Florida's Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care program can help pay for assisted living, memory care, and in-home care. Here's how Jacksonville-area families apply and what to expect.
By Linda Alvarez, CSA · February 3, 2026
The Florida Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care program, usually shortened to SMMC LTC, is Florida's Medicaid long-term care waiver. It can cover personal care, homemaker services, adult day care, and — in a participating assisted living facility — personal care services, for seniors who meet a nursing-facility level of care and Florida's income and asset limits. Like most state Medicaid waivers, it generally does not pay room and board in an assisted living setting; residents typically apply Social Security income toward rent and meals, with the waiver covering personal care and services on top.
SMMC LTC is delivered through managed care plans that hold Florida Medicaid contracts, including Sunshine Health, Humana, Simply Healthcare, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, Aetna Better Health, Florida Community Care, and Molina. Which plans are available can vary by region, so Jacksonville-area (Northeast Florida) families should confirm current plan options with the Department of Elder Affairs or their local Area Agency on Aging before assuming a specific plan is available.
Eligibility for SMMC LTC has two tracks: a functional assessment (confirming a nursing-facility level of care need) and a financial assessment (income and asset limits set by Florida Medicaid rules). Because SMMC LTC is a waiver program rather than an entitlement, there can be a waiting list, and priority is generally given to applicants with the most urgent needs — for example, those facing nursing home placement or already receiving Medicaid-funded institutional care.
Given the waiting list, the single most useful thing a Jacksonville family can do is start the application early — ideally well before a crisis forces a decision. The screening begins with the Comprehensive Assessment and Review for Long-Term Care Services (CARES) program, which evaluates functional need, and continues through Florida's ACCESS system for the financial side.
ElderSource, the Area Agency on Aging for Northeast Florida (the region's Aging and Disability Resource Center), is the primary free resource for Jacksonville-metro families navigating SMMC LTC. ElderSource serves Duval, Clay, St. Johns, Nassau, and Baker counties and can be reached through the Elder Helpline at 1-888-242-4464, or locally at (904) 391-6699. Their office is at 10688 Old St. Augustine Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32257.
A free senior care advisor who works regularly with Jacksonville-area facilities can also help identify which local assisted living communities currently accept SMMC LTC managed care plans, since not every facility participates in every plan. Pairing an ElderSource screening with an advisor's knowledge of which local ALFs have Medicaid-approved beds open can meaningfully shorten the path from application to placement.
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