Medicaid is a joint Federal and state government program that helps pay medical costs for some people with limited incomes and resources. People with Medicaid may get coverage for services such as nursing home and home health care, if they meet the eligibility requirements for Medicaid. Who is eligible and what services are covered vary from state to state. Most often, eligibility is based on your income and personal resources, but for coverage of long-term care services, you must also meet certain health or functional criteria to be eligible.

Sometimes you must spend down (or use up) your personal resources (assets) before you qualify for Medicaid. You may want to get more detailed information from your State Medical Assistance office or an attorney before spending down your resources.