Medicaid Laws

Medicaid is a government assisted health program for low income children, those with certain qualifying disabilities, as well as seniors who need government assisted health care. There is a certain criteria by which these state and federal agencies determine whether or not the applying individuals meet these terms. The largest majority of people that have Medicaid coverage are those that are patients of a nursing home. Also, a low number of those that receive Medicaid also are patients that receive at home health care. There are also a number of Medicaid laws that have been devised when the original bill was drafted to implement Medicaid, as well as when Amendments were implemented to reflect relevant, current issues. There are some variances of the Medicaid laws across state lines since Medicaid is a government program that is both federally and state run as well as funded.

One of the Medicaid laws that is practiced in most states is that in order to be eligible for Medicaid funding to cover your nursing home benefits, the patient must not have assets that total more than $2,000. For those that have a marital spouse, the Medicaid laws currently state that the other spouse is limited to one half of the couples assets- and this is up to $109,560. This component of the federal law is usually revised on annual basis in order to stay in line with the current ratios that relate to the current economy. In calculating these figures, there are certain exclusions that are made by way of the federal Medicaid laws that are not considered to be assets. The first is one motor vehicle. It is important to note that the current federal Medicaid laws state that only one motor vehicle will not be counted, regardless of price. Smaller life insurance policies or a portion of life insurance policies will not be counted as such, as well as financially backed funeral arrangements. In addition, if the residence to which the patient owns is in the state of the nursing home, and has an equity of no more than $500,000 or $750,000, by some state legislation, this will not be counted as an asset. If there are any assets that an individual is not able to access, the Medicaid laws state that this may not be considered as an asset. Finally, any items that are considered to be personal possessions are omitted as an asset by way of the Medicaid laws.

There is also an under $2,000 criteria that the Medicaid laws require in terms of those that would like to receive government assistance for their home health care. Patients may also be eligible if they go from a nursing home to residential home health care. In order to meet the eligibility of such Medicaid law requirements beforehand, applicants typically have to provide adequate evidence that it is likely that they will be able to. and that they plan to return home after their designated period of nursing home health care. The Medicaid laws for assisted home health coverage requires that the residence have an equity of less than $500,000 or $750,000 in those permitted states, in order to be excluded as an asset.