Who Qualifies for Home Health Care Financial Assistance in Ohio?

Seniors ages 60 and older may qualify for home health care financial assistance through Ohio’s PASSPORT program, which is designed to help seniors remain in their own homes while receiving health care. PASSPORT is a Medicaid waiver program, so income limitations apply.

The first step in becoming eligible for PASSPORT is enrolling in Medicaid. Seniors must meet Medicaid’s financial requirements. For a single person, this means an income limit of $2,523 per month ($30,276 per year) and countable assets of no more than $2,000. If individuals do not meet the Medicaid income requirements, they may still be able to enroll in PASSPORT if they have significant medical needs. Spaces are reserved in the program for seniors in this position.

Seniors who want to access PASSPORT must be Ohio residents and either U.S. citizens or legal aliens. They must be able to prove that they require a level of care equivalent to that of a nursing home. They also need to have a doctor’s certification that they will be safe to remain in their own homes with the proper care.

When eligibility requirements have been met, seniors participate in a preadmission screening by phone. This will help determine the level of care needed. Then a case manager takes over to create a personalized care package. The case manager works with seniors and their families to assess needs, schedule local care services and complete regular check-ins to make sure that the quality of care remains high. The case manager will also make adjustments to the care plan as needed.

PASSPORT covers a wide variety of services. Nursing care is available under this program as is personal care to help with the activities of daily living. Chore and homemaker services are also available as well as adult day care options. Seniors can also access meals, counseling, transportation, an emergency response system and medical supplies. Respite care services may also fall under the domain of the waiver.