Who Qualifies for Assisted Living Financial Assistance in Montana?

Low-income seniors with care needs may qualify for assisted living financial assistance in Montana. Although neither Medicare nor the state Medicaid program directly pay for assisted living in Montana, older adults might qualify for funding under the state’s Big Sky Home and Community Based Services Waiver Program. The Medicaid program helps eligible seniors who would otherwise be at risk of needing nursing facility admission.

To prove financial eligibility, Montana seniors must initially qualify for Medicaid before beginning a waiver claim. In general, seniors qualify for Medicaid if they:

• Are aged 65 or older, blind or disabled
• Earn less than $917 each month
• Don’t own more than $2,000 of countable resources

To then qualify for the Big Sky Waiver, seniors must show they need the level of care typically provided in a nursing home. This may include needing ongoing help with day-to-day activities, assistance with personal care tasks or medication oversight.

As the Big Sky Waiver is not an entitlement program, some seniors who qualify will still need to wait for services. Additionally, individuals who do not qualify for waiver services will need to find alternative ways to pay for care. Possibilities include:

• Claiming Medicaid for nursing home care while waiting for waiver services (subject to eligibility)
• Claiming Medicaid for in-home support while waiting for waiver services (subject to eligibility)
• Paying for care out of pocket using savings and income
• Obtaining a reverse mortgage (for property owners)
• Relying on funding from family members
• Claiming against long-term care insurance policies (where applicable)
• Claiming Aid & Attendance allowance (for veterans)
• Qualifying for PACE (subject to criteria and service area)