Medicaid is a program which was enacted by Congress in 1965. The purpose of the program was to assist Americans who did not have the financial ability to obtain medical insurance on their own. Contributions are made by federal and local government to fund the program. Medicaid provides a variety of benefits. Among the many benefits provided are home care in the individual’s residence. In addition, Medicaid funds programs for long term care in nursing homes.
Qualifying for Medicaid
There are a variety of requirements that need to be met in order to qualify for Medicaid coverage. To start with, the individual applying must be over the age of 65 years, eligible for public assistance or supplemental social security income or blind or disabled. In addition, youths under the age of 21 can also qualify for medicaid coverage. There are a variety of financial requirements that need to be met to qualify for medicaid coverage. These financial requirements relate to income and the amount of assets the individual applying for Medicaid has.
Medicaid in New York State
In the City of New York, the Human Services Administration administrates the Medicaid program. In most other counties, it is administered by the Department of Social Services.
Eligibility for Medicaid can change on a year to year basis. However, at the present time an individual applying for Medicaid must have no more than $14,250 in non-exempt assets. A married couple can have combined non-exempt assets of up to $20,850. The individual going into a nursing home is called the institutionalized spouse. The individual who stays home in the residence is called the community spouse. The community spouse can have resources up to $113,640 and still qualify for Medicaid.
Medicaid Applications
Applying for Medicaid is a time consuming, difficult task. Individuals or family members of individuals who seek to apply for Medicaid should retain an experienced elder care attorney to make these types of applications.
Elliot S. Schlissel is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. For more than three decades, he has been helping his clients apply for Medicaid, drafting wills and trusts, and helping clients preserve their assets. Elliot offers free consultations. He is available at 1-800-344-6431. His phones are monitored seven days a week.
