What is “Level of Care”?
A level of care is a non-financial eligibility component of the Medicaid long-term care programs. An individual who wants to be enrolled in a waiver must meet the specific level of care that is required for that waiver.
Nursing Facility (NF)-Based Level of Care: A Medicaid home and community-based services waiver that requires a nursing facility-based level of care provides services as an alternative to nursing facilities, hospitals, or rehabilitation facilities. Individuals must exceed the requirements of a protective level of care, which includes a minimum of supervision of activities of daily living (such as mobility, dressing, or eating) or medication administration and assistance with instrumental activities of daily living (such as shopping, meal preparation or accessing the community), amongst other requirements.
To meet a nursing facility-based level of care, individuals must meet either an “Intermediate Level of Care,” which includes several requirements such as assistance with activities of daily living, medication administration, and skilled nursing or rehabilitation; or a “Skilled Level of Care,” which indicates a higher need due to an unstable medical condition.
The Ohio Department of Medicaid and the Ohio Department of Aging administer the waivers that require a nursing facility level of care. They include the Ohio Home Care Waiver, PASSPORT Waiver, and Assisted Living Waiver.
Buckeye Hills Regional Council coordinates services for the PASSPORT Waiver and Assisted Living Waiver for Athens, Hocking, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Perry, and Washington counties in Southeast Ohio. The PASSPORT Waiver serves adults age 60 and older, while the Assisted Living Waiver serves adults age 21 and older.
