Probably back in the days of "Leave It to Beaver," a "man" like Schiavo would have been automatically disqualified as a guardian in such a situation. We are 40 years from the time that "Leave It to Beaver" ceased making original episodes though. Things have indeed changed!!!
I had to double-check what I said about means testing for Medicare. I was correct. Here's the info:
"...Medicaid is different from Medicare. Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people who are ***age 65 or older or disabled. It is administered by the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), formerly known as Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA). ***Eligibility for Medicare is not based on the person's income or assets.
Florida implemented the Medicaid program on January 1, 1970, **to provide medical services to indigent people. Over the years, the Florida Legislature has authorized Medicaid reimbursement for additional services. A major expansion occurred in 1989, when the United States Congress mandated that states provide all Medicaid services allowable under the Social Security Act to children under the age of 21..."
http://www.fdhc.state.fl.us/Medicaid/index2.shtml