Sometime people assume monthly income counts toward the $2,000 resource limit. Assets (anything of value) are either income or resources. ” An asset cannot be considered income and a resource during the same month.” Georgia ABD Manual 2300-1 and 2300-2.  See also POMS SI 01110.600 B.3.This confuses many people because they are trying to keep bank […]
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Every year the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit rate and Medicaid resource allowances are updated. For 2022, the federal benefit rate increased by 5.9%. There was no change in the SSI benefit rate. The SSI monthly benefit increased to $841. This means the Medicaid income cap increases to $2,523 of gross monthly income. The one-third […]
H.R. 1717, known as the Protecting Married Seniors from Impoverishment Act of 2021, and a companion bill in the Senate (S.1099) would require States to extend Community Spouse Resource and Income allowances to couples needing in-home care. A temporary modification extending these protections was already in place through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. […]
What are people talking about when they say you have to “spend down” to become eligible for Medicaid? Well, it can describe two different things. Most of the time elder law attorneys are referring to to resource spend-down where the applicant is trying to get below the resource eligibiity threshold. But it can also refer […]
VA Improved Pension Not Income. Petitioner applied for Medicaid on November 4, 2008. Petitioner was the surviving spouse of a veteran eligible for VA Improved Pension. At the time, the income cap was $2,022 and, if the Improved Pension was included in Petitioner’s income, then her gross monthly income exceeded the income cap. Of Petitioner’s $1,056 […]
Increase CSRA in Superior Court, followed by Application and Fair Hearing. After admission to a nursing home, but prior to application for Medicaid, the Superior Court in Glascock County issued an order setting aside all of Petitioner’s marital resources for the Community Spouse’s benefit for the purpose of generating sufficient income to reach the MMMNA. […]
Use of Burial Funds for Care Results in them Being Treated as Income. In a one page decision, the ALJ affirmed an increase in Petitioner’s cost-share for December 2008 where Petitioner used funds set aside for burial for personal care. The ALJ noted this decision did not impact eligibility for any month other than December […]
No QIT, No Medicaid if Income Exceeds Cap, Part 2. Petitioner entered a nursing home in June 2008 and filed an application for Medicaid. DFCS did not receive or act on the application until July 22, 2008. As a result of inaction, Petitioner did not know that a QIT was needed because income exceeded the […]
No QIT means No Medicaid If Income Exceeds Cap. Petitioner entered the nursing home in July 2007 and applied for Medicaid in August 2007. No one told Petitioner a qualified income trust was needed. A denial was sent in October and Petitioner reapplied in November 2007, establishing the QIT by December 17, 2007. Eligibility was denied for […]
Calculation of Cost-Share. As of November 1, 2008, Petitioner’s gross monthly income was $2,385.54. DGCS calculated the cost-share as $2,189 after allowing deductions of $9.25 for federal taxes, $136.72 for health insurance premiums and $50 for Petitioner’s personal needs allowance. The decision does not indicate what additional deduction Petitioner sought, but the DFCS calculation was […]
