Who is eligible for Medicaid ?
Personal Care Home Medicaid eligibility in Georgia depends upon both non-financial and financial criteria:An individual must be a resident of Georgia, a U.S. citizen or legal alien, reside in a Medicaid-approved facility and meet the specified level of care needs. The physician’s assessment of a person’s health status and diagnoses is critical.All persons receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are automatically eligible for Medicaid. You must apply for SSI through Social Security. To be eligible for SSI, you must be very low income and:o be age 65 or older, or permanently and totally disabled or blind;o be a citizen of the U.S. or lawfully admitted alien;o be a resident of Georgia;o if entering a Personal Care Home, agree to assign all health insurance benefits to the Georgia Department of Medical Assistance; ando apply for and accept any other benefits which might help pay medical expenses.
Medicaid does not provide coverage for all low-income people. In general, Medicaid eligibility is based on a combination of financial and categorical eligibility requirements. Each state determines income thresholds and resource standards for its Medicaid program following federal guidelines. These thresholds and standards vary by state and may differ for each Medicaid-eligible population group within a state. In other words, a state may choose to set different standards for children, adults, the elderly and people with disabilities if it meets minimum federal requirements for each group. Historically, financial eligibility for Medicaid was linked to receipt of federally assisted income payments such as Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Over time, legislative changes have led to the creation of certain Medicaid groups where financial eligibility is based solely on income and resources, not on receipt of cash assistance. These groups,
