Estate & Business Law Group, P.C.

• CS = Community Spouse

• IS = Institutionalized Spouse

• MA = Medicaid Applicant

• MR = Medicaid Recipient

• Individual Resource Allowance

• CSRA = Community Spouse Resource Allowance

• MMMNA = Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance (“Triple M N A”)

• Lookback Date

• Lookback Period

• Spend Down

• Compensated Transfer

• Uncompensated Transfer

• Penalty Period:

CS = Community Spouse:
The Spouse of an institutionalized individual and who does not reside in an institution.

IS = Institutionalized Spouse:
The spouse that resides in an institution and is receiving chronic care (not custodial).

MA = Medicaid Applicant:
Individual applying for Medicaid.

MR = Medicaid Recipient:
Individual qualified for and who is receiving Medicaid benefits.

Individual Resource Allowance:
The amount of resources (assets) the Medicaid Applicant can retain and still be eligible for Medicaid benefits.

CSRA = Community Spouse Resource Allowance:
Minimum and Maximum amount of resources (assets) the community spouse is entitled to retain and have the institutionalized spouse be eligible for Medicaid benefits.

MMMNA = Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance (“Triple M N A”):
The minimum amount of income per month a “Community Spouse” is entitled to retain prior to being required to contribute toward the “institutional spouse’s” cost of care.

Lookback Date:
The first day of the month in which a MA resides in a health care facility and applies for Medicaid benefits. (Can apply for benefits retroactively 3 months.)

Lookback Period:
The period of time Medicaid will look at all financial records of a MA. The Look Back Period begins on the Look Back Date.

Spend Down:
The method or process of transferring (or spending) MA’s income or assets to get applicant and/or community spouse to Medicaid qualifying levels.

Compensated Transfer:
A transfer or spending of MA or CS income or assets and MA receives something of equal value in return.

Uncompensated Transfer:
A transfer or spending of MA or CS income or assets and MA receives no value, or less than the value transferred in return.

Penalty Period:
The number of months an MA is ineligible for Medicaid benefits because of an uncompensated transfer.

Medicaid is a welfare benefit program that pays for basic medical care including custodial long term care.
 

Medicaid imposes asset and income limitations as a prerequisite of eligibility.
 

Medicaid is the only Government program that pays for custodial long term care.
 

Not to be confused with Medicare, which
 

- pays medical care costs and pays for “rehabilitative” institutionalized care on a limited basis.
 

- requires earned income history
 

- pays up to 100 days if hospitalization
 

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©2007 Estate & Business Law Group, P.C.