Do Kentucky senior care rules apply in Jeffersonville or New Albany?
No. Clark and Floyd counties, including Jeffersonville, Clarksville and New Albany, are in Indiana, which licenses assisted living as residential care facilities through the Indiana Department of Health and runs its own Medicaid long-term-care programs and Area Agency on Aging.
None of the Kentucky licenses (ALC, ALC-BH, ALC-DC, personal care home), the HCB waiver, State Supplementation or KIPDA services described on this site apply on the Indiana side. Our directory covers only Kentucky's seven KIPDA counties for that reason.
Can a Kentucky Medicaid recipient move to an Indiana facility?
Moving across the river means establishing eligibility under the new state's Medicaid rules: Kentucky Medicaid generally pays for Kentucky residents in Kentucky-enrolled providers, so a move to Indiana typically requires applying for Indiana Medicaid as an Indiana resident.
Plan the timing carefully so there is no gap in coverage, and ask the receiving facility how it handles residents whose Medicaid is pending. The same applies in reverse for an Indiana resident moving to Louisville.
Why might a family choose one side of the river over the other?
Families usually decide on proximity to the people who visit most, the parent's existing doctors and hospital system, and the payment programs available, since Kentucky and Indiana Medicaid and supplement programs differ.
A daughter in Prospect and a son in Floyds Knobs may each be “close”; the person who will visit most often should weigh most. Bridge traffic and closures are a real factor for weekly visits.
How do I check an Indiana facility's license?
Use the Indiana Department of Health's own facility look-up for Indiana-licensed residential care facilities and nursing homes, and CMS Care Compare for any Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home in either state.
CMS ratings are national, so they compare fairly across the river; state licensing records do not, because the two states license different things under different names.
Is Southern Indiana part of Louisville Senior Advisor's directory?
No. Our directory covers only Kentucky's seven KIPDA counties, because its data comes from Kentucky's Office of Inspector General, which does not license Indiana facilities.
CMS-certified nursing homes in Clark and Floyd counties do appear on CMS Care Compare, which uses the same national rating system on both sides of the river, so families comparing nursing homes can line them up directly there. For Indiana assisted living, use Indiana's own state resources.
At a glance
| On the Kentucky side | On the Indiana side | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing agency | Kentucky CHFS Office of Inspector General | Indiana Department of Health |
| Assisted living license | ALC, ALC-BH, ALC-DC | Residential care facility |
| Local aging agency | KIPDA | Indiana's own Area Agency on Aging |
| Shared | CMS ratings for certified nursing homes | CMS ratings for certified nursing homes |
Sources include KRS Chapter 194A, 902 KAR 20:480, Kentucky CHFS and DMS pages, CareScout and VA rate tables as cited above; see our editorial standards.
