The Medicaid application is complete, signed, sealed and delivered. So, what do you do now? In some instances, a Medicaid application may remain pending for as long as a year or longer. During this time, what do you do and what do you pay for?
In this Elder Law Minute video, part of the Medicaid Application Process series, Wes Coulson, Illinois and Missouri Elder Law attorney, discusses what you need to pay for and not pay for while your Medicaid application is pending.
Living in Limbo: What to do and pay for while the Medicaid application is pending
Transcript:
Hi, I’m Wes Coulson and this is your Elder Law Minute. This is another in our series on the Medicaid Application Process. Today, I want to talk about something that comes up frequently in our office, most particularly in Illinois, where applications seem to remain pending for as much as a year or longer, and that is what do you need to do, what do you need to pay and not pay, while a Medicaid application is pending.
Well, first of all, in the case of a single applicant, you need to have figured out what your monthly income contribution is, and you need to be making that income contribution to the nursing home while the application is pending. So, what’s that going to be? Well, that depends. It depends on whether you are going to have any transfer penalties delaying eligibility or not. If you do, then you’ve got to continue to pay the full amount. If not, it’s just a portion, portion being most of your monthly income. If you have health insurance, you need to keep it in effect, so you need to keep paying the premiums.
If you are a married applicant, then part of your income, the amount differs in Illinois and Missouri, is paid over to the community spouse, at least potentially to bring them up to the income allowance. So, you need to have some calculation there because in some instances, the applicant doesn’t need to pay all of their income to the nursing home, some of that can be paid over to the other spouse.
Pretty complicated subject, isn’t it? You can probably tell from hearing that, and it’s really something where you’d be wise to have legal advice. Thanks.
For more about Medicaid and the application process, visit these articles:
- What you don’t know can hurt you: Understanding the Medicaid application process
- Understanding the Medicaid “Look-Back” and “Transfer Penalty” Rules
- The Basics of Medicaid: What you can and cannot keep
“Your Trusted Advisor on the Elder Care Journey”
Dent-Coulson Elder Law is dedicated to providing families in the St. Louis area with their Elder Law needs. Our practice areas include Asset Preservation Planning, Veterans Benefits, Medicaid Eligibility, Alzheimer’s Planning, Special Needs Planning, Estate Planning and more. We understand the financial challenges you may face as you and your loved ones grow older. At Dent-Coulson Elder Law, our clients’ well-being is our number one priority. For immediate help, call (877)995-6876 or Contact Us and we will get in touch as soon as possible.
