Medicare does not cover long-term senior care. Georgia Medicaid does — 100% of nursing home costs for eligible seniors, plus CCSP and SOURCE waivers for personal care in the community. Altuvo helps families navigate eligibility, the 5-year look-back, and elder law planning.
Georgia Medicaid is the single largest payer of long-term senior care in the state. For families who have exhausted savings — or who planned ahead with proper elder law counsel — Medicaid can cover 100% of nursing home costs and much of the care in a personal care home. Altuvo walks Atlanta families through the eligibility maze and connects them to elder law attorneys who protect the family home and community-spouse assets.
Medicare (federal) does NOT pay for long-term senior care beyond 100 days of short-term rehab. Medicaid (state, funded jointly with federal) is what actually covers long-term nursing home stays and — through CCSP and SOURCE waivers — personal care in a community setting. Understanding the difference is the single most important step families take when planning a parent's long-term care.
Medicare covers hospital care, doctor visits, and up to 100 days of short-term rehab after a qualifying inpatient stay. It does NOT cover long-term nursing home care, assisted living, or memory care. Medicaid — through Georgia's SFC (Skilled and Fragile Care) or NHI programs — covers 100% of nursing home costs for eligible seniors and portions of community-based care through CCSP and SOURCE.
For nursing home Medicaid in Georgia (2026): monthly income limit is roughly 300% of the SSI federal benefit rate (~$2,829/mo for an individual), and countable assets are capped at $2,000 for an individual. A community spouse can keep the family home, one vehicle, personal effects, and (up to) $154,140 of joint assets — with proper legal planning this can often be preserved without spend-down.
Medicaid reviews all financial transactions in the 5 years before application. Gifts, transfers to family, or improper trust funding can trigger a penalty period during which Medicaid won't pay. This is why families should NEVER give away assets to try to qualify for Medicaid without an elder law attorney.
Nursing home Medicaid pays 100% of nursing facility care (including room and board). HCBS waivers (CCSP and SOURCE) pay for care services in the community — but not room and board. Different programs, different application paths, different acceptance in the private market.
For Georgia nursing home Medicaid, an applicant must (1) be 65+ or disabled, (2) be a Georgia resident, (3) meet the income limit (~$2,829/mo in 2026 for an individual, with the higher-income spouse's income sometimes counted separately under 'community spouse' rules), (4) meet the countable asset limit ($2,000 for an individual, with a Community Spouse Resource Allowance of up to $154,140), and (5) meet the state's nursing-facility-level-of-care determination.
For nursing home Medicaid: 100% of nursing home room, board, and skilled nursing care for approved facilities. For HCBS waivers: personal care services, adult day health, home-delivered meals, respite for family caregivers, case management, emergency response systems, and — at Medicaid-accepting communities — the care portion of a personal care home or approved assisted living stay.
Medicaid does not cover most private-pay assisted living, memory care in non-participating communities, or continuing care retirement community (CCRC) fees. It also does not cover room and board in a personal care home under CCSP or SOURCE — families still pay that portion, usually from the senior's Social Security.
Georgia nursing home Medicaid applications are filed with the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) through the Georgia Gateway portal or a local Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) office. Nursing home admissions offices often help start the application. HCBS waiver applications (CCSP and SOURCE) go through the regional Area Agency on Aging. Because of the 5-year look-back and community-spouse rules, families with any real estate or investment assets should consult a Georgia elder law attorney BEFORE spending down or transferring assets. Altuvo connects families to vetted elder law attorneys statewide.
No. Medicare only pays for up to 100 days of short-term skilled rehab after a qualifying 3-day inpatient hospital stay. After that, families use private pay, long-term care insurance, VA benefits, or Georgia Medicaid to cover long-term nursing home care.
Georgia Medicaid reviews all financial transactions in the 5 years before an application. Uncompensated transfers — gifts to family, unusual purchases, or improperly funded trusts — can trigger a penalty period during which Medicaid won't pay. Families should never give away assets to try to qualify for Medicaid without a Georgia elder law attorney.
Often yes, especially if a community spouse still lives there. Even for a single applicant, the primary residence is typically an exempt asset while the applicant intends to return home. However, Georgia has estate-recovery rules that may later seek reimbursement from the home's value — an elder law attorney can walk you through options to protect the home.
Private-pay nursing home rates in Metro Atlanta typically run $7,500 to $11,000 per month depending on facility and semi-private vs. private room. Once Medicaid is approved, the state pays the negotiated Medicaid rate directly to the facility and the resident owes only their 'patient liability' (essentially their monthly income minus a small personal needs allowance).
It depends on the family's asset picture. Families with significant assets often use private pay while an elder law attorney legally spends down and restructures assets in preparation for Medicaid. Families near the asset limit can often apply immediately. Altuvo helps families think through this decision and connects them to vetted Georgia Medicaid planners.