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Are you looking for LTC (long term care) for an elder or other Medicare services?
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Iowa Medicaid is the state and federally funded health insurance program for low-income residents, seniors, people with disabilities, pregnant women, and some families with children. In Iowa, most Medicaid coverage is managed through a system called Iowa Health Link, where private managed-care organizations coordinate care.  

Here’s the basic way it works:
1. You Apply
You can apply:
Online through Iowa HHS
By phone
By paper application
Through the federal marketplace in some cases  

2. Iowa Checks Eligibility
Eligibility depends mainly on:
Income
Household size
Age/disability status
Iowa residency
Citizenship or qualified immigration status  
Examples:
Adults 19–64 generally qualify up to about 138% of the Federal Poverty Level under Medicaid expansion.  
Pregnant women and children have higher income limits.  
Seniors needing nursing home care or long-term care must also meet asset/resource limits.  

3. Most Members Choose a Managed Care Plan
Most Iowa Medicaid recipients are placed into a private managed-care plan such as:
Iowa Total Care⁠
Molina Healthcare of Iowa⁠
These plans handle:
Doctor networks
Referrals
Prescriptions
Care coordination
If you do not choose a plan, Iowa may assign one for you.  

4. Covered Services
Coverage may include:
Doctor visits
Hospital care
Prescriptions
Mental health treatment
Dental care (varies)
Transportation to medical appointments
Nursing home care
Home/community-based services (waivers)  
For seniors and disabled adults, Iowa also has HCBS waivers that can help pay for care at home instead of a nursing home.  

5. Renewals
Coverage is not permanent automatically. Iowa periodically reviews:
Income
Household changes
Disability status
Assets (for long-term care Medicaid)
If paperwork is missed, coverage can be lost even if the person still qualifies.
Important distinction: “Regular” Medicaid vs Long-Term Care Medicaid
These are very different systems:
Regular Medicaid
Long-Term Care Medicaid
Based mainly on income
Based on income and assets
Covers healthcare
Covers nursing homes or in-home caregiving
No asset test for many adults
Strict asset/resource limits
ACA expansion rules
Elder law / Medicaid planning rules
This distinction becomes very important for dementia care, nursing home placement, or waiver services.
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