Obviously, if you follow the law, get a license and have the event officiated, you’re married. See O.C.G.A. § 19-3-1 (Requiring parties able to contract, an actual contract and consummation according to law). And with marriage goes the benefits and liabilities. Although not a traditional case, Justice Kennedy concluded Obergfell v. Hodges with the following […]
In Henderson v. Dept. of Health and Human Services (May 18, 2023), a Medicaid applicant transferred significant resources, including the full value of her retirement account, to an irrevocable trust. When she applied for Medicaid during the 60 month look back period, the Medicaid agency found the resources were not countable, but imposed a transfer […]
The following Georgia Medicaid cases were litigated outside the context of an administrative hearing, or were appealed beyond that point. Of course, we are not representing there are no other published decisions on point. United Cerebral Palsy of Georgia v. Ga. Dep’t of Behavioral Health and Dev. Disabilities, 331 Ga. App. 616 (2015). A provider […]
On May 4, 2023, the Department of Community Health announced the new state-wide average nursing facility private pay rate increased from $9,034.00 to $9,584.00. This rate is the divisor when calculating the length of a transfer penalty when resources or income are transferred for less than fair market value.
When applying for Medicaid, the nursing home spouse (called the Institutionalized Spouse) is often a joint owner (or sole owner) on checking, savings and other acounts. Should those resource be taken out of the name of the Institutionalized Spouse? The answer is generally “yes,” but it requires some context and some qualifications. The context and […]
Some couples might consider reducing the size of the marital estate by giving their resources away. Frequently this is the result when the plan is “home-made.” However, transfers for less than fair market value, including complete and partial gifts) trigger a period of ineligibility. 42 U.S.C. 1396p(c). It does not matter whether the applicant or […]
If you agree to file a client’s Medicaid application as part of your representation, here are a few practical considerations. Keep in mind, these suggestions are how we handle matters in our office. If you have a different approach, that’s fine. If you have suggestions on other ways to approach applications, we’d love to hear […]
Medicaid beneficiaries cannot “fix” eligibility by giving away resources. A transfer of resources without receipt of fair market value will trigger calculation of a transfer penalty. “The penalty for an institutionalized individual consists of ineligibility for certain services for a period or periods of ineligibility that equal the number of months calculated by taking the […]
The answer is, yes, maybe. At USA.gov, there are tips for caregiver support including links to programs that could pay you to serve as a family caregiver. That site offers the following insight: A caregiver helps a person with special medical needs in performing daily activities. Tasks include shopping for food and cooking, cleaning the […]
Gifting is usually a last resort when creating a Medicaid Plan. The reason is gifts trigger a transfer of resources penalty. The Medicaid Transfer Penalty Worksheet can be used to calculate the penalty, but an additional worksheet is helpful when calculating the amount of income a Medicaid applicant must generate to private pay through the […]
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