Home Care Glossary: Common Terms Families Need to Know

Common home care terms include ADLs (basic self-care tasks such as bathing and dressing), IADLs (more complex tasks such as shopping and managing medications), HCBS (home and community-based services), LTSS (long-term services and supports), self-direction (a program model that gives participants more control over who provides their services), and nursing facility level of care (a state-defined level of need used for many Medicaid long-term care programs). Home care and home health care are not the same: home care generally focuses on personal and household assistance, while Medicare home health can include skilled nursing and therapy for eligible beneficiaries. Medicaid terminology and eligibility rules vary significantly by state, so terms such as "waiver," "spend-down," "look-back period," and "estate recovery" should always be checked against the rules of the specific state and program.

Home care, Medicaid, Medicare, veterans benefits, and long-term care programs come with an alphabet soup of terminology.

ADLs. IADLs. HCBS. LTSS. NFLOC. PACE. ADRC.

Families often encounter these terms while trying to make a decision quickly, sometimes after a hospitalization, a fall, a dementia diagnosis, or a sudden realization that a parent can no longer safely manage everything alone.

Understanding the vocabulary matters because seemingly similar terms can describe very different services.

Home care is not the same as home health care.

HCBS does not automatically mean Medicaid waiver.

Aid and Attendance and Housebound are not the same VA benefit.

And a Medicaid look-back period does not simply mean that every gift made during the previous five years automatically makes someone ineligible for all Medicaid.

This glossary explains the most common terms in plain English while highlighting the distinctions families are most likely to encounter.

MEDICAID HCBS BY THE NUMBERS

Home and community-based services are now a major part of America's long-term care system.

In 2023:

• Approximately 8.4 million people received Medicaid HCBS.
• Medicaid spent approximately $145.9 billion on HCBS.
• 87.1% of Medicaid long-term services and supports users received at least some HCBS.
• HCBS accounted for 63.8% of Medicaid LTSS spending.

Medicaid currently lists approximately 257 active 1915(c) HCBS waiver programs nationwide.

Quick Reference: The Terms Families See Most Often

Everyday Home Care Terms

ADLs: Activities of Daily Living

ADLs are basic personal-care activities a person needs to perform in everyday life.

Common examples include:

• Bathing
• Dressing
• Grooming
• Toileting
• Eating
• Moving around or transferring between a bed, chair, or other position

Different assessments and benefit programs may organize the categories somewhat differently. For example, continence may be treated as its own ADL in some assessment systems.

Why ADLs matter

Difficulty with ADLs is one of the clearest indicators that someone may require hands-on assistance.

For example, a person may be able to prepare meals and handle money independently but need help safely getting into the shower.

ADL limitations are also frequently considered in Medicaid LTSS assessments and care planning.

ADL EXAMPLE

A parent who can no longer safely step into the shower or get dressed without assistance has an ADL need.

A parent who can bathe and dress but can no longer shop, drive, or manage bills is more likely having difficulty with IADLs.

IADLs: Instrumental Activities of Daily Living

IADLs are more complex tasks needed to manage a household and live independently in the community.

Examples commonly include:

• Preparing meals
• Shopping
• Managing medications
• Managing money and bills
• Housekeeping
• Laundry
• Transportation
• Using communication tools or arranging services

NIA describes these kinds of household, transportation, financial, and health-management activities as important areas to consider when planning for aging at home.

ADLs vs. IADLs

A person can have significant IADL limitations while remaining independent with all basic ADLs.

That is why difficulties with driving, finances, cooking, or medication management may become apparent before someone needs help bathing or dressing. Our guide on signs your parent needs help at home covers what to watch for.

Home Care

Home care is a broad consumer term generally used for supportive or personal assistance provided where someone lives.

It may include:

• Bathing
• Dressing
• Grooming
• Toileting
• Mobility assistance
• Meal preparation
• Light housekeeping
• Laundry
• Shopping
• Transportation
• Companionship
• Safety supervision

CMS describes Medicaid personal care services as support that helps eligible people remain in their homes and communities rather than moving into institutional care.

There is not one universal federal legal definition of "home care" that applies to every private-pay agency nationwide. States use terms such as personal care, homemaker services, attendant care, companion care, and home care differently.

Does home care require a doctor's order?

Private-pay nonmedical assistance often does not require the type of medical certification required for Medicare home health.

Medicaid-funded services, however, may require an assessment, authorization, person-centered service plan, or other program-specific approval. State licensing and scope-of-service rules also vary.

Personal Care Services (PCS)

Personal care services help someone with everyday activities so they can continue living at home or in another community setting.

CMS describes Medicaid personal care services as services provided to eligible beneficiaries to support living in their own homes and communities rather than institutional settings.

Depending on the program and state, personal care may include assistance with ADLs and certain other health-related or household tasks.

The exact definition, caregiver qualifications, permitted tasks, and authorization process vary by Medicaid program and state.

Home Health Care

Home health care involves health-related services delivered in a person's home.

Under Medicare, covered home health services can include:

• Skilled nursing
• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy in qualifying circumstances
• Speech-language pathology
• Medical social services
• Certain home health aide services when coverage requirements are met

Medicare home health requires that eligibility conditions be met and that a doctor or other allowed practitioner establish and certify the need for qualifying home health services and a plan of care.

Is home health always short-term?

Not necessarily.

It is common to think of Medicare home health strictly as short-term rehabilitation after hospitalization, but Medicare guidance specifically notes that home health may also help a person maintain their current condition or level of function or slow deterioration when eligibility requirements are satisfied.

HOME CARE VS. HOME HEALTH

Home care: Primarily helps with everyday life.

Home health: Primarily delivers qualifying health services at home.

A person may receive both at the same time.

Home Health Aide

The phrase home health aide can be confusing because people sometimes use it generically for any caregiver who works in a home.

In Medicaid and Medicare program language, however, home health aide services may have a more specific meaning.

CMS's HCBS taxonomy describes home health aide services as assistance with ADLs and/or health-related tasks delivered under specified home health arrangements, potentially including some IADL assistance.

Under Medicare, home health aide services are not a standalone substitute for unlimited long-term custodial care. Medicare's home health benefit has specific eligibility and skilled-care requirements.

Skilled Care

Skilled care requires the expertise of an appropriately qualified health professional.

Examples may include certain:

• Nursing services
• Wound care
• Injections
• IV-related services
• Physical therapy
• Speech therapy

Medicare distinguishes skilled nursing care from services that could safely and effectively be performed by a nonmedical person.

A home caregiver helping someone dress is providing a very different type of service from a registered nurse performing skilled wound care.

Custodial Care

Custodial care generally means assistance with daily living or supervision that does not itself require the skills of a licensed medical professional.

Examples can include ongoing help with:

• Bathing
• Dressing
• Toileting
• Eating
• Mobility
• Supervision

Original Medicare generally does not cover long-term custodial care when custodial assistance is the only care a person needs. Medicaid, long-term care insurance, veterans programs, private payment, or other resources may help depending on eligibility.

Long-Term Care and Medicaid Terms

LTSS: Long-Term Services and Supports

LTSS means long-term services and supports.

It is the broad umbrella term for services people may need because aging, disability, or chronic illness makes self-care or independent living difficult.

LTSS can be provided:

• At home
• In community settings
• In assisted or supported residential settings
• In nursing facilities
• Through other institutional services

CMS describes LTSS as services used by millions of Americans with disabling conditions and chronic illnesses and notes that Medicaid is the nation's primary payer for long-term care services.

LTSS IS BROADER THAN "NURSING HOME CARE"

Long-term care can happen in many settings.

A Medicaid personal care aide helping someone bathe at home is part of the LTSS system just as nursing facility services are.

HCBS: Home and Community-Based Services

HCBS means home and community-based services.

In Medicaid, HCBS are long-term services and supports designed to allow eligible individuals to receive assistance in a home or community setting rather than relying exclusively on institutional care.

HCBS may include services such as:

• Personal care
• Homemaker services
• Home health aides
• Case management
• Respite
• Adult day health
• Habilitation
• Other state-approved supports

Does HCBS always mean a waiver?

No.

This is one of the most important corrections to the way the term is commonly used.

States provide Medicaid HCBS through multiple federal authorities, including both state-plan options and waiver programs.

In 2023, Medicaid HCBS users received services through 1915(c) waivers, home health state-plan benefits, rehabilitative services, case management, personal care, and other authorities.

Medicaid Waiver

A Medicaid waiver is an approved program that allows a state to operate Medicaid services using certain rules different from the ordinary Medicaid state plan.

For long-term care, families frequently encounter Section 1915(c) HCBS waivers.

These programs allow states, within federal requirements, to provide home and community-based services to specified populations who would otherwise meet an institutional level-of-care standard.

States can use 1915(c) authority to waive certain Medicaid requirements, including aspects of:

• Statewide availability
• Comparability of services
• Certain financial eligibility rules

Why are waiver programs so different from state to state?

States have substantial flexibility in deciding:

• Which populations a waiver serves
• Which services are offered
• How eligibility is determined
• How many people the program can serve
• Where the waiver operates

CMS currently reports approximately 257 active 1915(c) waiver programs nationwide.

That's why a program available to an older adult in one state may have a completely different name, service package, or eligibility process in another. Our how to pay for care section breaks down the programs available in each state.

Medicaid State-Plan HCBS

A state-plan service is part of a state's regular Medicaid program rather than a 1915(c) waiver.

This distinction matters because families often hear:

"You need a Medicaid waiver to get care at home."

That is not always true.

Medicaid can provide some home and community-based services, including home health and, depending on the state, personal care and other services, through state-plan authorities as well as waivers.

Consumer Direction / Self-Direction

Self-direction, sometimes called consumer direction, is a service-delivery model that gives a participant or representative greater authority over how certain Medicaid services are provided.

CMS explains that self-directed participants may have authority to:

• Recruit workers
• Hire workers
• Train workers
• Supervise workers
• Decide how authorized services are provided

Depending on the state and program, some relatives may be allowed to serve as paid caregivers. Rules about spouses, parents, guardians, and other legally responsible relatives vary.

SELF-DIRECTION DOES NOT MEAN "HERE'S CASH, DO WHATEVER YOU WANT"

Self-directed Medicaid services still operate under program rules.

Participants generally have an authorized service plan, approved services or budget, documentation requirements, and support systems.

Financial Management Services (FMS)

Financial Management Services help participants operate a self-directed care arrangement.

CMS explains that FMS can assist with:

• Payroll
• Tax withholding and filing
• Worker timesheets
• Workers' compensation or other required insurance
• Processing payments
• Tracking an individual service budget

This is why a Medicaid participant who "hires their own caregiver" may still have another organization handling payroll and administrative responsibilities.

Level of Care

Level of care is an assessment or eligibility determination describing the intensity of support a person requires.

Families often encounter the phrase Nursing Facility Level of Care (NFLOC).

Many 1915(c) HCBS waivers require participants to meet the state's level-of-care requirements for an institutional setting even though they will actually receive services at home or in the community.

Does nursing facility level of care mean the person must enter a nursing home?

No.

In an HCBS program, the entire point may be to provide an alternative to institutional care.

The level-of-care requirement helps determine whether the person's functional or clinical needs meet the program's threshold.

The exact criteria vary by state and program.

Care Plan / Person-Centered Service Plan

A care plan describes a person's needs and the services that should address those needs.

In Medicaid LTSS, a comprehensive care plan may document:

• The person's goals
• Medical needs
• Functional needs
• ADL and IADL limitations
• Cognitive needs
• Authorized LTSS
• Other supports

CMS quality guidance emphasizes comprehensive, person-centered care planning for Medicaid LTSS beneficiaries.

For 1915(c) HCBS waivers, states must ensure that waiver services follow an individualized, person-centered plan of care.

Respite Care

Respite care provides temporary relief to a family caregiver.

It may be:

• Planned
• Occasional
• Recurring
• Emergency-based
• Provided at home
• Provided through an adult day program
• Provided in another appropriate setting

ACL describes respite as an essential part of home- and community-based long-term support and notes that respite can serve caregivers across ages, disabilities, and chronic conditions.

Modern caregiver-support policy sometimes uses an even broader concept of respite: essentially, support that gives a caregiver a meaningful break from their responsibilities. See our caregiver burnout and respite guide for practical options.

Adult Day Services / Adult Day Health

Adult day services provide supervision, activities, meals, socialization, personal assistance, and sometimes health-related services during defined daytime hours in a community setting.

An adult day health program may provide more health monitoring or clinical services than a primarily social-model adult day center.

What is actually provided varies by program and state.

Adult day health is one of the services states may include in Medicaid HCBS programs. Our guide comparing home care vs. adult day care covers how families combine the two.

Medicare and Medicaid Terms

Medicaid

Medicaid is a joint federal-state program that helps cover health care for eligible people and is also a major payer of long-term care.

Unlike Medicare, Medicaid eligibility rules and available optional benefits can differ significantly by state.

Medicaid may cover services Medicare generally does not, including:

• Nursing facility care
• Personal care
• Certain HCBS
• Other LTSS

depending on the state, eligibility category, and program.

Medicare

Medicare is the federal health insurance program primarily serving people age 65 and older and certain younger people with disabilities or other qualifying conditions.

For families researching long-term care, the most important distinction is that Medicare is not a general long-term custodial-care benefit.

It may cover qualifying home health, skilled nursing facility care, hospice, and other health services under specific rules, but it does not simply pay indefinitely for a home caregiver because someone needs help with bathing, cooking, supervision, or housekeeping.

Dual Eligible / Dually Eligible

Someone who has both Medicare and full-benefit Medicaid is commonly described as dually eligible.

Medicare generally pays first for Medicare-covered services, while Medicaid may pay after Medicare and can cover additional services for which the person qualifies.

Some dual-eligible beneficiaries may also have access to specialized Medicare Advantage plans called Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans, or D-SNPs, which are designed to coordinate Medicare and Medicaid benefits.

PACE: Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly

PACE is a comprehensive Medicare and/or Medicaid program that coordinates medical care and long-term services for eligible people who would otherwise meet a nursing-home level-of-care standard.

To join PACE, a person generally must:

• Be at least 55
• Live in the service area of a PACE organization
• Need a nursing-home level of care as certified by the state
• Be able to live safely in the community with PACE support

PACE services may include:

• Primary care
• Nursing
• Prescription drugs
• Home care
• Personal care
• Adult day services
• Transportation
• Physical and occupational therapy
• Hospital care
• Nursing facility care
• Social services

PACE is not available everywhere.

VA and Veterans Home Care Terms

Aid and Attendance

Aid and Attendance is an increased VA pension payment for certain qualified Veterans and survivors who meet pension and additional care-related eligibility requirements.

VA states that qualifying circumstances can include needing another person to assist with everyday activities such as bathing, feeding, and dressing; being largely bedridden because of illness; being a nursing home patient because of physical or mental incapacity; or meeting specified severe vision criteria.

Important correction: Aid and Attendance is not a standalone home care insurance policy

It is an additional monthly amount associated with VA pension benefits.

A family may use pension income toward care expenses, but the benefit itself is not the same as a home care agency benefit or health insurance plan.

Housebound Benefit

The VA Housebound benefit is another increased pension amount for qualifying Veterans or survivors.

VA describes housebound eligibility as generally involving spending most of one's time at home because of a permanent disability.

Aid and Attendance and Housebound are separate increased pension benefits, and VA says they cannot be received at the same time.

Veteran-Directed Care

Veteran-Directed Care is a VA home- and community-based services program that gives eligible Veterans more control over their services and workers.

The Veteran or representative receives an authorized budget and, with counselor assistance, can hire workers to meet daily support needs. Those workers may potentially include a family member or neighbor.

VA states that Veteran-Directed Care is for enrolled Veterans who meet applicable community-care and clinical requirements where the program is available. Services vary by location.

AID AND ATTENDANCE VS. VETERAN-DIRECTED CARE

Aid and Attendance: Additional VA pension payment for qualifying Veterans or survivors.

Veteran-Directed Care: VA health care program providing an authorized budget and consumer-directed HCBS to eligible Veterans.

They are completely different programs.

Local Aging and Care-Navigation Terms

Area Agency on Aging (AAA)

An Area Agency on Aging is a regional organization within the national aging-services network established under the Older Americans Act.

AAAs help plan, coordinate, fund, or connect older adults and caregivers with community services.

Depending on the community, those services may include:

• Meals
• Transportation
• Caregiver programs
• Information and referral
• In-home assistance
• Legal or benefits information
• Health-promotion programs

The Administration for Community Living reports a national Older Americans Act network of 618 Area Agencies on Aging and nearly 20,000 service providers.

Does every county have its own AAA?

Not necessarily.

An AAA may serve a city, county, group of counties, planning district, or other regional area.

That is why it is more accurate to say that most communities are served by an AAA, rather than saying every county necessarily operates one.

ADRC: Aging and Disability Resource Center

An Aging and Disability Resource Center helps people navigate long-term services and supports.

ADRCs became a foundation for the broader federal-state No Wrong Door approach to LTSS access.

ACL describes No Wrong Door systems as coordinated networks designed to help people find long-term services and supports regardless of which program or payer may ultimately fund those services.

ADRC or No Wrong Door functions may include:

• Information and referral
• Person-centered counseling
• Screening
• Assistance navigating public programs
• Coordinated eligibility pathways

AAA VS. ADRC

These organizations often work closely together and may even be housed within the same agency.

An AAA is part of the Older Americans Act aging network.

An ADRC/No Wrong Door system is designed to streamline access to LTSS for older adults and people with disabilities across programs and payers.

Care Manager / Geriatric Care Manager

A geriatric care manager is a professional who helps an older adult and family assess needs, develop a care strategy, coordinate providers, and navigate health and community services.

NIA notes that geriatric care managers, also referred to in some contexts as aging life care professionals, are often nurses or social workers who specialize in geriatrics.

Families may hire a care manager privately when they need help with:

• Assessing home safety
• Finding services
• Coordinating care
• Communicating among providers
• Managing care from another city or state
• Evaluating changing care needs

Titles, credentials, and fees should be checked carefully when hiring someone.

Medicaid Financial Eligibility Terms

IMPORTANT

Medicaid long-term care financial rules are complex, and significant details differ by state and eligibility pathway.

Do not transfer assets, change property ownership, give away money, establish a trust, or make another major financial decision solely from a general online definition.

Check the current rules with the state Medicaid agency and, when significant assets or estate-planning issues are involved, consider qualified legal or financial advice.

Estate Recovery

Medicaid estate recovery is the process through which states seek repayment for certain Medicaid benefits from the estate of a deceased Medicaid enrollee.

Federal rules require states to seek recovery for certain benefits paid for individuals age 55 or older, including:

• Nursing facility services
• Home and community-based services
• Related hospital services
• Related prescription drug services

States may elect to recover additional Medicaid costs in some circumstances.

Are there exceptions?

Yes.

Federal Medicaid guidance states that recovery may not be made from an estate while the deceased enrollee is survived by:

• A spouse
• A child under 21
• A child of any age who is blind or disabled under the applicable rules

States must also establish procedures for waiving recovery when it would cause undue hardship.

ESTATE RECOVERY DOES NOT MEAN "MEDICAID AUTOMATICALLY TAKES THE HOUSE"

The rules are more complicated than that.

Recovery depends on the services received, age, estate law, survivors, hardship provisions, state rules, and other factors.

Look-Back Period

The Medicaid look-back period is associated with transfer-of-assets rules for certain long-term care eligibility determinations.

Federal Medicaid rules generally use a 60-month look-back period for transfers of assets for less than fair market value in the relevant Medicaid LTSS context.

What is Medicaid looking for?

The state may review whether assets were:

• Given away
• Sold below fair market value
• Transferred under arrangements covered by Medicaid transfer rules

during the applicable period.

Does every gift create a five-year period of total Medicaid ineligibility?

No.

That oversimplifies the rule.

A transfer that violates applicable rules can create a penalty period affecting payment for specified long-term care services, and the penalty is calculated under Medicaid rules. Certain transfers are exempt. The rules depend on the applicant and type of LTSS sought.

Transfer Penalty / Penalty Period

A transfer penalty can occur when an individual subject to Medicaid LTSS transfer rules disposes of assets for less than fair market value and no exception applies.

Federal guidance explains that the penalty can affect coverage for nursing facility services and certain HCBS waiver services.

The duration is generally calculated based on the value transferred and the applicable average nursing facility cost used by the state.

This is different from simply saying:

"You gave money away, so you can't have Medicaid for five years."

The five years refers to the look-back window, not automatically the length of the penalty.

Spend-Down (Income)

Medicaid income spend-down is a formal eligibility concept used in certain Medicaid pathways.

In states with applicable medically needy rules, a person whose countable income exceeds the eligibility standard may be able to subtract incurred medical or remedial-care expenses from countable income.

Once enough qualifying expenses have been incurred, the person may satisfy the state's spend-down requirement for the applicable budget period.

Simple example

Suppose a state's medically needy income level is $1,000 for a particular applicant and the person's countable income is $1,300.

Under an applicable spend-down program, the person might need to incur $300 in allowable medical expenses before Medicaid eligibility begins for that period.

The actual calculations, budget periods, deductible expenses, and eligibility groups vary by state.

Asset Spend-Down

Families and elder-care professionals also frequently use the phrase "spending down assets" to describe reducing countable resources to qualify for a Medicaid program with a resource limit.

That is not the same concept as Medicaid's formal income spend-down process.

Permissible use of assets may involve paying for legitimate expenses or purchasing allowed goods or services, but asset eligibility, exclusions, transfer rules, home equity rules, trusts, spousal rules, and other requirements are complex.

Because inappropriate gifting or transfers can trigger LTSS penalties, families should verify state rules before moving or giving away assets.

TWO DIFFERENT "SPEND-DOWNS"

Medicaid income spend-down: Using qualifying incurred medical/remedial expenses to reduce excess countable income under an applicable eligibility pathway.

Asset/resource spend-down: Informal term for reducing countable resources through permissible expenditures.

Don't assume advice about one applies to the other.

Community Spouse

A community spouse is generally the spouse who remains living in the community when the other spouse needs certain Medicaid-covered long-term services.

Medicaid's spousal impoverishment protections are designed to prevent the spouse remaining in the community from being left with little or no income or resources simply because the other spouse needs long-term care.

The rules can protect specified amounts of:

• Resources
• Monthly income

for the community spouse.

The federal standards are adjusted periodically.

Spousal Impoverishment Protections

These are Medicaid financial rules protecting a portion of a married couple's income and resources for the community spouse.

As of 2026, federal Medicaid guidance establishes annually adjusted minimum and maximum protections, although the exact amount applicable to an individual couple depends on program and state rules.

Federal legislation currently requires states to apply specified spousal impoverishment protections to certain married HCBS applicants and beneficiaries through September 30, 2027.

Because these standards and laws change, families should use current-year state guidance rather than old internet charts.

Terms Families Commonly Confuse

Home Care vs. Home Health

Medicare vs. Medicaid

HCBS vs. Medicaid Waiver

Aid and Attendance vs. Veteran-Directed Care

The Bottom Line

Home care terminology becomes much easier once you separate the vocabulary into a few basic questions:

What kind of help does the person need?

ADLs and IADLs describe function.

Where will services happen?

HCBS describes home- and community-based long-term support.

Who pays for it?

Medicare, Medicaid, VA benefits, long-term care insurance, and private payment all have different rules.

Who controls the caregiver?

Agency-based care and self-directed care use different models.

How much care is required?

Level-of-care assessments help programs answer that question.

What financial rules apply?

Spend-down, transfer rules, estate recovery, and spousal protections affect Medicaid eligibility and planning in different ways.

The biggest mistake is assuming that similar-sounding terms are interchangeable.

Home care isn't home health.

HCBS isn't automatically a waiver.

A five-year look-back isn't a five-year automatic penalty.

Income spend-down isn't the same as giving away assets.

Aid and Attendance isn't Veteran-Directed Care.

Once those distinctions are clear, state payment guides, Medicaid applications, home care assessments, and benefits information become much easier to understand.

And whenever a term involves Medicaid eligibility, asset transfers, estate recovery, or another state-specific financial rule, verify the current requirements before making an irreversible decision.

Sources and Further Reading

1. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicaid Long-Term Services and Supports Users and Expenditures, 2023. Current national data on Medicaid HCBS users, services, and expenditures.
2. Medicaid.gov, Home & Community-Based Services 1915(c). Federal explanation of HCBS waivers, level-of-care requirements, waiver authorities, covered services, and current waiver programs.
3. Medicaid.gov, Self-Directed Services. CMS guidance on consumer direction, worker hiring, supervision, individual budgets, and financial management services.
4. Medicare, Medicare & Home Health Care. Official guidance explaining Medicare home health eligibility, skilled nursing, therapy, home health aide services, and plans of care.
5. Medicaid.gov, Estate Recovery. Federal guidance on required Medicaid estate recovery, survivor protections, liens, and undue-hardship procedures.
6. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicaid Transfer-of-Asset Guidance. Federal explanation of the 60-month look-back period and penalty rules affecting certain Medicaid long-term care services.
7. Medicaid.gov, Medically Needy Spend-Down Guidance. Federal explanation of Medicaid income spend-down using incurred medical and remedial-care expenses.
8. Medicaid.gov, Spousal Impoverishment. Current Medicaid protections for community spouses and the 2026 federal income and resource standards.
9. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Aid and Attendance and Housebound Benefits. Current eligibility and application information for increased VA pension benefits.
10. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veteran-Directed Care. Current VA information about consumer-directed HCBS, eligibility, individual budgets, and hiring family or other workers.
11. Administration for Community Living, Older Americans Act and No Wrong Door. Federal information about Area Agencies on Aging, ADRCs, and coordinated access to long-term services and supports.
12. Medicare, PACE. Official eligibility and benefit information for the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly.