Medicaid is a State and Federal program that will pay most nursing home costs for people with limited income and assets. Eligibility varies by State. You must meet certain requirements in order to be eligible for Medicaid. Medicaid does not pay money to you; instead, it sends payments directly to your health care providers.

Medicaid in Illinois is sometimes referred to as Public Aid and is administered by Health Care and Family Services (HFS).HFS Medical Benefits is a comprehensive healthcare program that covers doctor visits, prescription drugs, hospital care, emergency room coverage, long term care, durable medical equipment and a variety of other healthcare services.

You may qualify if you meet the following criteria.

• You are age 65 or older, or blind or have a permanent disability, AND

• You live in Illinois, AND

• Your income and assets are below the programís income http://health.illinois.gov/hfs.html#income and asset limits http://health.illinois.gov/hfs.html#assetlimit , AND

• You are a U.S. citizen or you are an eligible qualified immigrant http://health.illinois.gov/hfs.html#qualifiedimmigrant

Our staff is ready to assist you in completing an application if financial assistance is needed in paying for your cost of care.