Paying for assisted living in Ohio
Most Ohio families pay for assisted living privately at first, usually from a mix of retirement income, savings, a home sale, long-term care insurance, or help from family. Costs vary widely depending on the community, the part of the state, the apartment size, and how much daily care a resident needs. You can compare current pricing for communities across Ohio in the pricing tables below.
Public programs can help once private funds run low, but they work differently than many people expect. Here is how Medicaid and Medicare fit in.
Does the Assisted Living Waiver cover assisted living in Ohio?
Ohio Medicaid can help pay for the care side of assisted living through the Assisted Living Waiver, a Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver. It does not pay your room and board (rent and meals) — residents cover those costs themselves, typically from their monthly income.
To qualify, a person generally must:
- Be at least 21 years old and an Ohio resident
- Meet a nursing-home (intermediate) level-of-care need
- Meet Medicaid's income and asset limits for long-term care
- Live in a residential care facility that is licensed and approved to accept the waiver (not every community participates)
Because the waiver has a limited number of enrollment slots, there can be a waiting list. To apply, you can request an HCBS waiver as part of a Medicaid application or contact your regional PASSPORT Administrative Agency (PAA) for enrollment help. Start with the Ohio Department of Medicaid's HCBS waivers page and Ohio Benefits, linked below.
Does Medicare cover assisted living in Ohio?
No. Medicare does not pay for assisted living room and board or for the ongoing custodial care (help with bathing, dressing, meals, and supervision) that defines assisted living.
Medicare may still cover medical services a resident receives, such as:
- Doctor visits and hospital care
- Short-term, medically necessary skilled nursing or rehab after a qualifying hospital stay
- Medicare-covered home health, hospice, and prescription drugs
For free, unbiased help understanding what Medicare does and does not cover, contact OSHIIP, Ohio's State Health Insurance Assistance Program, run by the Ohio Department of Insurance, at 800-686-1578.
