Say what care is needed, what your parent has and earns, whether there's a spouse at home, and what's already been decided. In a few seconds you get the cost reality, what Medicare covers (less than you think), how Florida Medicaid long-term care works, the lower-cost options, and the exact questions for the professionals. No account. Nothing stored.
Free — takes 40 seconds
What care is needed and why (after a hospital stay, dementia, falls), where they are now, their monthly income, roughly what they have in savings, whether they own a home, whether a spouse lives there, and whether anyone has power of attorney.
Why this exists
Medicare stops sooner than anyone expects. Medicaid has rules that punish the wrong move for five years. A spouse at home has protections nobody mentions. The right attorney and the right state office exist — this tells you what they do, what to ask them, and what not to do before you've asked.
How it works
Care, income, savings, the house, spouse, paperwork. Nothing is saved.
What Medicare pays and when it stops, how Florida Medicaid LTC works, the lower-cost options — in English or Spanish.
The planning pack, the document checklist and the facility comparison sheet, in the full version.
Plans
The free version explains the landscape and gives you the questions. The pack writes the one-page summary for the attorney and the ADRC, the document checklist, the facility comparison sheet and the 30-day timeline.
The one-page summary for the attorney and the ADRC, the question lists, the 60-month document checklist, the facility comparison sheet and the timeline. English or Spanish. Printable.
For a hospital case-management team, an assisted-living community, a home-care agency or a senior center that meets families on the worst week of their year.
All prices in USD, handled by Stripe. The map and the questions never go behind a paywall.
Common questions
Using the tool and getting the plain-language explanation costs nothing, and nothing you type is stored — no account is needed. There are two optional paid packs listed for organizations: a $9 one-time 'Family planning pack' for one family, and a $99/month version for discharge planners, ALFs and senior centers. Neither is required to use the free tool.
Only in a narrow situation: Medicare covers a nursing home stay after a 3-day qualifying hospital stay, up to 100 days, and only while skilled care is needed — never for ongoing custodial or long-term care, and never for assisted living (Medicare.gov — Skilled Nursing Facility Care). This is the fact families get wrong most often, so double-check it directly with Medicare before assuming it will cover a longer stay.
Florida's Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care program can pay for nursing-home care, and, through a waiver with a wait list, for assisted living or in-home care (Florida AHCA — SMMC Long-Term Care). This tool never determines eligibility — DCF applies income and asset limits that change yearly, and the Aging and Disability Resource Center (Elder Helpline 1-800-963-5337) does the screening, so those are the places to confirm your parent's actual numbers.
Please don't do that before talking to an attorney: Florida Medicaid looks back 60 months at transfers for less than fair value and can impose a penalty period with no coverage if it finds one. The home is generally exempt while a spouse or dependent lives there, but Florida can seek repayment from the estate after death under Fla. Stat. 409.9101. There are lawful planning options, but only a Florida elder-law attorney can evaluate them for your family — the cost of that consultation is small next to what's at stake.
This tool won't quote you a price, but it points to real lower-cost paths: the ADRC's community programs (Community Care for the Elderly, Home Care for the Elderly, Alzheimer's Disease Initiative respite), adult day care, PACE programs where a county has one, and paid family caregiving through the Medicaid waiver. Veterans or surviving spouses may also qualify for VA Aid and Attendance. Call the Elder Helpline at 1-800-963-5337 to be screened for what's actually available in your area, and check Genworth/CareScout's Cost of Care survey for Florida-region medians.
Usar la herramienta y recibir la explicación en lenguaje sencillo no cuesta nada, y nada de lo que usted escriba se guarda; no se necesita cuenta. Existen dos paquetes pagos opcionales para organizaciones: un 'Paquete de planificación familiar' de $9 pago único para una familia, y una versión de $99 al mes para planificadores de alta hospitalaria, ALF y centros para adultos mayores. Ninguno de los dos es necesario para usar la herramienta gratuita.
Solo en una situación muy limitada: Medicare cubre una estadía en un hogar de ancianos después de una hospitalización calificada de 3 días, hasta 100 días, y solo mientras se necesite cuidado especializado — nunca para cuidado de custodia continuo ni para vivienda asistida (Medicare.gov — Skilled Nursing Facility Care). Este es el dato que las familias suelen entender mal con más frecuencia, así que confírmelo directamente con Medicare antes de suponer que cubrirá una estadía más larga.
El programa Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care de la Florida puede pagar cuidado en un hogar de ancianos y, mediante una exención (waiver) con lista de espera, vivienda asistida o cuidado en el hogar (Florida AHCA — SMMC Long-Term Care). Esta herramienta nunca determina la elegibilidad — el DCF aplica límites de ingreso y de bienes que cambian cada año, y el Centro de Recursos para el Envejecimiento y la Discapacidad (Línea del Adulto Mayor 1-800-963-5337) hace la evaluación, así que ahí debe confirmar las cifras reales de su familiar.
Por favor, no lo haga sin hablar antes con un abogado: Medicaid de la Florida revisa transferencias de bienes por menos de su valor justo hechas en los últimos 60 meses, y si encuentra una, puede imponer un período de penalización sin cobertura. La vivienda generalmente está exenta mientras un cónyuge o dependiente viva allí, pero la Florida puede reclamar el reembolso contra la herencia después del fallecimiento según el Fla. Stat. 409.9101. Existen opciones de planificación legales, pero solo un abogado de la Florida especializado en derecho de adultos mayores puede evaluarlas para su familia — el costo de esa consulta es pequeño comparado con lo que está en juego.
Esta herramienta no le va a dar un precio, pero sí señala caminos reales de menor costo: los programas comunitarios del ADRC (Community Care for the Elderly, Home Care for the Elderly, respiro de la Iniciativa del Alzheimer), cuidado diurno para adultos, programas PACE donde el condado los tenga, y cuidado familiar pagado a través de la exención de Medicaid. Los veteranos o cónyuges sobrevivientes también podrían calificar para el beneficio VA Aid and Attendance. Llame a la Línea del Adulto Mayor al 1-800-963-5337 para que lo evalúen sobre lo que realmente hay disponible en su área, y revise la encuesta Cost of Care de Genworth/CareScout para ver las medianas por región en la Florida.
Built by the same team, free to try.