What You Can Keep on Florida Medicaid: The Personal Needs Allowance

A Florida Medicaid resident in a nursing home gets to keep $160 a month of their own income, the highest Personal Needs Allowance in the United States. When a resident enters a Medicaid-covered nursing facility, assisted living facility (ALF), or adult family-care home (AFCH), federal and state law require that they be permitted to retain this small portion of their monthly income for personal use, clothing, telephone, snacks, haircuts, newspapers, modest gifts to family, transportation to outings, religious-observance items, small comforts that make life inside a long-term-care setting feel like a life. This is the Personal Needs Allowance (PNA).

Florida's PNA is $160 per month in 2026, the highest PNA in the United States. The figure was raised from $130 to $160 for skilled nursing facility (SNF) residents effective July 1, 2023, and the Optional State Supplement PNA for ALF and AFCH residents was raised from $54 to $160 effective July 1, 2024 via HB 5001 (the 2024 General Appropriations Act, signed by the Governor on June 12, 2024). Both NH and ALF PNA are now $160/month, harmonized at the same level, a significant policy unification that ended the prior two-tier structure under which Florida ALF residents on the Optional State Supplement received less than half the SNF PNA despite often having identical personal needs.

Florida's $160 PNA is more than five times the federal floor of $30/month under 42 USC § 1396a(q), and significantly higher than the typical state PNA of $50-$75/month. New York's $50 PNA (unchanged since 1988) is at the low end. Pennsylvania's $60 (raised from $45 in 2025), Michigan's $60, and California's $35 (institutional NF) all sit far below Florida's level. Texas, Connecticut, and Ohio are at $75 (Ohio raised from $50 to $75 effective 10/1/2025 via OAC Rule 5160:1-6-07, making $75 a de facto regional benchmark). Massachusetts at $72.80 (statutorily fixed under 130 CMR 520.026; pending CPI-U indexing legislation) sits just below the $75 cluster. Florida is the policy outlier on the high side, reflecting Florida's active legislative attention to nursing-facility resident dignity.

This guide explains what the Florida PNA is, what it can and cannot be spent on, how the SNF and ALF/AFCH harmonization works, the patient-pay calculation that determines what a Medicaid resident owes the facility each month, the policy history that produced the $160 figure, how Florida compares to peer states, and what families can do to maximize the dignity of life inside a Medicaid-covered long-term-care facility for a Florida loved one.

In This Guide

• The 60-Second Version
• What the Florida PNA Is and Why It Exists
• The 2023-2024 PNA Increases: Policy History
• What the Florida PNA Can Be Spent On
• What It Cannot Be Spent On
• The Patient-Pay Calculation: How $160 Survives the Income Surrender
• Worked Example 1: Margaret Single, $2,800/Month → $2,455 Patient-Pay
• Worked Example 2: Robert Married, $3,400/Month with MMMNA Deflection → $1,400 Patient-Pay
• ALF / AFCH PNA: How the Optional State Supplement Pathway Works
• National PNA Comparison
• 10 Practical Tips for Florida Families
• Cross-State Quick Comparisons
• 8 Common Pitfalls
• Where to Get Help
• Related Reading

The 60-Second Version

• Florida's PNA is $160/month in 2026, the highest in the United States.
• SNF PNA was raised from $130 to $160 effective July 1, 2023; ALF/AFCH PNA was raised from $54 to $160 effective July 1, 2024 via HB 5001.
• Both nursing-facility and ALF/AFCH PNA are now harmonized at $160, ending the prior two-tier structure.
• The federal floor under 42 USC § 1396a(q) is $30/month. Florida's $160 is more than 5× the federal floor.
• Florida ICP and SMMC LTC residents keep $160/month as a Personal Needs Allowance; the rest of their income (after Medicare premiums, MMMNA deflection, etc.) goes toward patient-pay liability.
• The PNA is deducted before the resident's remaining income is surrendered to the facility, the resident always keeps the $160 even when the rest of income goes to the facility.
• Allowable uses include clothing, hygiene products, telephone/cellphone, haircuts, snacks, newspapers, gifts to family, modest transportation, small personal items.
• Florida's QIT (Qualified Income Trust / Miller Trust) is required for residents whose gross income exceeds $2,982/month, and the QIT can pay out the PNA, MMMNA, premiums, and patient-pay components.
• For married residents, the institutionalized spouse keeps the $160 PNA AND deflects MMMNA (up to $4,066.50/month max) to the community spouse.
• Florida's PNA leadership reflects the state's senior demographics, active legislative attention, and bipartisan support for nursing-facility resident dignity.

What the Florida PNA Is and Why It Exists

When a Medicaid recipient enters a Florida nursing facility under the Institutional Care Program (ICP) or receives Medicaid-covered long-term services through the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care (SMMC LTC) program in a residential setting, federal law requires the recipient to surrender substantially all of their monthly income to the facility (or to the SMMC LTC managed-care organization for facility passthrough) as the recipient's "patient-pay" or "patient responsibility." Medicaid covers the difference between the facility's contracted Medicaid daily rate and the resident's patient-pay liability.

But federal law also recognizes that surrendering 100% of income would strip Medicaid LTC residents of any ability to engage in life inside the facility. The Personal Needs Allowance is the federal mechanism that preserves a small monthly sum for these uses. 42 USC § 1396a(q) establishes a $30/month federal floor for the PNA and authorizes states to set higher figures.

Florida has exercised this discretion aggressively. The state's $160 figure represents a deliberate legislative judgment that nursing-facility residents need meaningful disposable income to maintain dignity, family connection, and personal autonomy. The increase from $130 to $160 in 2023 was supported by both nursing-facility trade associations (FHCA, LeadingAge Florida) and resident-advocacy groups (Florida Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, Florida AARP), a rare alignment of provider and consumer interests that helped clear the legislative path.

The 2023-2024 PNA Increases: Policy History

Florida's PNA progression over the last decade illustrates how a state can move from middle-of-pack to national leader through sustained legislative attention:

July 1, 2018: SNF PNA raised to $130/month, implemented through the FY 2018-19 General Appropriations Act. At that time, $130 made Florida one of the highest-PNA states in the country. The increase was supported by the FHCA / LeadingAge / AARP / Ombudsman coalition that had documented the inadequacy of the prior SNF PNA given Florida senior-resident expense surveys.

July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2023: SNF PNA stayed at $130, five years of stability while inflation and senior-expense growth continued. Advocacy resumed in the early 2020s pointing to the erosion of purchasing power.

July 1, 2023: SNF PNA raised to $160/month, a $30/month increase implemented through the FY 2023-24 General Appropriations Act. This was a roughly 23% jump that re-established Florida as a clear national leader on PNA generosity.

July 1, 2024: ALF/AFCH PNA harmonized at $160/month, implemented through HB 5001 (the FY 2024-25 General Appropriations Act, signed June 12, 2024). Prior to this date, residents of Medicaid-eligible Assisted Living Facilities and Adult Family-Care Homes who received the Optional State Supplement received only $54/month, a long-standing two-tier structure that produced the absurd outcome of an ALF resident with the same care needs as an SNF resident receiving less than half the dignity money. HB 5001 closed the gap completely, raising ALF/AFCH PNA from $54 to $160 in a single step.

2026 status: Both SNF and ALF/AFCH PNA remain at $160/month, neither figure has been adjusted since 2024. Coalition advocates continue to push for indexing to inflation, but no indexing legislation has advanced in Florida. (Massachusetts has pending CPI-U indexing legislation that would take effect FY27 if enacted; Massachusetts has not yet passed the indexing law either, despite being frequently cited as having "indexed" PNA structure.) Future Florida increases will require new legislative appropriation each cycle.

What the Florida PNA Can Be Spent On

The PNA is the resident's discretionary money. As long as the resident retains capacity to manage personal funds (or directs their representative payee), the PNA may be spent on essentially any lawful, personal purpose. Federal regulation 42 CFR § 483.10(f)(11) protects resident control over personal funds and prohibits facilities from steering or restricting resident spending decisions for non-allowable purposes.

Common allowable uses include:

1. Personal Care Items, toothpaste, deodorant, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, hair products, shaving supplies, denture-care products, eyeglass-cleaning supplies, hearing-aid batteries, replacement reading glasses, and incontinence supplies beyond what the facility provides. (Medicaid-covered prescription drugs and Medicaid-covered DME do NOT come from the PNA.)

2. Communication, cellphone service ($15-$40/month for a basic plan; Florida residents often maintain cellphones for family-connection purposes), prepaid phone cards, postage stamps, greeting cards, birthday cards for grandchildren, internet service for personal devices, basic Skype/FaceTime equipment for family video calls.

3. Clothing, replacement clothing, undergarments, socks, slippers, sweaters (Florida residents living in air-conditioned facilities often need more sweaters/jackets than non-Florida readers expect), hats, basic shoes, lightweight clothing for outdoor outings.

4. Entertainment and Reading, local newspaper subscription (the Tampa Bay Times, Miami Herald, Orlando Sentinel, Sun-Sentinel, etc.), magazines (AARP The Magazine, Reader's Digest, Better Homes), paperback books, crosswords, puzzles, knitting supplies, basic art supplies, religious/devotional materials, a small TV for the room, headphones for personal listening.

5. Social and Family, small gifts to grandchildren and family members (within Medicaid gift-rule limits), birthday cards, holiday cards, photographs and frames, modest contributions to family events, transportation to off-site family gatherings (taxis, paratransit, family-driven outings).

6. Comfort and Dignity, haircuts and salon services from the facility's contracted barber/stylist (Florida facility salon services typically cost $20-$45 per visit; a monthly $35 haircut is well within the $160 PNA), manicures, religious-observance items (rosary beads, prayer books, kippah, hijab, etc.), preferred pillows or small comforters that the facility allows, slippers, robes.

7. Tobacco and Personal Discretionary, for residents who smoked at admission, cigarettes (where facility policy permits, many Florida facilities are smoke-free; some have designated outdoor smoking areas), e-cigarettes (where permitted), modest beer or wine (where facility permits and physician approves), small personal vices that contribute to quality of life.

8. Outings and Modest Travel, Florida-specific allowable uses include taxi/rideshare to family events, beach visits (where mobility allows and facility policies permit), family-driven outings to local restaurants, modest gas reimbursement to family members who provide transportation.

The North Star principle: the PNA is the resident's money for the resident's life. The resident decides what brings them dignity and comfort. Family members and facility staff should support spending choices, not police them.

What It Cannot Be Spent On

Several categories of expense are NOT PNA-eligible because they are either Medicaid-covered (and therefore must not double-count) or facility-provided (and therefore must not be charged twice):

• Room and Board, included in the facility's Medicaid daily rate and recovered through patient-pay liability.
• Medicaid-Covered Services, physician visits, prescription drugs covered by Medicaid Part D and Florida Medicaid drug formulary, durable medical equipment, therapy services, hospital stays, etc. Note: prescription drugs that are NOT covered (over-the-counter medications, vitamins, supplements without prescription) may be PNA-eligible if approved by the resident's physician.
• Medicare Part B Premiums, these are deducted from gross income BEFORE patient-pay calculation under 42 CFR § 435.725 and Florida Administrative Code 65A-1.716. The premiums sit higher in the deduction stack than the PNA.
• Medigap Premiums, these are also deducted from gross income BEFORE patient-pay calculation, where the resident maintains a Medigap policy. Most Florida nursing-facility Medicaid residents drop Medigap upon ICP approval, but those who retain Medigap deduct the premium higher in the stack than the PNA.
• Health Insurance Premiums for Other Coverage, supplementary insurance (e.g., an old retiree health plan) deducts higher in the stack than the PNA.

The deduction-stack ordering is established under 42 CFR § 435.725 and Florida Administrative Code 65A-1.716. The resident's gross income is reduced sequentially: first by the PNA ($160), then by health-insurance premiums (Medicare Part B, Medigap, etc.), then by community-spouse MMMNA deflection (if married), then by court-ordered family-member support, then by uncovered medical expenses. The remainder is the resident's patient-pay liability.

The Patient-Pay Calculation: How $160 Survives the Income Surrender

The patient-pay calculation is the financial mechanic that produces a Florida resident's monthly contribution to the facility. Here is the formula in Florida deduction-stack order:

Gross Monthly Income
  − Personal Needs Allowance ($160/month)
  − Medicare Part B Premium (~$202.90/month in 2026)
  − Medigap Premium (if applicable)
  − Other Health Insurance Premium (if applicable)
  − Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance (MMMNA) deflection to community spouse (if married)
  − Court-Ordered Family Member Support (rare)
  − Approved Uncovered Medical Expenses
  = Monthly Patient-Pay Liability to the Facility / SMMC LTC Plan

For a single resident, the calculation typically reduces to:

Gross Income − $160 PNA − Medicare Part B Premium − any Medigap = Patient-Pay

For a married resident with MMMNA deflection, the calculation expands to include the community-spouse income protection (the MMMNA range in 2026 is $2,643.75 minimum to $4,066.50 maximum). The deflected amount sits ABOVE the PNA in the stack, meaning the institutionalized spouse keeps the $160 PNA AND deflects whatever amount is needed to satisfy the MMMNA.

Worked Example 1: Margaret Single, $2,800/Month → $2,437.10 Patient-Pay

Margaret is 79, widowed, and entered a nursing facility in Tampa in February 2026 after a hip fracture led to long-term complications. She is approved for Florida ICP effective her admission date. Her income consists of:

• Social Security retirement benefit: $2,200/month
• Modest pension from her former bookkeeping career: $600/month
• Total gross income: $2,800/month

Her Medicare Part B premium is automatically deducted from her Social Security check at $202.90/month. She has no Medigap (she dropped it upon ICP eligibility). Her monthly patient-pay calculation:

$2,800 gross income
−   $160 PNA
−   $202.90 Medicare Part B
=  $2,437.10 patient-pay liability to the nursing facility

The facility receives $2,437.10/month from Margaret and Medicaid covers the difference between Margaret's contracted Medicaid daily rate (e.g., $325/day = $9,750/month for a 30-day month) and her patient-pay. Medicaid's monthly contribution: $9,750 − $2,437.10 = $7,312.90.

Margaret's $160 PNA is deposited monthly into her resident-trust-fund account at the facility. She uses approximately $80-$100 each month on cellphone service ($25), the Tampa Bay Times subscription ($30), monthly haircut ($35), and a modest weekly snack budget ($10-$20). The remainder accumulates in her resident-trust-fund account; by holiday season, she has saved enough to purchase $30-$40 gifts for each of her three grandchildren plus a modest holiday outfit. Her social worker reviews her resident-trust-fund balance quarterly to ensure she is not accumulating beyond Florida's $2,000 ICP asset limit (a real risk at $160/month accumulation if savings are not actively used).

Margaret's quality-of-life outcome compared to a low-PNA state: If Margaret lived in NY (PNA $50) instead of FL, her monthly disposable would drop from $160 to $50, a $110/month or 69% reduction. Her cellphone, newspaper, and haircut budget would consume the entire $50 PNA with nothing left for gifts, snacks, or family-event participation. The Florida PNA materially affects her dignity-of-life experience.

Worked Example 2: Robert Married, $3,400/Month with MMMNA Deflection → $1,382.10 Patient-Pay

Robert is 82 and entered a nursing facility in Orlando in March 2026 with advanced dementia. His wife Helen, 78, lives in their longtime home in Winter Park. Robert is approved for Florida ICP effective his admission date. His income:

• Social Security retirement benefit: $2,400/month
• Pension from his former engineering career: $1,000/month
• Total gross income: $3,400/month

Helen's own income:

• Social Security spousal benefit: $1,300/month
• (No pension; she retired from part-time work years ago)
• Total community-spouse income: $1,300/month

Helen's MMMNA threshold: Florida applies the standard federal range ($2,643.75 minimum to $4,066.50 maximum). Assume Helen's monthly housing costs (mortgage payment, property tax, homeowner's insurance, utilities) exceed the $793.13 shelter standard significantly, qualifying her for MMMNA above the base of $2,643.75. After application of the shelter excess and standard utility allowance, her calculated MMMNA is approximately $3,100/month.

Helen has $1,300/month of her own; she needs $1,800/month deflection from Robert to reach the MMMNA. Robert's patient-pay calculation:

$3,400 Robert's gross income
−   $160 PNA
−   $202.90 Medicare Part B (Robert's premium)
−   $34 Medigap (Robert's policy he kept)
−   $1,621 MMMNA deflection to Helen (caps at Robert's available income; actual deflection limited)
=  $1,382.10 patient-pay liability

(In reality, the deflection mechanics involve a fair-hearing process for above-base deflections and Florida applies the federal income-first methodology, but this worked example illustrates the doctrine in summary form.)

The MMMNA deflection sits ABOVE the PNA in the deduction stack, meaning Robert keeps his $160 PNA AND deflects $1,621 to Helen. Helen receives the deflection directly; her income rises from $1,300 to $2,921. Robert's net result: $160/month for personal dignity, while Helen is protected from impoverishment as a result of Robert's nursing-facility admission.

This is the federal Spousal Impoverishment doctrine working as designed, with Florida's high PNA giving Robert meaningful dignity money even with significant deflection to Helen.

ALF / AFCH PNA: How the Optional State Supplement Pathway Works

Florida's Optional State Supplement (OSS) is the state-funded supplement to SSI (Supplemental Security Income) that allows eligible disabled or aged Florida residents to live in a Medicaid-eligible Assisted Living Facility or Adult Family-Care Home rather than a skilled nursing facility. The OSS combines federal SSI ($994/month in 2026) with a Florida state supplement to cover the ALF/AFCH room-and-board cost; the resident retains the PNA for personal use.

Pre-July 2024, ALF/AFCH residents on the OSS pathway received only $54/month PNA, less than half the SNF PNA. This produced absurd outcomes: an ALF resident with the same personal-care needs as an SNF resident received $54/month for cellphone, clothing, gifts, and personal items, while an SNF resident received $130 (then $160) for the same purposes.

HB 5001 (2024) ended this disparity. Effective July 1, 2024, ALF/AFCH OSS residents receive $160/month PNA, identical to SNF residents. This was implemented as a budget item in the FY 2024-25 General Appropriations Act; the legislative fiscal note (rather than this guide) is the authoritative source for the state-share cost estimate.

The 2024 harmonization is one of the more meaningful PNA-equity reforms in any state in the last decade. It eliminated a long-standing two-tier structure that had no policy justification beyond historical inertia, and it placed Florida ALF/AFCH residents on equal dignity footing with SNF residents, a reform that other states with similar two-tier structures (e.g., several Northeast states with separate ALF / NF PNA tiers) should examine.

National PNA Comparison

The following table summarizes 2026 PNA figures in major peer states for context:

Florida sits more than 2× any peer state and more than 5× the federal floor. No other state has matched Florida's combination of high SNF PNA + harmonized ALF/AFCH PNA + recent legislative momentum.

10 Practical Tips for Florida Families

1. Set Up the Resident Trust Fund Account at the Facility on Admission. The PNA is automatically deposited each month into a facility-administered resident-trust-fund account. The resident or their representative payee may withdraw funds at any time during business hours. Most facilities provide quarterly statements; review them.

2. Use the Full $160, Don't Bank It. Florida's $2,000 ICP asset limit is much lower than NY's $33,038 community Medicaid limit. Banked PNA at $160/month accumulates quickly; even 13 months of unspent PNA = $2,080, which would exceed the asset cap and jeopardize Medicaid eligibility. Active monthly spending or quarterly distributions to family for the resident's benefit are critical.

3. Cellphone Service Is Essential. Florida nursing-facility residents often have family in distant states (children who relocated for work, grandchildren in other regions). A $25-$40/month cellphone plan is one of the highest-value PNA expenditures because it maintains family connection.

4. Newspaper Subscriptions Carry Outsized Value. Florida residents who have read a local newspaper for decades (Tampa Bay Times, Miami Herald, Orlando Sentinel, etc.) often experience the daily newspaper as a critical anchor of normalcy. The $20-$35/month subscription is well within the PNA.

5. Salon and Barber Services Should Be Monthly. The facility's contracted barber/stylist typically charges $25-$45 per haircut. A monthly haircut is dignity-preserving and well within the $160 PNA.

6. Plan Holiday Spending Across the Year. A $160 PNA produces approximately $80-$100/month of typical baseline spending; the surplus accumulates. By Q4, the resident has typically saved enough to purchase meaningful holiday gifts for grandchildren and family. Quarterly resident-trust-fund review prevents the accumulation from breaching the $2,000 asset cap.

7. Family-Provided Cash Counts as Resources, Not Income. Family members may directly deposit additional money into the resident's personal account beyond the $160 PNA. These deposits ARE counted against the $2,000 ICP asset limit. Time gifts to coincide with the resident's spending pattern.

8. Tobacco and Modest Vices Are PNA-Allowable. If your loved one smoked before admission, do not police their tobacco purchases (subject to facility smoke-free policy). Federal regulation specifically protects resident discretion over PNA spending choices.

9. ALF/AFCH Residents: The 2024 Harmonization Is New. If your loved one is on the OSS pathway in an ALF or AFCH and has been receiving $54/month historically, verify with the facility business office that the $160 monthly PNA has been implemented (effective July 1, 2024). Some facilities have been slow to update their resident-trust-fund accounting systems.

10. Verify the Facility Is Not Withholding PNA as "Miscellaneous Charges." Some facilities improperly bill resident-trust-fund accounts for items that should be facility-provided. Review charges quarterly and dispute improper ones with the Florida Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.

Cross-State Quick Comparisons

For families with a loved one moving between FL and another state, common in cross-state retirement, family-relocation scenarios, or proximity-to-family decisions, the PNA differential is meaningful:

• FL → NY, Resident loses $110/month (FL $160 → NY $50). Over a typical 2-3 year stay, this is $2,640-$3,960 in dignity-money loss. NY's broader Medicaid framework (much higher community-Medicaid asset limits, pooled income trust availability, no income cap) compensates for community-Medicaid scenarios but not for institutional Medicaid PNA.
• FL → PA, Resident loses $100/month (FL $160 → PA $60). Similar cross-state dignity-money loss.
• FL → TX, Resident loses $85/month (FL $160 → TX $75). TX adds Miller-Trust complexity that FL also has, so the cross-state mechanics are similar.
• FL → CA, Resident loses $125/month (FL $160 → CA $35). The biggest PNA differential in the country.
• FL → MA, Resident loses $87.20/month (FL $160 → MA $72.80). MA's PNA is statutorily fixed; pending CPI-U indexing legislation in MA would close the gap gradually if enacted, but as of 2026 the figure remains fixed.

For most FL families, the PNA differential is just one factor in cross-state retirement and care planning; other factors include estate-recovery aggressiveness (FL is probate-only and lenient; CA is probate-only but operates expanded recovery in practice), nursing-facility availability, family proximity, climate, and cost-of-living. But for families weighing close calls, FL's PNA leadership is a real consideration, the $110-$125/month differential vs. NY/CA adds up to substantial dignity money over a multi-year stay.

8 Common Pitfalls

1. Banked PNA Pushing Resources Over $2,000 ICP Asset Limit. Florida's $2,000 asset limit is among the lowest in the country. A resident saving $160/month accumulates $2,080 in 13 months, over the cap. Active spending or quarterly family distributions prevent eligibility loss.

2. Co-Mingling Resident Funds With Facility Operating Funds. Federal regulation 42 CFR § 483.10(f)(11) requires facilities to maintain separate resident-trust-fund accounts. A facility that co-mingles funds is in violation; report to AHCA or the Florida LTC Ombudsman.

3. ALF Residents Still Receiving $54. Some Florida ALFs have been slow to implement the July 2024 harmonization to $160. Verify with the business office and the OSS administrator (DCF) if the $54 figure persists.

4. Facilities Holding Back PNA as "Miscellaneous Charges." Common improper charges include extra incontinence supplies (which the facility is required to provide), copays for Medicaid-covered drugs (which are Medicaid's responsibility), basic toiletries the facility is required to stock, and room amenities. Dispute these.

5. Family Confiscating Money for Unrelated Purposes. Misuse by a representative payee or family member is a federal regulation violation and a Florida statute issue (potential elder financial exploitation under § 825.103, F.S.). The Florida Long-Term Care Ombudsman, AHCA, and Adult Protective Services have authority.

6. Failure to Use the PNA Each Month. Cognitively impaired residents whose family does not visit may accumulate PNA without spending it, then face the asset-cap issue. Active monthly use for the resident's benefit (clothing, family-event participation, hygiene supplies) is essential.

7. Confusing PNA With Other Income Components. SNAP benefits (suspended during NF residence; the facility provides meals), Veterans Aid & Attendance (paid directly to the resident and counted as income for Medicaid budgeting), and Medicare Part B premium are all SEPARATE from the PNA.

8. QIT Residents Forgetting to Distribute the PNA. Florida residents whose income exceeds $2,982/month must use a Qualified Income Trust (Miller Trust). The QIT pays out the PNA monthly to the resident's personal account, MMMNA to the spouse, premium payments, and patient-pay to the facility. If the QIT trustee fails to distribute the PNA, the resident loses access to it. Verify monthly QIT distributions are working correctly.

Where to Get Help

If you have questions about the Florida PNA, patient-pay calculation, or related Medicaid issues:

• Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), Medicaid Eligibility, 1-866-762-2237 (ACCESS Florida customer service), General Medicaid eligibility and policy questions.
• Florida Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, 1-888-831-0404, Resident-rights advocacy, facility-billing disputes, resident-trust-fund issues.
• AHCA (Agency for Health Care Administration), 1-888-419-3456, Medicaid program administration; complaint line for facility issues.
• Florida AARP, 1-866-595-7678, Senior-policy advocacy and information.
• LeadingAge Florida, 1-850-671-3700, Trade association of nonprofit senior-living operators; can refer to member facilities.
• Florida Health Care Association (FHCA), 1-850-224-3907, Trade association of for-profit nursing facilities.
• Florida State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), 1-800-963-5337, Medicare-related counseling; relevant for the Part B premium component of patient-pay.
• Elder Law Section, The Florida Bar, 1-850-561-5600, Lawyer referrals for complex patient-pay and planning questions.

For 2024 HB 5001 implementation and ongoing PNA policy:

• Florida Senate and Florida House of Representatives, search "personal needs allowance" or "HB 5001" for legislative history.

Learn More

• Medicaid Personal Needs Allowance Explained
• Florida Medicaid Programs Overview
• Florida Medicaid Eligibility & Income Limits
• Florida Long-Term Care Waiver
• Florida Medicaid Estate Recovery
• How to Apply for Florida Medicaid

Find personalized help navigating Florida Medicaid long-term care at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.