To be eligible for Medicaid, which is a need-based program, certain income and asset requirements must be met. Oftentimes, one spouse will require care in a skilled nursing facility, while the other spouse continues to reside in the community home. More often than not, the spouse residing in the community home depends largely on joint income and assets in order to continue to pay necessary expenses. For this reason, Medicaid provides certain spousal allowances, which allow the community spouse to retain his or her income plus the institutionalized spouse’s income up to a total of $3,022.50. Continue reading “Don’t Forget to Sign a Spousal Refusal”
Tag: spousal refusal
Spousal Refusal
A common misconception is that a community spouse must spend down all of his or her assets due to an institutionalized spouse requiring nursing home care before Medicaid benefits will be available. Medicaid is a means-test program that entitles individuals to benefits including Chronic Care Medicaid. Chronic Care Medicaid covers care that is provided in a skilled nursing facility. Because Medicaid is a need-based program, certain income and asset requirements must be met in order to be eligible for the benefits. Continue reading “Spousal Refusal”