It could happen here — wages paid for caregiver services can be treated as gifts
A recent appellate case in Michigan involved a Medicaid applicant who was paying a private home caregiver during the years just preceding his Medicaid application. The employee was not related to him. He paid a rate that was reasonable and necessary to maintain him at home. However, there was no advance written contract for the work to be done. When she applied for Medicaid benefits, all of...
Applying for NJ MLTSS? Here are the acronyms you need to know
You probably know by now that NJ Medicaid’s Home and Community Based Services are now being administered NJ FamilyCare and that the State’s Comprehensive Medicaid Waiver has created a whole new landscape that is centered around managed care. http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dmahs/home/mltss.html When applying for these services you will encounter a lot of code words. For...
A QLAC for IRAs is not a “Medicaid Annuity.”
This year, the IRS adopted final regulations which allow an IRA or 401K account holder to direct 25% of the qualified funds into a new structure called a Qualified Longevity Annuity Contract (QLAC). This is a deferred-income annuity contract purchased from an insurance company with qualified funds. The portion of qualified assets used to purchase the QLAC will not be subject to the Required...
Appealing reductions in PCA hours under Medicaid
If the State Medicaid program cuts your hours of service, appeal, appeal, appeal. NJ Medicaid administers certain of its home care services through a program called the Personal Preference Program. The number of allocated hours of service is decided by the Division of Medial Assistance and Health Services (DMAHS). Personal Care Assistant (PCA) services are provided to the participant at a set...
NJ proposes to eliminate its Medically Needy Medicaid Program
Friday’s post talked about the new state program being developed for delivery of home and community-based Medicaid services (MLTSS), which will require individuals whose income exceeds the income cap to set up a Miller Trust to receive and handle the excess income. The State has actually published a Notice of Proposal, announcing its intent to ask the federal government to allow it to do...