Becoming a family caregiver can be one of the most honorable jobs a person can have. It is no secret that an aging population has created new challenges for Indiana as Baby Boomers continue to retire.… Read More »
Category: Nursing Homes
How Do I Choose a Nursing Home?
According to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, there are 542 certified nursing facilities in Indiana. If you, or a loved one, are among the 2.7 million Americans who are projected to need the services of nursing homes by 2040, then it’s important to understand how to find the best facility to meet those needs.… Read More »
Money Follows the Person: A Program for Nursing Home Residents Who are Interested in Transitioning Home
Funded through a federal grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Money Follows the Person is a program designed to transition those who reside in nursing facilities, and other institutional settings, to their homes or other community-based settings.
“My Spouse is a Medicaid Recipient in a Nursing Home. Is My Income Protected?”
Once your spouse has been approved for Medicaid to help pay nursing home costs, he or she will likely owe a portion of his or her income to the nursing home each month; this is referred to as the “patient liability” to the nursing home. The monthly patient liability owed to the nursing home is calculated by reducing the gross income of the Medicaid recipient by the following monthly costs:… Read More »
Headed to, or Already in, a Nursing Home? It May Be Possible to Protect the Home Utilizing Medicaid’s “Two-Year Rule”
In most situations, transfers of assets that have taken place within five years of filing an application for “Nursing Home Medicaid” result in a penalty period, or period of Medicaid ineligibility based on the fair market value of the asset that was transferred (gifted). Since Indiana’s current penalty divisor is $6,682.00 (effective July 1, 2019 — this figure changes on July 1 each year), the transfer of a home with a fair market value of $100,000.00 would result in a penalty period of roughly 15 months. In other words, the Medicaid applicant would not be eligible for assistance to help pay for nursing home costs until the end of the 15-month penalty period.