OK, you have done your Google search.  You read about Community Medicaid but you don’t believe that your loved one qualifies because they have too much money in the bank, their income is too high, or both.

In order to be eligible for Medicaid Home Care (Community Medicaid) services you must meet the following criteria:

The general requirements for Medicaid eligibility are as follows:  the Medicaid applicant is allowed to have non-exempt assets up to $15,150 and a separate bank account known as a burial fund of up to $1,500, or life insurance with a face value up to $1,500.  If the face value of the insurance is higher, then the actual cash value will be considered as an available resource.

In addition to the burial fund, burial space is also exempt.   Burial spaces include, but are not limited to: a combination of such things as conventional grave sites, crypts, vaults, mausoleums, urns, caskets, and/or other repositories which are customarily and traditionally used for the remains of deceased persons. Headstones and any engravings, the cost of opening and closing the grave, plus perpetual care are considered part of a burial space.

Household furnishings and appliances of a homestead and one automobile are also exempt for purposes of Medicaid eligibility.

The Medicaid recipient is entitled to retain income of $842 per month, plus $20 if he or she is 65 or older.  The income budget number is not a cap.  If the Medicaid recipient has income over the budget amount, he/she must spend down any excess income on unpaid medical expenses or to a qualified pooled income trust.   The pooled income trust is a trust established with a charity for the benefit of the Medicaid recipient.

By contacting an experienced Elder Law Attorney, you can create a plan to bring your loved ones assets and income within the required threshold and keep them home longer.

At Russo Law Group, we are well aware of the benefits of an informed consumer, which is why we provide a comprehensive website with an abundance of information, as well as free seminars and webinars to educate the general public.

Please join us at one of our many upcoming seminars and webinars. For more information check the calendar of our website.

Deanna M. Eble
Russo Law Group, P.C.
100 Quentin Roosevelt Blvd., Suite 102
Garden City, NY 11530
800-680-1717