Assisted Living in Mount Pleasant, TX

Assisted Living Costs in Mount Pleasant

At $3,100 per month, the average price of assisted living in Mount Pleasant is lower than the state ($3,795) and national ($4,000) averages. Mount Pleasant has the second most-affordable prices in Northeast Texas behind Texarkana ($2,265). Prices in nearby Tyler are $600 higher, while further east assisted living costs $3,694 in Sherman and $4,350 in Dallas. 

Statewide, prices in Mount Pleasant are comparable to Corpus Christi ($2,975) and Lubbock ($3,200). 

Note: Senior care cost data wasn’t available for Mount Pleasant, so data for the closest city, Longview, was used.

The Cost of Assisted Living in Surrounding Areas

Care Cost Comparison

Senior care costs in Mount Pleasant start at $813 per month for adult day health services and go up to $4,052 per month for 44 hours of weekly in-home care from a home health aide or homemaker. Semiprivate nursing home care in a state-licensed nursing facility costs $3,954 per month, and assisted living is $3,100 per month. 

When weighing the true cost of each senior care option it’s important to recognize that seniors who remain in their homes must continue paying for ongoing daily living expenses in addition to their care costs. By comparison, residential care services, such as assisted living, include accommodation and meals, which can make this option significantly more affordable than in-home care. 

Senior Care Cost Comparison Chart

Financial Assistance for Assisted Living in Mount Pleasant

Medicaid in Texas

Approximately 16% of Texas residents are enrolled in Medicaid, the federally mandated health plan for needy people that includes various benefits, such as hospital and primary physician services and long-term care in a nursing facility. Each state administers its own Medicaid program and may provide optional benefits through state-specific Medicaid waivers. 

In Texas, most Medicaid programs and plans are delivered through managed care organizations, and MCOs vary between counties. 

To qualify for long-term Medicaid services, including home and community-based waivers, seniors must meet the following criteria:

• Have a monthly income of $2,313 or less per applicant
• Own less than $2,000 in countable assets per individual or $3,000 per couple when both spouses are applying for coverage
• Be permanent residents of the state
• Be U.S. citizens or hold eligible immigration status
• Have a valid Social Security Number
• Need at least 30 continuous days of care at the level normally provided in a nursing facility and have this need verified by a licensed medical doctor 

Some assets are exempt from Medicaid limits, including personal belongings, one vehicle, household goods and an owner-occupied home worth up to $585,000. Cash, investments and recreational and commercial real estate are all countable. 

Community Spouse Income and Asset Exemptions

When only one spouse in a married couple requires long-term Medicaid services, the non-applicant (community spouse) is not expected to finance that care and their income is disregarded on the Medicaid application. 

If the community spouse depends on the applicant’s income for financial support, the applicant may be able to provide the community spouse with up to $3,160.50 per month as a minimum monthly needs allowance. This amount is deducted from the applicant’s declared income on their Medicaid application. 

If only one spouse in a married couple needs long-term Medicaid coverage, special income and asset rules apply to the non-applicant (community spouse). The income of the community spouse isn’t factored when calculating Medicaid eligibility. 

The applicant may be able to reduce their declared income by transferring up to $3,160.50 per month to the community spouse under the minimum monthly needs allowance rule. The community spouse may also keep up to $126,420 worth of the couple’s joint assets, in addition to the marital home and one vehicle under the community spouse resource allowance rule. 

STAR+PLUS Home and Community-Based Medicaid Waiver

Seniors who qualify for long-term Medicaid services may be eligible for enrollment in STAR+PLUS, a Texas Medicaid managed care nursing-home diversion program.

STAR+PLUS lets seniors who meet the criteria for nursing home placement remain in a noninstitutional setting, such as assisted living, by funding supplemental services and community-based supports. Eligibility is determined by an assessment administered by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to determine if the applicant can live safely outside a nursing facility with the assistance offered through the STAR+PLUS program. 

Every STAR+PLUS medical plan includes all mandatory Medicaid services as well as primary home care, adult day health services, personal care and medical supplies. Participants may also be provided with nursing services, rehabilitation therapies, an emergency call system, home delivered meals and respite care. Seniors who are moving from a nursing home into an assisted living setting are also eligible for transitional services. 

Applicants approved for STAR+PLUS services receive notification by mail along with an information package outlining the available plans. Participants have 15 days to choose a plan, otherwise, the HHSC assigns a plan and primary physician. Seniors can change their STAR+PLUS plan and/or their doctor as frequently as every 30 days. 

Mount Pleasant is in the MRS Northeast Texas STAR+PLUS service area. Plan providers here are Cigna-HealthSpring and United Healthcare. 

To learn more about Medicaid and the STAR+PLUS home and community-based waiver, contact the Health and Human Services Commission office at (888) 337-6377.

Other Financial Assistance Programs for Assisted Living

Long-Term Care Insurance

Seniors with long-term care insurance may be eligible for benefits that cover all or a portion of their assisted living costs. Benefits vary between policies, and coverage must be purchased before the senior needs care. 

In most cases, policyholders must complete a comprehensive needs assessment performed by their insurance provider before assisted living benefits are approved, and many policies have an annual deductible or co-pay. 

To learn more about long-term care insurance for assisted living, seniors can contact their insurance broker or insurance company. 

Elderlife Financial Assisted Living Bridge Loan

Seniors who have a good credit rating and require access to short-term funding to finance a move into assisted living may qualify for Elderlife Financial’s assisted living bridge loan.

This loan is set up as a 12-month line of credit with a preapproved limit and monthly, interest-only payments on the amount the borrower has used. The balance can be paid off in full at any time without penalty, and money from the loan can be sent straight to the assisted living provider.

There’s no cost to apply and applications can be made over the phone. Up to six people can be listed on the loan application, and in most cases a response from the lender is provided within 24 hours or less. 

For more information, contact Elderlife Financial Services at (888) 228-4500.

Assisted Living Resources in Mount Pleasant

Veterans Services

Available Monday to Wednesday, the Titus County Veterans Service Officer helps veterans and survivors with VA, state and local benefit applications and appeals. 

Primary care, immunizations and prescriptions are available at the Greenville Community Based Outpatient Clinic, which is part of the VA North Texas Health Care System based in nearby Dallas. 

Titus County VSO
100 West First St., Suite B100, Mt. Pleasant, TX 75455
(903) 577-6763 ext. 271

Greenville VA Clinic
4006 Wellington Rd., Suite 100, Greenville, TX 75401-7829
(903) 450-1143

Community Aid Agencies

Seniors who need access to emergency funds, short-term shelter or food pantry services can contact Titus County Cares, a faith-based nonprofit organization.

Low-income seniors can enjoy a free balanced lunch and social activities daily at the Mount Pleasant Senior Center. 

Titus County Cares
310 N. Edwards Ave., Mount Pleasant, TX 75455
(903) 575-9157

Mount Pleasant Senior Center
1406 N. Edwards Ave., Mount Pleasant, TX 75455
(903) 572-3919