Medicaid matters to elders and individuals with special needs because it is the only government program providing substantial help paying for long-term care. Yes, some long-term care is paid for by Medicare, but only when there is a skilled need, and usually is limited to no more than 100 days. Although anyone accessing this website can view The Medicaid Book, it is primarily intended for attorneys and other professionals interested in understanding Medicaid. We have other pages on this website written in more general terms for non-attorneys. These materials are presently being written, updated and sections will be published as they become available. Once that is done, we will attempt to keep them as current as possible – but since you’re not paying for this service, we make no promises concerning the regularity of updates. If you have any questions, suggestions or corrections regarding the content, please refer them to david@ezelderlaw.com.
Chapters
- Chapter 1 – Overview of Medicaid
- Chapter 2 – Eligibility Basics
- Chapter 3 – Financial Eligibility, Generally
- Chapter 4 – Issues When there is a Community Spouse
- Chapter 5 – Working with the Client
- Chapter 6 – Planning with Real Property
- Chapter 7 – Planning with Personal Property
- Chapter 8 – The Medicaid Application
- Chapter 9 – Medicaid Fair Hearings
- Chapter 10 – Post-Eligibility Issues
- Chapter 11 – Home and Community Based Waivers
- Chapter 12 – Medicaid Estate Recovery
- Chapter 13 – SSI Eligibility and How it Relates to Medicaid
Appendix
BLOG POSTS
Is a Community Spouse required to name the State as remainder beneficiary of an annuity?
A Petition for writ of certiorari in the case of Dermody v. Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services is pending in the U.S. Supreme Court. The issue is “Whether an annuity that satisfies the condition in 42 U.S.C. § 1396p(c)(2)(B)(i) determining the Medicaid eligibility of a married institutionalized person must name the state […]
Georgia Medicaid Manual Updated with Transmittal 71
On November 17, 2023, Georgia issued Manual Transmittal 71, updating its Medicaid Manual, making technical changes to the following sections. The following sections were updated: 2054 – Emergency Medical Assistance 2060 – ABD Medicaid Application Processing 2101 – ABD Medicaid Classes of Assistance Overview 2111 – SSI Medicaid 2135 – Hospice Medicaid 2143 – QMB […]
Cost of Long-Term Care
For many years, Genworth has produced a Cost of Care Survey tracking the cost of long-term care in America. According to the survey, the projected national monthly median costs will be as follows: Homemaker Services: $5,417 Home Health Aide: $5,625 Adult Day Health Care: $1,847 Assisted Living Facility: $4,917 Nursing Home Semi-Private Room: $8,641 Nursing […]
2024 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards Announced
On November 14, 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced the 2024 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards. The SSI rate for 2024, which was previously announced by the Social Security Administration, will rise to $943. The Medicaid Income Cap will rise to $2,829. The minimum MMMNA will be $2,465 and the maximum MMMNA […]
2024 SSI Amounts and Estimated Impact on Medicaid
Effective January 1, 2024, the federal Supplemental Security Income payment amount will increase by 3.2 percent. The amounts paid to individuals and couples are below: Recipient Unrounded annual amounts for— Monthly amounts for 2024 2023 2024 a Eligible individual $10,970.44 $11,321.49 $943 Eligible couple 16,453.84 16,980.36 1,415 Essential person 5,497.80 5,673.73 472 Impact on Medicaid This […]
Medicaid Questions: Am I Eligible?
Am I Eligible for Medicaid? Recently we were asked about the following fact pattern. Parent had multiple properties in different counties. More than 60 months ago, parent gave these properties to children reserving a life estate. The question, initially, was whether parent is eligible for nursing home Medicaid. The follow-up question was whether the property […]
Medicaid Trust Case Remanded for Further Proceedings
Harves V. Rusyniak In Harves v. Rusyniak, 23A-PL-671 (9/26/2023), the Indiana Court of Appeals found that the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) missed a step in finding that a trust rendered Natalie Harves ineligible for Medicaid. Harnes and her children signed a number of documents in January 2019 when she was 91 years old. […]
Social Security Announces 2024 Increase
On October 12, 2023, the Social Security Administration announced that Social Security and SSI payments will increase by 3.2% in 2024. Federal benefit rates increase when the cost-of-living rises, as measured by the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index (CPI-W). The 2024 SSI rate will be $943 for individuals and $1,415 for eligible couples. This […]
Sometimes You Must Say No
Sometimes you just have to say No “No” isn’t a four-letter word. Saying “no” isn’t necessarily bad and you shouldn’t feel bad when you say it. Part of saying no means taking a stand. It can mean standing up to injustice. For example, our legal system is, for the most part, dependent on people saying […]
Tennessee Justice Center Presents Medicaid Eligibility Boot Camp
On October 24th and 25th, 2023, the Tennessee Justice Center will present its annual two day virtual training event on Medicaid eligibility. This event is designed for health care providers and advocates. Information regarding what’s covered and how to register is below: Medicaid Eligibility Boot Camp – A Virtual Training Event Navigating the Red Tape […]