1. Georgia Medicaid Source Program

Persons can reside in their own personal home or the home of a loved one and receive benefits via SOURCE. They can also live in a personal care home, which is similar to an assisted living residence.

 

Benefit of the Source Program

• Personal Emergency Response Services

• Personal Care Assistance

• Personal Support Services – in-home assistance with bathing, dressing, mobility, meal preparation, laundry, shopping for groceries, light house cleaning.

• Structured Family Caregiver – supportive services for family caregivers, such as over-the-phone counseling and health education

 

Eligibility

SOURCE is for Georgia residents who are elderly (65+) or younger if physically disabled that are at risk of nursing home placement.

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Financial Criteria: Income, Assets & Home Ownership

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Income

Applicants must be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Medicaid. In GA, persons who receive SSI are eligible for Medicaid automatically. In 2023, this means a single applicant can have income up to $914 / month, and married couples can have up to $1,371 / month.

 

Program participants who reside in a personal care home are not able to retain income up to the limits mentioned above. A single applicant must pay $726 / month towards the cost of room and board, with the remaining $188 / month kept as a Personal Needs Allowance. Married couples in which both spouses are on Medicaid must pay $1,009 / month towards room and board. They are allowed $303 / month as a Personal Needs Allowance.

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Assets

In 2023, the asset limit is $2,000 for a single applicant. For married couples, the asset limit is $3,000.

Assets should not be given away or sold under fair market value within 60-months of long-term care Medicaid application. This is because Georgia Medicaid has a Look Back Rule and violating it results in a Penalty Period of Medicaid ineligibility.

 

Medical Criteria: Functional Need

An applicant must require an intermediate Nursing Facility Level of Care (NFLOC). For SOURCE, one must be functionally impaired due to a physical condition and have an unmet need for care. The tool used to make this determination is the Determination of Need Functional Assessment-Revised (DON-R). One’s ability / inability to independently complete their Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) is considered. These activities include transferring from the bed to a chair, mobility, eating, toileting, meal preparation, money management, and housework. Cognitive impairment, such as memory issues, which is often seen in persons with dementia, is also a consideration.

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Apply for SOURCE

 

Make Sure You’re Eligible
To qualify, you must be eligible for Medicaid and

• Be 65 or older (or, if younger than 65, meet certain disability requirements)

• Require nursing home level care

Gather What You'll Need

• Verification of income

• Verification of assets, such as bank accounts or property

• Verification of citizenship

 

Submit Your Application

We will apply for SOURCE proved, you will be assessed by a SOURCE staff member to identify your needs. Based on this assessment, a plan of care will be developed to assist you with appropriate services.

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