Category: Nursing Homes

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.

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Do you need to hire an attorney to prepare your “Nursing Home — Medicaid” application?

Medicaid is a state and federal program that provides health coverage for those who meet certain eligibility guidelines. For people who are under age 65 and do require long term care in a nursing facility, eligibility is mostly based on income; therefore, these applications typically aren’t very difficult. People who need Medicaid to assist in covering long term care expenses, such as nursing home or home-based services, must meet more strict eligibility standards based on income and asset information of the applicant and his or her spouse.… Read More »

7 Asset Transfers Which Will Not Affect “Nursing Home Medicaid” Eligibility

#1 Transfers to spouse. A married Medicaid applicant/recipient who is an inpatient at a nursing facility may, without penalty, transfer all assets to the spouse who is still living at home.

#2 Transfers to a blind or disabled child. A Medicaid applicant/recipient may transfer assets to his or her blind or disabled child, according to SSI criteria, or to a trust fund for such a child, without penalty.… Read More »