Making the decision between keeping a family member at home, moving them to an assisted living facility or placing them in a nursing home can be very complicated. You and medical practitioners involved with the patient’s care will need to carefully consider what the patient truly needs. 
An assisted living facility is a great in-between option for those people who still wish to live independently but require similar assistance. Medi-Cal will not pay for this type of care which can cost anywhere from between $2000 to more than $6000 a month. The vast majority of state Medi-Cal programs, however, might be able to cover some of the assisted living costs for eligible residents.
One of the primary distinctions between assisted living benefits and nursing home benefits is that there is no requirement that Medi-Cal pays for assisted living and no state Medi-Cal program is able to pay directly for a Medi-Cal recipient’s room and board facility.
Since assisted living costs are approximately half of what a semi-private nursing home room would cost, many state officials working with Medi-Cal programs recognize that they can save money by offering financial assistance to those elderly individuals who wish to stay out of nursing homes.
Most people are not sure where to start when it comes to qualifying for Medi-Cal. This is a good opportunity to speak with a trusted lawyer to help you begin to develop your plan.
The level and type of support from Medi-Cal for assisted living expenses will vary from one state to another. This is why it is important to schedule a consultation with an experienced elder law attorney to discuss how you might plan to pay for your long term care. Our office knows the process in California and will help you create a plan.
