All Medicaid Programs |
Obsolete Policy |
The Client
For all coverage groups of Aged, Blind, or Disabled Medicaid, this is the aged, blind, or disabled person. For QMB, SLMB, QI, and the Qualified Working Disabled, this is the Medicare recipient.
For an Unemancipated Child
Count a portion of all the assets of any parents in the home, even if the child receives SSI. Also count the parents' assets while the parents or child are temporarily out of the home for schooling, medical care, visits, etc.
Deduct an allowance for each parent in the home from their total countable resources. $2000 for one parent living in the home; $3000 for two parents.
Deem the remainder to the disabled child. When there are two or more disabled children, divide the deemed resources equally between them.
American Indian children in a boarding school and children in a school for the deaf and blind are temporarily absent. [See the glossary for a definition of emancipation.]
If an absence is not temporary, stop counting the assets of the parents the month after the child or parents left the home.
Spouse
If the spouse is living with the client, add the spouse's assets to the disabled person's assets. If the client receives SSI, you must still count assets from the spouse. To be eligible, the total assets must not exceed the asset limit for two people. For the Medicaid Work Incentive Program, there is one asset limit regardless of the number of people in the household. (See Sec. 503-3) If one spouse is on a waiver program, refer to D. below.
If the client is separated, do not count the spouse's assets, beginning the month after the separation, as long as the reason for the absence is not temporary. (Joint assets that are still available to the client would need to be separated if they cause the client to exceed the asset limit. If the client claims joint assets are not available, refer to policy in Sec. 511.)
DO NOT count the assets held in the name of a spouse who is a resident of a medical institution or who is eligible for nursing home Medicaid.
For Medicaid programs, do not count the assets of a spouse who receives Medicaid under a HCB waiver program if those assets are separate from the non-waiver spouse’s assets. If the assets of the waiver spouse and the non-waiver spouse are not separate, divide them equally between them. If the total resources do not exceed $4000, then each spouse will meet the $2000 resource limit. For QMB, SLMB, and QI, count the assets of both spouses when they live together, even if one or both are eligible under a waiver.
Sponsors of Aliens
Do not deem a sponsor's assets to a resident alien. When deeming income from an alien's sponsor, (see Sec. 403-14), asset deeming is inherent in the income calculation to decide how much income to deem from the sponsor. This is because assets of a sponsor are used only if the sponsor needs to count them to meet the sponsorship income limit required by Homeland Security.
When the sponsor is the alien's spouse or parent of a minor alien child who is living with the sponsored alien, deem assets the same way you would from any spouse or parent. Do not use sponsor deeming rules.
Note: Assets of a non-qualified alien spouse or parent must still be counted if that spouse or parent is living with the client, or is temporarily absent.
Household Size and Proper Deeming
Policy prohibits sibling to sibling deeming of income and assets.
All children, as applicable, are counted in the household size along with their parent(s).
The income and assets of a child and their parent(s) is compared to the income limit using the full household size for the child's Medically Needy program.
Each child is determined separately by the eligibility system.
Policy prohibits child to parent deeming of income and assets.
All children, as applicable, are counted in the household size along with their parent(s).
Any income and assets of a child are NOT counted for the Pregnant Woman Medically Needy program.
Any income and assets of a child are NOT counted for Family Medically Needy when the child is otherwise eligible for a MAGI-based Medicaid program.
The Family Medically Needy program requires that a deprived age-eligible child be present in the parent's household. However, the child does not need to be eligible or applying for Medicaid coverage (see 350-4).
Additional Asset Information
Do not count assets that remain in a refugee's homeland if they are not available to the client. Accept the client's statement that they are not available, unless you have contradictory evidence.
Do not count the assets of any parent or caretaker relative who receives SSI or has 1619-B status.
Do not count a sponsor's assets for a sponsored alien if the sponsor is not the alien’s spouse, or parent if the alien is a minor child, who is living in the same household.
(When the sponsor is the alien's spouse or the parent of a minor alien child who is living in the same household, count the assets the same way you would from any spouse or parent.)
Nursing Home Resident
Count the assets that belong to the client. If the resident is an un-emancipated child, count the parents assets for the month of entry and the month of exit only.
DO NOT count the income or assets of the client's spouse after eligibility has been established for the institutionalized spouse. Assets that are jointly held at the time of the assessment may need to be separated at the point eligibility is established. Determine if the jointly held assets would make the nursing home resident exceed the resource limit in the month after eligibility begins. If so, advise the applicant and spouse of the need to separate those assets.
Home and Community Based Waiver Client
Count the assets that belong to the client.
DO NOT count the assets of parents of an un-emancipated child beginning with the first month of waiver eligibility.
DO NOT count the assets of a spouse who is living with the waiver-eligible spouse according to the spousal protected period rules found in sections 373-6.
DO NOT count the assets of a spouse who is a resident of a medical institution or who is eligible for nursing home Medicaid.
For Medicaid programs, do not count the assets of a spouse who receives Medicaid under a HCB waiver program if those assets are separate from the non-waiver spouse’s assets. If the assets of the waiver spouse and the non-waiver spouse are not separate, divide them equally between them. If the total resources do not exceed $4000, then each spouse will meet the $2000 resource limit. [You will have to list them separately, even if held in a joint account.] For QMB, SLMB, and QI count the assets of both spouses when they live together, even if one of both are eligible under a waiver.
Sponsors of Aliens
Do not deem a sponsor's assets to a resident alien. When deeming income from an alien's sponsor, (see Sec. 403-14), asset deeming is inherent in the income calculation to decide how much income to deem from the sponsor. This is because assets of a sponsor are used only if the sponsor needs to count them to meet the sponsorship income limit required by INS.
When the sponsor is the alien's spouse or parent of a minor alien child who is living with the sponsored alien, deem assets the same way you would from any spouse or parent. Do not use sponsor deeming rules.
Note: Assets of a non-qualified alien spouse or parent must still be counted if that spouse or parent is living with the client, or is temporarily absent.