Long Term Care

Resources are different from income. Some examples of resources include cash, bank accounts, stocks, bonds, IRA's and property. Other potential resources may be explored when you apply. The resources you are allowed to have while receiving Medicaid are exempt during our lifetime. This means that DSS cannot make you use them for your care. However, upon death, the balance becomes a part of your estate and is used to help pay your creditors, including the Department of Health and Human Services.

This is a program under NYS Medicaid that allows higher income and resource levels for married couples, one of whom requires nursing home care, while the other remains in the community. The community spouse can keep income and resources up to the levels listed below $2,232 (monthly Income - level for 2002) and countable resources of $74,820. These figures are counting the combined income and resources for the couple whether held jointly with the spouse or any other person, or singly.

People on Medicaid are allowed to have income and resources up to certain levels. The levels change at the beginning of each year and are different depending on the size of your household and the type of care of which you need Medicaid. For someone residing in their home, applying for Medicaid to help pay for prescription, hospital bill or some personal care in the home, the following levels are effective in 2001:
Household size of one: $634-monthly income & $3,800-countable resources
Household size of two: $925-monthly income & $5,500-countable resources

A lien is a claim that DSS puts on your real property, while you are in a nursing home, for the payment of Medical Assistance that the Department pays or has paid on your behalf. If you return home, the lien is removed from your property. The Department may still have a claim against your estate for the Medicaid provided on your behalf.

The Department of Social Services (DSS) can place a lien on your home if you go into a nursing home. DSS will not place a lien on your home if your spouse still resides there, a child who is under 21, blind or disabled lives there or a sibling with an equity interest in the home lives there and has lived there for at least one year. DSS will not place a lien if your physician states this is a temporary stay in a nursing home. Please ask for Informational Notice for Applicants with Real Property for more information.

NO. If you (or your spouse) reside in your home it remains your homestead and is not counted as a resource. Only when you can no longer live there does it become a resource. At the time of your death your house becomes part of your estate and will be used to help pay your creditors, including the Department of Social Services (DSS). When you receive Medicaid after the age of 55, DSS is entitled to recover the Medicaid expended on your behalf up to the value of your estate.