Nursing Care

There are two nursing care programs in Missouri: supplemental nursing care (SNC) and MO HealthNet vendor payments.

Supplemental nursing care provides monthly cash benefits. An eligible adult living in a licensed nursing facility (NF) and found medically eligible may receive a maximum of $390. If not found medically eligible while living in a nursing facility, or if living in a licensed assisted Living (ALF) or residential care facility II (RCF-II) an eligible adult may receive a maximum of $292 monthly. If living in a licensed residential care facility the maximum is $156. Persons eligible for these cash benefits also receive a $30 personal needs monthly allowance unless such needs are being met by the Department of Mental Health (DMH).

MO HealthNet vendor payments do not provide a direct cash benefit. Instead, this program pays the nursing facility directly for nursing care charges above the amount the resident is expected to pay. A resident covered under this program is expected to use all available income to pay for care except for a personal needs standard (usually $30 per month). The participant may also keep enough to pay medical insurance premiums. In some cases, the participant may allot some or all income to a spouse or dependents who remain outside the nursing facility (see Prevention of Spousal Impoverishment).

Who Is Eligible?

For supplemental nursing care (cash benefits) the person who:

• is 21 years of age or older and is living in a licensed facility;
• is determined to need the specific level of care if residing in a nursing facility;
• meets the other eligibility requirements outlined under MO HealthNet for the Aged, Blind and Disabled .

For vendor payments, the person who:

• is certified for nursing facility care or state mental hospital care;
• has been screened before entry into a MO HealthNet-certified nursing facility;
• is 65 years or older for state mental hospital care;
• has not given away, sold, or transferred real or personal property within the period prescribed by law without receiving fair and valuable consideration, and
• meets the other eligibility requirements outlined under "MO HealthNet for the Aged, Blind and Disabled "

A special provision applies to married couples when one spouse enters a nursing facility and the other spouse does not live in a nursing facility. This provision allows for protection of a portion of the couple's assets for the spouse remaining at home (see "Prevention of Spousal Impoverishment").

For information regarding medical coverage included with nursing care, see Medical Services-MO HealthNet.

Some nursing care partcipants may also be eligible for Qualified Medicare Beneficiary or Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary benefits.

• MO HealthNet for the Aged, Blind and Disabled Application Form (PDF)