Short answer
If private funds run out, the options generally are a Medicaid HCBS waiver for care inside a licensed community, Medicaid nursing facility coverage, or moving to a community that holds a waiver provider agreement. Confirm New York's specific programs before relying on this.
Ask before you move in, not after
This is the single most consequential question families skip. A community that does not hold a Medicaid waiver provider agreement will ask your parent to leave when private funds are exhausted — often with short notice, at the point when moving is hardest.
Ask directly: do you hold a Medicaid waiver provider agreement, and how many current residents use it? A community can technically hold an agreement and still have no waiver capacity available.
How families pay for care. New York pays for long-term care mainly through Managed Long Term Care (MLTC), the NHTD waiver, and the Assisted Living Program (ALP) -- each covers something different. Read the full explanation →
The local long-term care ombudsman. CIDNY runs the NYC-region Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program that covers Staten Island, at 1-888-855-9807. Read the full explanation →
