Medicad Changes for Spouses at Home

Michigan Medicaid law is always evolving. Most changes will impact the ability for a family to become eligible to receive benefits to pay for the cost of nursing home care. A recent change creates a favorable planning opportunity for Michigan families seeking Medicaid benefits for a loved one. The regulation allows a community spouse to appoint his or her beneficiaries to the exclusion of the State of Michigan on a “Medicaid Approved Annuity”.

This change will effectively allow a community spouse (a husband or wife living at home while his or her spouse resides in a nursing home) to help protect his or her own assets. Medicaid Approved Annuities allow the well spouse to receive the value of the assets that a married couple owns, at the time of nursing home admission, that exceed qualification, in regular monthly payments over the duration of his or her life expectancy or less.

Most Michigan residents are shocked to learn that they can protect almost everything when a spouse enters a nursing home. Even more Michigan residents are elated to learn that a single person entering a nursing home can still protect more than half of his or her estate. Accordingly, if you have a family member entering a nursing home, it is important to understand the law. As elder law attorneys with experience in nursing home and long term care planning, we can help.

In Metro-Detroit call (586) 264-3756. In West Michigan call (616) 931-3670.

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