The State of New Jersey provides part time home health care services to eligible individuals through the Medicaid Managed Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) home and community program (formerly called Global Options). Applicants are individuals who require an institutional level of care because they require assistance in three or more of their Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s), but they are living or could live in a safe community-based environment where they have other people available such as a spouse or family members who can provide the additional support that they need. The home care program is part of a Comprehensive Medicaid Waiver that moves the management of Medicaid long-term care services to Managed Care Organizations (MCOs).
There has always been an “income cap” that prevented people from receiving these services in their homes (or in assisted living) if their income was “over the cap.” The “cap” is 3 times the federal poverty rate. In 2014, the “cap” is $2,163 in gross monthly income from all sources — pension, social security etc. If you were in a nursing home, on the other hand, you could receive Medicaid benefits under the Medically Needy Medicaid program.
Within the next few months it is expected that the State will finally roll out its MLTSS program for people whose incomes exceed the $2,163 income cap (the cap goes up a bit every year). To participate there will be a need for the individual to establish a “Miller trust” and set up a legal structure that assigns the excess income to the trust. As elder law attorneys, we write specialized trusts and prepare Medicaid applications on a regular basis, and we are prepared to assist clients who need to establish and administer these Trusts and assemble & file a Medicaid application in a timely way.
Call us for representation on Medicaid eligibility and preparation of Miller trusts for home & assisted living Medicaid applications … 732-382-6070