How to Qualify for Medicaid: Eligibility and Transfer Rules

While Medicare gets most of the news coverage, Medicaid still remains a bit of mystery to many people.

Medicaid law provides special protections for the spouses of Medicaid applicants to make sure the spouses have the minimum support needed to continue to live in the community.

Medicaid 101

Under Medicaid law, following the death of the Medicaid recipient a state must attempt to recover from his or her estate whatever benefits it paid for the recipient's care.

Medicaid 101

The basic Medicaid rule for nursing home residents is that they must pay all of their income, minus certain deductions, to the nursing home.

Medicaid 101

In order to be eligible for Medicaid benefits a nursing home resident may have no more than $2,000 in "countable" assets (the figure may be somewhat higher in some states). ...

Medicaid 101

In order to be eligible for Medicaid, you cannot have transferred assets recently. Congress does not want you to move into a nursing home on Monday, give all your money to your children (or whomever) on Tuesday, and qualify for...

Medicaid 101

A promissory note is normally given in return for a loan. Classifying transfers as loans rather than gifts can be useful because it sometimes allows parents to "lend" assets to their children and still maintain Medicaid eligibility.

Medicaid 101

With careful Medicaid planning, you may be able to preserve some of your estate for your children or other heirs while meeting the Medicaid asset limit.

Medicaid 101

Medicaid has strict asset rules that compel many applicants to "spend down" their assets before they can qualify for coverage. It is important to know what you can spend your money on without endangering Medicaid eligibility.

Medicaid 101