What Is TennCare CHOICES?
TennCare CHOICES is Tennessee's Medicaid long-term services and supports program, administered by the Division of TennCare, delivered through managed care organizations, and assisted at the application stage by Area Agencies on Aging and Disability (AAAD) offices. The program has three enrollment groups, and each group offers a different mix of services. Group 2 covers home- and community-based services and has an active waitlist, so applying as early as possible is recommended.
You can learn more about TennCare CHOICES from the Division of TennCare, including how the program is organized and how long-term services and supports are delivered in the state.
Dementia Eligibility Threshold in Tennessee
Tennessee does not use a separate, lower Medicaid long-term care threshold specifically for dementia, so CHOICES clinical eligibility depends on a Nursing Facility Level of Care (NFLOC) determination rather than on a diagnosis by itself. That NFLOC review evaluates Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs), and cognitive and behavioral factors. Alzheimer's disease and other dementias can be considered in that review, but a dementia diagnosis alone does not guarantee an NFLOC designation.
The CDC describes dementia as an impaired ability to remember, think, or make decisions that interferes with everyday activities, and it identifies Alzheimer's disease as the most common type of dementia. NFLOC reviewers look at how those difficulties show up in daily function and behavior, not at the label on a chart. Help with bathing, dressing, or supervision, including personal care or memory care at home, can support someone while the state completes its determination.
Separately from Medicaid, families who want to learn about Alzheimer's clinical studies can search the National Institute on Aging directory of Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers.
Asset Limits for CHOICES Long-Term Care
CHOICES financial eligibility includes an asset limit of $2,000 for a single applicant and $3,000 when both spouses are applying. Meeting the NFLOC clinical standard is not enough by itself. Countable resources generally must also fall at or below these TennCare limits. Because the caps are modest, families in Memphis often talk with an AAAD early so they understand what will be counted before they file.
Confirm current figures with TennCare or your AAAD at the time you apply, and keep the look-back rules in mind before you move or gift assets.
The 60-Month Look-Back Period
Tennessee uses a 60-month (5 year) look-back period when it reviews CHOICES Medicaid applications. Families should be ready to document assets and transfers during that five-year window. The look-back is part of the state's long-term care Medicaid review. It is not a separate dementia-only rule.
Bank statements, property records, and a history of gifts or sales from the prior five years help an application move without avoidable delays.