How to Qualify for a Home Health Aide Through Medicaid in Nassau County and West Hempstead
If you or a loved one needs daily support at home but worries about the cost, you’re not alone. Medicaid is the most common provider under which consumers in New York receive long-term home care. For families in Nassau County and communities like West Hempstead, understanding how to navigate the qualification process can open the door to vital, life-changing care — right in the comfort of home. This guide breaks down exactly what you need to know.
What Is Medicaid Home Care?
If you qualify for Medicaid in New York, there are programs for home health care paid for by Medicaid that can help you live a quality life in your own home. Medicaid is funded jointly by the federal and state governments to provide individuals with support when they can’t afford medical care, including doctor visits, hospitalizations, home care, and long-term care in nursing homes.
Through a program called Managed Long Term Care, Medicaid funds home health aides, personal care, therapy, and other services that allow seniors and people with disabilities to remain in their own homes rather than move into a nursing facility. Skilled nursing, therapy sessions, a health aide to help with bathing and medications, and a personal care aide to assist with cleaning and meal preparation are all services that can be provided at your home.
Step 1: Confirm Your Financial Eligibility
Medicaid eligibility is complicated and is based primarily on a person meeting income and asset limits. Funds from all sources are considered as part of a person’s income for Medicaid purposes, and they can include pensions, social security, gifts, and payments from annuities and IRAs.
New Yorkers needing home or community-based care must meet strict income and resource criteria: Individual Applicant Resource Allowance for Home Care: $32,396; Married couple (both applying) Resource Allowance for Home Care: $43,781; Single Home Care Applicant Income Allowance: $1,800/month; Married Home Care Applicants (both applying) Income Allowance: $2,433/month.
Don’t assume you’re automatically disqualified if your income or assets exceed these thresholds. Through a Pooled Income Trust, individuals with income above these limits can still qualify by “spending down” their excess income on monthly living expenses. Even with income that is over the limit, a pooled income trust (“PIT”) can be used to shelter the excess. A PIT is a type of supplemental needs trust administered by an organization with an underlying charitable cause. The excess is moved into the PIT each month and then made available to the Medicaid recipient to pay expenses for their own benefit such as rent, mortgage, utilities, food, and clothing.
Step 2: Meet the Functional (Medical) Requirements
In order to qualify for Medicaid home care, you must show you need help with activities of daily living (ADLs). ADLs refers to the fundamental tasks and skills that are required for one to live an independent life.
Beginning September 1, 2025, New York implemented stricter clinical eligibility criteria for MLTC enrollment. Applicants must now demonstrate they need community-based long-term care services for more than 120 days and meet new minimum needs requirements: the standard threshold requires applicants to need at least limited physical assistance with more than two activities of daily living (ADLs). These include bathing, dressing, eating, mobility, and toileting.
There is a Dementia Exception: if your loved one has a documented diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, the requirement is lowered — they only need to show a need for supervision or assistance with two (2) ADLs.
Step 3: Get Assessed by the New York Independent Assessor (NYIA)
Before you can get Medicaid home care, you have to be assessed by the New York Independent Assessor (NYIA), a NYS Department of Health program whose primary purpose is to determine eligibility for Medicaid home care. NYIA is responsible for scheduling and completing initial assessments for most Medicaid beneficiaries who are adults (18 and over) who are seeking personal care or consumer-directed services for the first time.
During this visit, the nurse will evaluate your care needs, develop a personalized plan of care, and determine how many hours of support you may qualify for. Medicaid can pay for approved licensed personal care and home health care services for people financially eligible for Medicaid, and having this service approved requires a nursing assessment.
Step 4: Enroll in a Managed Long-Term Care (MLTC) Plan
Most recipients of Medicaid home care receive it through a Managed Long Term Care (MLTC) Plan. MLTC Plans operate as an insurance model. As such, most of the services they cover are provided by vendors or contracted providers. Plans do not employ home attendants directly; rather, they contract Licensed Home Care Services Agencies (LHCSAs) to provide them.
Long-term care includes help with day-to-day and personal activities, home health aides, adult day health, and other services. Nassau County has seven health plans available to Medicaid beneficiaries — AFFINITY, FIDELIS, HIP/EMBLEM, HEALTHFIRST, EMPIRE BLUECROSS BLUESHIELD HEALTHPLUS, AMERICHOICE BY UNITED HEALTHCARE, AND WELL CARE. For assistance choosing a plan, you can call NY Medicaid Choice Managed Long-Term Care at 1-888-401-6582.
Be Aware: The Upcoming 30-Month Look-Back Period
A 30-month look-back period for Community (Home Care) Medicaid is pending implementation — the start date was still TBD as of early 2026. Anyone who may need home care Medicaid should act now if they have assets to transfer, as this window is closing. Consulting with a Medicaid planning professional or elder law attorney sooner rather than later is strongly advised.
Finding a Trusted Home Care Provider in Nassau County and West Hempstead
Once your Medicaid eligibility is confirmed and your MLTC plan is in place, the next step is choosing the right Licensed Home Care Services Agency. For residents of Nassau County and the surrounding area, finding a provider that is both locally rooted and professionally accredited makes all the difference.
If you’re searching for a qualified home health aide west hempstead, Axzons Home Care is a trusted name in the community. Axzons is a licensed home care services agency that has earned The Gold Seal of Approval® from The Joint Commission®. Axzons is a NYS licensed homecare agency that provides services in all 47 counties across New York, including Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Westchester.
Their core values include innovation, excellence, compassion, respect, integrity, healing, teamwork, and leadership. Their mission is to provide the patients they service with compassionate and quality care that embraces dedication and professionalism of the highest standard. They pledge to honor all patients’ rights and work closely with their families to achieve the patient’s maximum functional independence in the home setting. Their expert and compassionate staff delivers coordinated planned care between the patient, the caregiver, and the physician to reduce re-hospitalization.
Axzons’ skilled home health aides provide essential support for personal care and health-related tasks, ensuring comfort and safety at home. They are trained to handle a variety of needs, from medication reminders to basic health monitoring. Homecare assistance is available 24/7, accredited by authorized state agencies, and managed by trained doctors and nurses.
Take the First Step Today
Qualifying for a home health aide through Medicaid in Nassau County doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By understanding the financial and functional requirements, completing your NYIA assessment, enrolling in an MLTC plan, and partnering with a reputable agency like Axzons Home Care, you can secure the quality care your family deserves — without leaving the home you love. The mission at Axzons is deeply rooted in the belief that every individual deserves to age with dignity, grace, and comfort in the place they call home, and they aspire to enhance the quality of life for their clients by offering personalized, compassionate, and dependable homecare services.
Reach out to Axzons Home Care today at (866) 4AXZONS or visit axzonshomecare.com to learn how they can help you navigate the process and begin receiving the care you need.