\n

Spousal Impoverishment Protection<\/h2>\n

Under federal spousal impoverishment protection, the community spouse can keep some of the couple’s income and countable assets<\/a> if the applicant spouse uses Medicaid for long-term care.<\/p>\n

Medicaid Eligibility<\/h3>\n

Generally, you can’t meet Medicaid eligibility if you have more than a few thousand dollars in countable assets. For married couples, Medicaid looks at the couple’s countable assets as of the first day the institutionalized spouse enters long-term care<\/a>. Countable assets include the following:<\/p>\n