New Mexico Turquoise Care Medicaid: How to Apply and What It Covers

If you're trying to get Medicaid coverage for an aging parent in New Mexico, you'll hear the name "Turquoise Care" everywhere — and find very little that explains what it actually is or how to get enrolled. Here's what you need to know.

What Changed: Centennial Care to Turquoise Care

On July 1, 2024, New Mexico replaced its Centennial Care 2.0 Medicaid managed-care program with Turquoise Care. The transition came alongside a bigger organizational change: the state created the New Mexico Health Care Authority (HCA), which absorbed the former Human Services Department's Medicaid responsibilities.

For families navigating elder care, the practical impact is that the same long-term care services exist under a new name, administered through the HCA's Medical Assistance Division (HCA-MAD).

The Four MCOs

Turquoise Care delivers services through four Managed Care Organizations. When your parent enrolls, they choose (or are assigned) one:

1. Presbyterian Health Plan
2. Molina Healthcare of New Mexico
3. Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico
4. UnitedHealthcare Community Plan

The MCO manages your parent's physical health, behavioral health, and long-term services and supports (LTSS). MCO choice matters — each has different provider networks, care coordinators, and wait times for home-based services.

Income and Asset Limits for 2026

Turquoise Care's Community Benefit (the home and community-based services waiver) has strict financial eligibility requirements:

If your parent's gross monthly income exceeds $2,982 (300% of the SSI Federal Benefit Rate), they're over the income cap. New Mexico is an income-cap state — you can't simply spend down the excess. Instead, you must establish an Income Diversion Trust (Miller Trust) to redirect the overage and establish eligibility.

How to Apply

1. Register on the Central Registry — Contact the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) through the Aging and Long-Term Services Department (ALTSD) to get on the waiting list for Community Benefit services.

2. Submit the HCA 100 application through the YES New Mexico online portal or at your local Income Support Division (ISD) office. Your parent can apply themselves, or a legally authorized agent can apply on their behalf using a valid POA with government benefits authority or court-appointed conservatorship.

3. Complete the clinical assessment — A Nursing Facility Level of Care (NFLOC) determination establishes whether your parent needs the level of assistance that would otherwise require a nursing home. They must need help with at least two Activities of Daily Living.

4. Choose an MCO — Once approved, your parent selects from the four managed care organizations. If no selection is made, one is assigned automatically.

The Community Benefit: Agency vs. Self-Directed

Turquoise Care's Community Benefit provides home and community-based services through two models:

Agency-Based Community Benefit (ABCB): The MCO contracts with licensed home health agencies to provide personal care. Less administrative burden on the family, but less control over scheduling and caregivers.

Self-Directed Community Benefit (SDCB): Your parent (or their designated Employer of Record) receives a personalized budget to hire, train, and manage their own caregivers — including family members. New enrollees must spend at least 120 days in the agency model before transitioning to SDCB.

The SDCB model is especially valuable because New Mexico allows legally responsible individuals — including spouses, adult children, and legal guardians — to serve as paid caregivers, subject to MCO approval.

Getting legal authority set up before applying for Turquoise Care is essential — without a valid POA or conservatorship, you can't sign the application, manage the trust, or serve as Employer of Record. The New Mexico Power of Attorney and Guardianship Kit covers the full sequence from legal authority through Medicaid enrollment.

See more New Mexico guides →