“Some rules of Medicaid for long-term care are changing”

Some rules of Medicaid for long-term care are changing,” by Bonnie Kraham, Times Herald-Record

 

Quote:

“One of the significant changes is the new ‘look-back period’ for community Medicaid, effective October 1, 2020. … Under previous law, there was no look-back for community Medicaid. An applicant for community Medicaid could give assets to a child and then apply for community Medicaid without penalty. … Another significant change, effective October 1, 2020, exists for certain types of community Medicaid. To qualify, the applicant must generally need assistance with three activities of daily living (ADL), such as eating, bathing, getting dressed, transferring (moving from chair to bed and back, for example) and toileting. Applicants diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia now need assistance with only one ADL to qualify. … One Medicaid provision still in force that faced termination in budget talks is ‘spousal refusal,’ a law that allows the well spouse at home to keep assets and/or income that exceed Medicaid limited amounts if the sick spouse applies for Medicaid. … The changes to the look-back period for community-based Medicaid care benefits make it even more important to shelter your assets ahead of time with a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust. No one wants to find themselves in the position of needing home care services that they cannot afford, but at the same time being ineligible for Medicaid benefits due to the new 30 month look-back period.”

LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform):

These measures to stanch the flow of hemorrhaging Medicaid LTC expenditures in New York are too little too late as this Medicaid planner’s renewed plea for new business makes clear.