How much cash can my mom have in a savings account to qualify for Medicaid?

A person can have up to $2,000 in countable assets, which includes cash in the bank. Non-countable would be personal property, one house where they have been living, one car, jewelry, etc.

Each state administers Medicaid uniquely but within an overall federal guidelines.
My understand is that the type of Medicaid, like whether it's to get your mom assistance in community based Medicaid (like in home or a PACE program) OR into a NH will make difference as to the maximum amount of exempt and non-exempt assets allowed. So you need to clearly find out from moms state the specifics for the exact program she is seeking.

In general for NH Medicaid, all an individuals (so their a widow or widower) monthly income (max allow set by state) must be paid to the NH as their required SOC (share of cost) less a very small personal needs allowance AND their non exempt assets no more than 2K.
NH Medicaid truly requires they are basically impoverished.

And if there is a spouse, there are different rules, which most people seem to not know on these blog sites. The assets are divided in two....or some prearranged portion there of. My Mom was alloted the house and car and certain assets, IRA of hers, annuity and life insurance policies. BUT my dad had to be removed as beneficiary and that changed to me, as the next only living relative. Dad's name had to be removed from the titles on house and car....not a real problem because it was all in trust, but then the trust had to be redone, in Mom's name only, and a specific piece of paper put into the trust acknowledging that even though she was married to my Dad, he was not to be a beneficiary to any of the assets in the trust. THAT was a hard thing to read and for her to sign her name on!! Then, on my Dad's half or thereof of the assigned monetary assets, there was a stipulated spend down that we had to go through, to get him down to where he had less than $2000 in his checkbook at any one time, and no other assets. He was in Memory Care, which is not same as nursing home, but more under licensure of Assisted Living in AZ, so he was allowed his SS check and retirement income, which came to $1600/mo. Out of that, he had to pay $200/mo towards his Memory Care fees and Medicaid paid the rest. He had to keep on paying his Medicare supplement insurance, because it covered my Mom as well as him and she preferred dealing with doctors and pharmacies and systems that she knew. So that monthly cost came out of his income. And all his personal care....haircuts, nail care, shave lotion, depends, and all over the counter meds ordered by doctor. None of that amounted to much, but we kept it all going through his own separate checking account, in case they wanted to audit it ever. I was POA for both of them and involved in the Medicaid application process with his law office staff. As far as I know, once he was approved, no one ever asked to see his checkbook. They did have to come meet with him, me, Mom, and Memory Care staff every three months to certify that he medically needed to be on Medicaid and in Memory Care. All they ever asked me about money was had any of his income or assets changed. When he died, right away we got a letter from them about the lien they had on the house, but as long as Mom lived there, it was her property and they could do nothing. The lawyer handled that. In the end, she quit claimed the house to me, so that I could handle selling it, and the money went into a money market for us to be able to pay her Assisted Living fees. We knew that by doing that she would be denied Medicaid benefits for 5 years because she gifted the house to me. But she was 90 and in much more poor health than Dad was. I just made sure that the house would sell for enough money to cover that cost for 5 years, and if she lasted that long, and we were short, then we know family has to either take her in at that point or pay the fees for Memory Care, which is where she'll be soon, with her own Alzheimer's. So we sit and wait, but we've never heard from Medicaid about all that, except for the denial of coverage right at the moment. We are also trying to get her VA Aid and Attendance to help cover A.L., because Dad was a WWII vet and she is entitled to a monthly benefit based on that. Still waiting for that.

I agree with the pervios poster. My father in law has had medicaid in both Texas and New York. You cant own anything and you can only have very very little money. In some states, like Texas you can get it with a house, but when the person passes Medicaid can get thier part once the house sells. He doesnt have anything anywhere so he has been able to have Medicaid for a few years now.

But please check on the house. Every state is different. Texas Medicaid will take their money out if the house at some point. Also elderly medicaid is different. In new york if you meet certain income requirements, own a home and have children you usually have no trouble with you home, but elderly rules are different. Please check you state office or go online. Or ask a social worker at a local hospital or your loved ones doctors office.

I am POA for my sister In a nursing home in Kinston NC. I live in Austin TX and it has become very difficult to perform personal responsibilities for her due to distance separation. How is it possible to transfer POA to a family member in Baltimore who is able to give more personal assistant for her?

Every state is different. We live in Florida which is a "homestead" state. My mom was on Medicaid and when she passed away, the house went to me (her only child).
Best wishes.

A Medicaid applicant is allowed to own $2K in countable assets.

Joanne's...

Even those "rules" vary a great deal by State. I just went through a long training process here in Colorado...and the rules here are not that same as you described.

Federal law concerning Medicaid leave a lot of room for each state to "administer" the program,

Joanne's Give a Hug is correct if you are dealing with a couple. It is called Spousal Impoverishment and this allows the person who is not entering a nursing home to still have a home and money to live on. Everyone needs to be aware of how Medicaid works in their state. It is one of the things that we do not pay attention to until we are in crisis mode. My personal opinion is that no one other than Bill Gates will be able to pay for long-term care out-of-pocket. The cost of care is continuing to rise.