Little Rock Senior AdvisorWhat should we do when savings for care start running low?
Plan at least six to twelve months before the money runs out: estimate the date, check Medicaid and VA eligibility, and ask the current building whether it accepts Living Choices or Medicaid.
Moving in a crisis costs more and limits choices. A parent in a Level I building or a residential care facility may need to move to stay eligible for help.
Will Arkansas Medicaid pay for assisted living?
Not for rent and meals; Living Choices pays for care services in participating Level II buildings for eligible residents, while the resident pays room and board from income.
Ask any Level II building now how many Living Choices apartments it keeps and whether private-pay residents can convert.
What if income is too high for Medicaid but too low to pay for care?
In Arkansas, an income-cap state, a Qualified Income Trust can let a person with income above $2,982 a month qualify for long-term care Medicaid, with the excess income going toward care.
An elder law attorney can set it up correctly. Avoid gifts within the 60-month look-back.
What other help is there?
VA pension with Aid and Attendance for eligible veterans and surviving spouses, long-term care insurance, life insurance conversions, and family contributions are the common supplements.
CareLink and the long-term care ombudsman can explain options at no charge.
Can a parent in assisted living switch to Medicaid without moving?
Only if the building is Level II, participates in Living Choices, has a Medicaid apartment available and the resident qualifies; otherwise a move to a participating building, home with ARChoices, or a nursing home is usually needed.
Level II buildings in the six counties, by licensed beds: Fox Ridge Bryant (130); Fox Ridge Chenal (130); Pinnacle Point at Bryant (111); The Blake at Chenal Valley (111); Ridgemere (100); Saline Senior Living Communities (100); Brookdale Chenal Heights (98); The Manor (90); The Manor at Benton (90); Fox Ridge North Little Rock (86); Crestview Assisted Living Center (85); Maumelle ALF OPCO (80); StoneBridge of Cabot (80); StoneBridge of Conway (80); Mira at Maumelle (75); New Horizon Senior Living (75); Woodland Heights (75); Chapters Living of Little Rock (74); Little Rock Senior Community (74); Crown Point Retirement Center (69); Parkway Heights (64); Ginny & Bob Shell Alzheimer's Center (60); Willow Grove of Maumelle (60); Four Seasons (50); Village Park of Conway (47); Wellington Woods Assisted Living Center (40); West Dixon Assisted Living (32).
Side by side
| Planning ahead means | Waiting until the money is gone means | |
|---|---|---|
| Choice | Picking a Medicaid-friendly setting | Taking whatever bed is open |
| Paperwork | Time to gather five years of records | Delays and gaps in coverage |
| Income | Setting up a trust if needed | Being over the cap with no plan |
| Family | Shared decisions | Emergency decisions |
Sources: Arkansas Office of Long Term Care assisted living rules, the Health Services Permit Agency's Bed Need Book, Arkansas DHS waiver and PACE fact sheets, CMS, CareScout and VA rate tables, each cited in the text. Our editorial standards explain how we check them.
