Medicaid Eligibility

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Elder Planning Alliance stays informed of the frequent changes that affect nursing home Medicaid eligibility, nursing home Medicaid qualification and nursing home Medicaid filing. The following information details the nursing home Medicaid qualification criteria as of April 1, 2012.

Nursing Home Medicaid Eligibility Basics for a Single Individual:

• The maximum countable asset limit an individual may have in order to qualify for Medicaid eligibility is two-thousand dollars ($2,000.00).
• The maximum monthly income limit an individual may have in order to qualify for Medicaid eligibility is two-thousand-ninety-four dollars ($2,094.00).
• The personal needs allowance (the amount of money an individual can keep from their income each month) is thirty-five dollars ($35.00).
• If an individual has income less than eight-hundred-eight dollars ($808.00) per month, then the maximum countable asset limit and individual may have in order to qualify for Medicaid eligibility increases to five-thousand dollars ($5,000.00).

Nursing Home Medicaid Eligibility Basics for a Married Couple:

• For a married couple, we look at three segments with respect to Medicaid qualification and Medicaid eligibility: the confined spouse, the community (or healthy) spouse, and then the married couple.
• The confined spouse falls under the Medicaid eligibility single person limits regarding assets and income as set forth above in 1.
• The community spouse is allowed to have countable assets up to One-hundred-thirteen-thousand-six-hundred-forty dollars ($113,640.00) for purposes of Medicaid eligibility and Medicaid qualification for the confined spouse.
• The community spouse can make an unlimited amount of income and not affect the Medicaid eligibility or Medicaid qualification of the confined spouse.
• However, the community spouse is entitled to receive a minimum amount of monthly income without affecting the Medicaid eligibility of the confined spouse. This is referred to as the MMMIA or the Minimum Monthly Maintenance Income Allowance. This figure is one-thousand-eight-hundred-thirty-nine dollars ($1,839.00).
• There is also a Maximum Monthly Maintenance Income Allowance with respect to Medicaid eligibility, Medicaid qualification and Medicaid filing. This figure is two-thousand-eight-hundred-forty-one dollars ($2,841.00). This computation is based on complicated analysis and figured on a case-by-case basis. As a result, please contact the folks at Elder Planning Alliance for your free consultation and a thorough analysis based on your specific situation.