My husband health is declining due to Parkinson disease, dementia, incontinence and strokes. He is a fall risk and the last fall he fractured and dislocated his shoulder. I am constantly on edge because he is always getting out of his wheelchair to walk. I was told he does this because he forgets he can not walk without assistance. I am at the point now, I really need assistance for him 24/7. Therefore, I am thinking about putting him into a nursing home so he will have 24/7 care. My question is: Has anyone applied for Medicaid and had to spend down? We make too much money for Medicaid income, however, I was told that people whose income is over Medicaid income requirement, still can be approved.
An advice or suggestion, you can provide me about Medicaid, will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Ann
This message board is a blessing.
Medicaid when there is a community spouse (you) is way way more complex than for an individual widow or widowers LTC Medicaid application and eligibility. Your focus every day is first & foremost on him and rightly so; you cannot be dealing with the nuances of and oodles of paperwork needed for Medicaid. I’m overwhelmed just thinking about it!
Really get with an atty. I’d suggest you get one that is NAELA or CELA level of experience as they will know how to best position a CS for their future and get hubs eligibility thru your states Medicaid application system. If stuff needs to shift, be renamed, Miller trust formed, etc.all this has to, HAS TO, be done BEFORE ever filing his Medicaid application.
Why? Cause Medicaid affixes a “snapshot” day to which all your assets get placed to.
You need to do whatever to max your assets to the CS limit and increase your income (your income does not count for his eligibility) so you do not find yourself financially insecure whether 10 mos or ten years from now. It’s not imho ever a DIY for couples. Get a NAELA or CELA level atty. good luck!
again your income does not count for his eligibility. Only his does & if his is over the monthly income limit often a Miller Trust is done. Miller doesn’t work in all states however. If yours is a nonMiller state then atty will have other options as to how to shift his income - like maybe a special needs trust that is Medicaid compliant. Not Medicaid eligible but ok for Medicaid compliance. None of this is diy.