14 Assisted Living Communities in Tyler, Texas

The average cost of assisted living in the city is $3,800 a month. This guide is a starting point covering the cost of assisted living care in the city, as well as financing options to pay for it. You’ll find in-depth information on 14 Assisted Living Communities in Tyler and several in surrounding areas. The Cost of Senior Care in Tyler, TX

• Assisted Living: $3,800
• Nursing Home Care: $4,258
• In-home Care: $3,813
• Adult Day Health Services: N/A

According to the 2018 Genworth Cost of Care study, the average monthly cost of assisted living in Tyler is just $5 higher than the state average of $3,795 and $200 below the national average ($4,000). In nearby Longview, the average cost is significantly lower at $3,100. The price is even less in Texarkana, which has the lowest monthly rate in the state at $2,265.

The most expensive assisted living is found in Austin ($5,190), while Dallas has the most affordable price of all the major cities in Texas at $4,350 per month.

The monthly rates for nursing home care are low in Texas and particularly in Tyler, where it costs just $4,258. Assisted living is only $450 less expensive per month. In other states, nursing home care often costs two to three times as much as assisted living. Homemaker services and home health aides are slightly more expensive than assisted living in Tyler but only by $13 per month. This comparable cost is deceptive because individuals living in their own home are responsible for regular household expenses, which are generally included in monthly assisted living facility fees.

 

The Texas Medicaid program is funded by the federal and state governments to provide low-income residents, including elderly, blind and disabled persons, with access to health care services such as doctor visits, hospital care and prescription drugs, as well as long-term institutional nursing care.

To qualify for Medicaid coverage for long-term care, applicants must be aged 65 and older or disabled and have an annual income below the maximum limits of $24,731 for individuals and $33,482 for couples. Low-income seniors who’ve been approved for Supplemental Security Income benefits automatically qualify for Medicaid coverage.

Applications for Texas Medicaid can be submitted online. For help applying for benefits, call (877) 541-7905 or visit one of the nine Community Partner agencies in the Tyler area.

STAR+PLUS Waiver

Texas Medicaid doesn’t pay for assisted living facility fees, but it does offer the STAR+PLUS waiver that may cover the cost of services received in an assisted living setting. Approved seniors receive a personalized managed care plan that covers Medicaid health care services and long-term care supports and services such as:

• Care coordination
• Transitional services
• Personal assistance with activities of daily living
• Assisted living services
• Respite care
• Nursing care
• Physical therapy
• Medical supplies and adaptive aides

The STAR+PLUS waiver is available to Medicaid-eligible applicants aged 21 or older who’ve been assessed as needing nursing care for medical reasons and aren’t enrolled in other waiver programs.

Medicaid funding for assisted living isn’t an entitlement in Texas, so there may be a waiting list to receive services through the waiver program. Applications are processed based on the needs of the individual, and those deemed most at risk receive assistance first.

For more information about the STAR+PLUS waiver program, contact the Area Agency on Aging of East Texas at (800) 442-8845. Seniors can apply online through MyTexasBenefits.

Optional State Supplementation

Low-income seniors in Texas who qualify for Supplemental Security Income may be eligible for an additional Optional State Supplementation benefit. To qualify for this extra monthly payment, applicants must live in a Medicaid-funded facility and meet the SSI asset and income requirements.

Applications for OSS benefits can be made online through the Social Security Administration website or by contacting the local Social Security office in Tyler at (877) 319-5707.

Veterans Affairs Aid and Attendance Program

Seniors who’ve served in the military, or their surviving spouse, may be able to receive additional funds from Veterans Affairs through the Aid and Attendance program. If eligible, this extra payment is made on a monthly basis on top of the applicant’s regular VA pension.

To qualify for the A&A program, veterans can’t be receiving a VA disability pension and must meet all of these requirements:

• Have at least 90 days of active duty with at least one day during wartime

• Be honorably discharged from service

• Have an annual income below the program’s limit, which is currently $22,577

Additionally, applicants must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Need assistance with daily living activities

• Be bedridden

• Reside in a nursing home due to poor physical or mental health

• Have eyesight limited to a corrected 5/200 visual acuity, or have severe concentric visual field loss

Applications for A&A benefits must be filed at a Veterans Service Office. For more information or help completing the program’s complicated application, contact the local VSO in Tyler at (903) 590-2950.

Tyler and the surrounding areas are served by the East Texas Area Agency on Aging. This nonprofit agency is the local advocate for all aging-related issues and also provides many free or low-cost services to seniors. These services include counseling on various benefits and programs available in the area and how to apply for them, health and wellness programs as well as support for caregivers. Area Agency on Aging of East Texas
1501 Pentecost Rd., Kilgore, TX 75662
(903) 218-6500

Veterans and their family members can visit or call the local Veterans Services office to learn about available benefits and receive help completing their applications. All the services provided by VSOs are free of charge, and the staff is knowledgeable about benefit and pension application processes and how to file appeals through the VA.

Smith County Veteran Services Office
210 E. Ferguson St., Tyler, TX 75702
(903) 590-2950

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