Medicaid Applications – Like a Tax Audit on Steroids
While I am not an accountant and have never experienced an income tax audit, when describing the Medicaid application process I often reference it to a tax audit. It is an intrusive government review of an applicant’s finances over a 5 year time period. I have been filing Medicaid applications for
A Word about the PAS (Part 2)
Last week I wrote about the medical part of Medicaid eligibility. The preadmission screening (PAS) process requires the state to certify that the applicant needs nursing home level care. Nursing home level care means needing assistance with at least 3 of the activities of daily living. Those activities are transferring (eg. in and out
A Word about the PAS
When talking to clients about achieving Medicaid eligibility, we spend most of our time focused on the financial requirements. That includes an asset test and an income test and transfers that are potentially subject to a Medicaid penalty. However, I always tell families that we can’t forget about the medical test. If we
The Problem of Unexplained Deposits – Part 2
Last week I wrote about how unexplained deposits have the potential to be more damaging to a Medicaid application than unexplained withdrawals. That’s because deposits must be explained or the application is denied for being incomplete and those same deposits must be explained in any new application unless the deposit then falls outside
The Problem of Unexplained Deposits – Part 1
More and more of the Medicaid applications we handle these days involve issues surrounding assets received by way of the death of a family member. More often than not it will be a spouse who died, however, it may also be a parent or other relative. As part of Medicaid applications now,
Medicaid and VA Figures for 2021
The Social Security Administration recently announced its cost of living adjustment (COLA) for 2021. This adjustment is important not only because many seniors depend on Social Security benefits as their primary source of income. This adjustment is also applied to many of the other government programs that affect our clients’ lives. This year’s
VA Benefits and QITs – Part 2
In my post last week, I started to tell you about how tricky it can be when applying for Medicaid benefits while currently receiving VA Aid and Attendance benefits, a non service connected pension available to certain wartime veterans and their widowed spouses. While it is not taxable income for tax
VA Benefits and QITs – Part 1
We have many clients who first qualify for the VA Aid and Attendance benefit to help pay for their long term care and then when their remaining assets are spent down, they must apply for Medicaid. As I have written about previously, Medicaid has a strict income cap ($2349 in 2020). If
Funeral Expenses and Medicaid – Part 2
Funeral Expenses and Medicaid (Part 2) This week’s post details the more common option when it comes to setting aside funds for a funeral before spending down towards Medicaid eligibility. Last week I explained that $1500 can be set aside for burial as long as it is specifically designated and not commingled
N.J. Court Gives Guidance on Hiring Aides – Part 2
In my post last week, I set out the facts of a recent Appellate Division case covering a situation I see frequently in my elder law practice – the payment of home health aides and how it affects Medicaid eligibility. The Medicaid applicant, D.Z. paid her aides almost exactly the way countless people I have