So your Uncle has a car, right? Well imo you / he may want to give thought as to what the costs are on the car and how this will be dealt with once Uncle goes into the NH and onto Medicaid.
Why? Uncle will have no-none-nada of $$$. Cause once on Medicaid they are required to do a copay or SOC (share of cost) of monthly income (like SS$) to the Facility. All they are allowed is a small PNA (personal needs allowance) that ranges from $35 - $115 a mo (depends on your state). The PNA is it for free funds to spend from day 1 of medicaid. Realistically pna is maybe enough to cover barber shop and some toiletries. So just who in the family is going to pay car insurance (in his name with you listed as additional drivers), property taxes on vehicle, repairs, garage/ storage, maintenance, etc for an undetermined period of time?
Medicaid allows their home & a car to continue to be owed as an exempt asset usually for their lifetime. However in a facility Medicaid requires an SOC. They can own car, homestead but have no $$$ to pay on these.
Really stop to think about all this. If car is to be sold, it kinda is best to do this and use the $$ from the sale as a spend down before applying for Medicaid. If you keep car, then sell it after he’s Medicaid eligibile, it will cause him to become ineligible and then you /dpoa will need to go through the whole application process again......
Yes. As long as his funds are spent on him. It's his car right? But realize that when the car is sold any profit will need to be spent on his care as well. Update his wardrobe. Have his teeth tended. Pay for his funeral. Use his money for things that will benefit him. Perhaps a new chair. Glasses. Hearing aids. Things that Medicare won't pay for. Does he own a home? Does it need repairs? You can also use his money to go to a certified elder attorney experienced with Medicaid in uncles state to make sure you have everything in order that he needs. DPOA for financial and health if that isn't already done and if he is still able to assign. There are strict rules. Don't wing it. Put 'spend down for Medicaid' in the search and you will see many have asked this question and you'll see many other thoughts and comments.
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Why? Uncle will have no-none-nada of $$$.
Cause once on Medicaid they are required to do a copay or SOC (share of cost) of monthly income (like SS$) to the Facility. All they are allowed is a small PNA (personal needs allowance) that ranges from $35 - $115 a mo (depends on your state). The PNA is it for free funds to spend from day 1 of medicaid. Realistically pna is maybe enough to cover barber shop and some toiletries. So just who in the family is going to pay car insurance (in his name with you listed as additional drivers), property taxes on vehicle, repairs, garage/ storage, maintenance, etc for an undetermined period of time?
Medicaid allows their home & a car to continue to be owed as an exempt asset usually for their lifetime. However in a facility Medicaid requires an SOC. They can own car, homestead but have no $$$ to pay on these.
Really stop to think about all this. If car is to be sold, it kinda is best to do this and use the $$ from the sale as a spend down before applying for Medicaid. If you keep car, then sell it after he’s Medicaid eligibile, it will cause him to become ineligible and then you /dpoa will need to go through the whole application process again......
Have his teeth tended. Pay for his funeral. Use his money for things that will benefit him. Perhaps a new chair. Glasses. Hearing aids. Things that Medicare won't pay for. Does he own a home? Does it need repairs?
You can also use his money to go to a certified elder attorney experienced with Medicaid in uncles state to make sure you have everything in order that he needs. DPOA for financial and health if that isn't already done and if he is still able to assign. There are strict rules. Don't wing it.
Put 'spend down for Medicaid' in the search and you will see many have asked this question and you'll see many other thoughts and comments.
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