Fort Myers Senior AdvisorHow do I apply for Florida Medicaid long-term care in Lee County?
Start with a screening through the Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida's Elder Helpline at 1-866-413-5337, then apply for financial eligibility with the Department of Children and Families through ACCESS Florida.
Nursing home residents who qualify are enrolled without the waitlist that applies to home and community-based services.
What is the Florida Medicaid waitlist for home care?
People seeking Medicaid long-term care services at home or in assisted living are placed on a statewide waitlist, ranked by priority score from the screening, and released as funding allows.
Ask to be rescreened whenever circumstances change, because a higher score can move a person up.
Is there a PACE program in Fort Myers?
Yes: Hope PACE, operated by Hope HealthCare, runs the PACE program serving Lee County, providing all medical and long-term care through its own team for people 55 and older who need nursing home level care.
AHCA's August 2026 report showed 475 Lee County enrollees in 580 approved slots.
Does Medicare cover a nursing home after a hospital stay?
Traditional Medicare covers up to 100 days of skilled nursing care per benefit period after at least three inpatient midnights in the hospital, with days 21 to 100 subject to a daily coinsurance, as long as daily skilled care is needed.
Observation days do not count toward the three-midnight rule.
Can Medicaid pay for assisted living in Florida?
Medicaid's long-term care plans can pay for assisted living services such as personal care and medication help in contracted ALFs, but not the room and board.
Optional State Supplementation can help eligible residents with room and board.
What is a Qualified Income Trust?
A Qualified Income Trust, or Miller trust, is a special account an applicant with income above Florida's $2,982 monthly limit uses to hold the excess each month so he or she can qualify for long-term care Medicaid.
The money in the trust is used toward the cost of care.
Where can I get free Medicare counseling in Lee County?
SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders), Florida's free Medicare counseling program, takes calls at 1-800-963-5337 and has trained volunteers in Lee County.
SHINE counselors are unbiased and do not sell insurance.
Does Medicaid pay for a private room in a Lee County nursing home?
No: Florida Medicaid pays the nursing home a set daily rate that covers a semi-private room, and a private room is available only if the family pays the difference or the home offers one at no extra charge.
Medicaid residents keep a personal needs allowance of $160 a month.
Can a Medicare Advantage plan send my parent to a nursing home outside Lee County?
A Medicare Advantage plan can limit coverage to nursing homes in its network, which may not include the home closest to your family, but members can ask the plan for an in-network home nearby or request an exception.
Check the plan's network list against our Lee County nursing home roster before a hospital discharge.
