There is no limit as to how long you can reside in a Medicaid-funded nursing home, given you continue to meet the eligibility criteria for long-term care Medicaid.
In order to remain eligible for Nursing Home Medicaid, you must continue to have a functional need for nursing home care, or stated differently, require a Nursing Facility Level of Care. Additionally, you must continue to meet Medicaid’s financial criteria, which means you must continue to have limited income and assets. See state-specific financial requirements.
To determine if you continue to meet Medicaid’s criteria, and hence, continue to qualify for Nursing Home Medicaid, redeterminations (also called renewals) are done at least every 12 months. During the Medicaid renewal process, you or your legal guardian will likely be required to fill out a redetermination application. You may also be required to submit documentation of your current gross monthly income and the value of your countable assets. As part of the renewal process, a functional needs assessment will also need to be completed to ensure you continue to require a level of care consistent to that which is provided in a nursing home facility.
Note that while you can continue to stay in a nursing home funded by Medicaid as long as the eligibility criteria continues to be met, Medicaid will attempt to collect reimbursement of funds for which it paid for your nursing home care after you pass away. This is done through a program called Medicaid Estate Recovery, and all 50 states have, and utilize, this program. Generally speaking, Medicaid beneficiaries have very little remaining assets of any value at the time of their passing. However, for Medicaid eligibility purposes, the home of a Medicaid applicant / beneficiary is often exempt from Medicaid’s asset limit. If the deceased Medicaid beneficiary still owns a home at the time of their death, it is through this asset that the Medicaid agency generally attempts to collect reimbursement. Learn more.