Understanding the Medicaid eligibility requirements in Connecticut is vitally important in order to make certain that you can get Medicaid to cover you when you need care. Medicaid is one of the most important programs that exists, not just because it provides medical services to people with low incomes, but also because it is the only source of payment for nursing home care for most seniors. 
Medicare won’t pay for nursing homes unless you need skilled medical care, and even then you get care paid for only for a limited duration of time. Private insurance also pays for care in a nursing home setting under very few restrictive circumstances, if at all.  Medicaid, however, covers the type of custodial care that most people need when they go into a nursing home and which can be so expensive if you try to pay privately.
Because Medicaid can be the only way for you to get nursing home care costs covered, you need to know exactly what the Medicaid eligibility requirements are. Unfortunately, the rules are strict and you can qualify for care only under very limited circumstances. Medicaid is strict on both the amount of income you can have and the amount of resources that you are allowed to have since the program is intended to be for people with limited incomes.
There are ways to protect your assets and still qualify for Medicaid coverage. If you have a spouse who is not going to be getting nursing home care and who is going to remain in the community, then you can also keep some income as well and still qualify for coverage. Because the rules can be confusing, you should talk with a Medicaid planning lawyer to find out what your options are and to get help trying to ensure you can get covered.
Understanding Medicaid Eligibility Requirements and Income Rules
Connecticut Medicaid is called Husky Care. Connecticut has different rules for eligibility for Medicaid coverage depending upon which Husky Care program you are eligible to take part in. For example, children between the ages of 0 and 18 can get covered under HUSKY A if their families have income up to 196 percent of the federal poverty level. Pregnant women get care through Medicaid if they have incomes up to 258 percent of the poverty level. Set income levels also exist for parents of dependent children, and for those who have earned income from jobs.
For most seniors, the program they wish to qualify for is called HUSKY C/ MED-Connect. This program is available for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled beneficiaries. According to the Basic Eligibility Guidelines for this Medicaid program, you can qualify for coverage if you are a single person with assets up to $1,600 and can qualify as a married person with assets up to $2,400.
Income limits for a single person in region A to be considered eligible for benefits are set at $610.61 for single people and $777.92 for married couples. For those who live in regions B and C, income limits are set at $506.22 for a single person and $672.10 for a married couple. There are income deductions which reduce your countable income for purposes of determining if you can qualify for coverage or not.
Meeting Medicaid Eligibility Requirements
Medicaid planning is important to try to reduce your asset levels so you can avoid spending down your wealth if you have to get care from a nursing home that Medicare and other insurers won’t pay for. In some cases, a Medicaid planning attorney can also help you to explore ways to try to reduce or limit your countable income in order to make certain that you are able to get Medicaid benefits.
Medicaid planning is one of the most important asset protection steps that you can take because you never know if you will need nursing home care as you age. If you want to be able to leave a legacy to the people you love, you cannot afford to have to spend down all of your assets just to get your nursing home care costs covered.
Contact a Medicaid Planning Lawyer Today
A Medicaid planning lawyer at Nirenstein, Horotwitz & Associates can provide you with invaluable assistance in understanding Medicaid eligibility rules and in making your Medicaid plans. Give us a call at 860-548-1000 or contact us online to speak with a member of our legal team and to find out more about the ways in which we can help you to ensure nursing home care is paid for while your assets are protected and preserved.
Mr. Nirenstein is licensed to practice before the courts of the State of Connecticut and the United States District Court. He is a member of the Connecticut and Hartford County Bar Associations, and the Estate and Probate, Elder Law, Business Law and Real Estate Sections of the Connecticut Bar Association.
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