The public healthcare coverage, services and benefits discussed in this brief can make the difference between a life in the community or a life bouncing between homelessness and various institutions. While a variety of services may be available in your community to assist older adults, if the potential service recipient does not have the public healthcare coverage that funds these services, then either the individual is paying out of pocket, or cannot access the services. Therefore, a basic understanding of public healthcare coverage and benefits for older adults is crucial to accessing and maintaining needed services.