Long Island nursing-home Medicaid applications go to Nassau or Suffolk County DSS, while New York City applications go to the Human Resources Administration. The difference is where families file, how they can submit, and which office decides the case.
Nursing Home Medicaid means Medicaid coverage for long-term care in a nursing facility. For a person with dementia, the application goes to the local district where that person lives. The New York State Department of Health explains this local-district rule on the How to Apply page.
Medical information disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a physician or other qualified health professional about symptoms, medications, tests, or treatment decisions.
Official resources:
- Read the official guidance from Ny — Use this primary source to verify the official guidance.
- Apply through Suffolkcountyny’s official page — Use this page to review requirements and apply directly.
Table of Contents
- Where do families file on Long Island?
- How can you submit the application?
- Who decides a nursing-home case?
- What stays the same for families?
Where do families file on Long Island?
Nassau County centers Medicaid work at one county hub at 60 Charles Lindbergh Blvd. in Uniondale. Suffolk County splits intake between Medicaid WEST in Hauppauge and Smithtown and Medicaid EAST in Riverhead.
There is no single combined Long Island office. That structure differs from New York City, which uses the Human Resources Administration network across the five boroughs. A Nassau resident files with Nassau County DSS and a Suffolk resident files with Suffolk County DSS. A New York City resident files with HRA.
How can you submit the application?
Suffolk County requires applicants age 65 or older or with a disability to use a paper Medicaid application. Suffolk County DSS says those applications must be brought or mailed to the local Medicaid office, as described on the Suffolk Medicaid application page.
New York City gives aged, blind, disabled, Medicare, and long-term-care applicants more channels. NYC HRA lists those options on the public health insurance page.
- Apply online through ACCESS HRA
- Mail to Initial Eligibility Unit, PO Box 24390, Brooklyn, NY 11202
- Fax to 917-639-0732
- Apply in person
Who decides a nursing-home case?
New York City routes nursing-home applications and renewals to a dedicated Nursing Home Eligibility Division. The division uses fax 917-639-0735, according to the New York Legal Assistance Group on the nursing-home Medicaid entry.
Nassau and Suffolk handle nursing-home cases through general county Medicaid eligibility units. Many New York City nursing homes send applications directly to the dedicated division. Many Long Island facilities send them to the resident's county DSS.
What stays the same for families?
Both areas use the same statewide paper forms, DOH-4220 plus Supplement A DOH-5178A. Both apply the five-year asset-transfer lookback.
The medical and financial proof is similar, but the deciding office and queue change with residence. File where the applicant lives, not where the family lives or where the nursing home is located. Use the contact for that district, keep copies of the paper forms and mailing receipts, and ask the facility which office it uses for submissions.
