If you are a senior who lives in Washington State, you may be considering long-term care depending on your health needs. It is crucial that you have resources in place that allow you to get the long-term care you need at facilities that accept Medicaid. Understanding who qualifies for Medicaid and whether or not Medicaid covers long-term care can feel very confusing, which is why it is crucial that you get the help of an elder law attorney in Washington.
Medicaid Eligibility Requirements in Washington State
Medicaid is a very useful resource for seniors in Washington, as it can help you cover the costs of long-term care. Long-term care can become extremely expensive, especially as your care needs gradually increase as you age. Medicaid ensures you are prepared for these costs so that you can get the care you need.
To qualify for a Medicaid long-term care facility, you first need to meet the general eligibility requirements for Medicaid coverage. These requirements include being 65 years old or older, being a Washington resident, and being a United States citizen.
Navigating the eligibility requirements for Medicaid coverage can be quite complex, which is why it is strongly recommended that you hire an elder law attorney. An elder law attorney will be able to help you understand if you are eligible for Medicaid and can help you with the application process.
Here are the Medicaid eligibility requirements you need to be aware of.
Financial Eligibility
Something you need to keep in mind when looking at the financial eligibility requirements for Medicaid is that these requirements can change annually. They will also be different depending on whether you are single, married with both spouses applying, or married with only one spouse applying. Here is a breakdown of these requirements:
- Single: As a single person applying for Medicaid, the asset limit is $2000 and the income limit ranges from $943 a month to $2829 a month depending on the type of Medicaid program and the level of care required.
- Married with both spouses applying: If both spouses are applying, the asset limit is set at $3000 and the income limit ranges from $1415 a month up to $5658 a month depending on the type of Medicaid program and the level of care.
- Married with only one spouse applying: If one spouse is applying, the asset limit will range between $2000 to $3000 for the applicant and $68,301 to $154,140 for non-applicants. The income limit is $1415 a month to $2829 a month for the applicant, depending on the type of Medicaid program and the level of care.
Countable and Non-Countable Assets
Nearly any type of income that you receive will be counted toward your Medicaid income limit with just a few exceptions. These exceptions include holocaust restitution payments, VA Aid and Attendance and Household Pensions that are above and beyond the basic VA pension.
There are also countable and non-countable assets that will go toward your Medicaid asset limit. Countable assets include stocks, bonds, cash, bank accounts, 401ks, investments, and real estate where you do not reside. Non-countable assets in Washington include personal belongings, automobiles, household furnishings, your primary home, and irrevocable burial trusts.
Although your home is usually exempt from being counted as a countable asset, it is not exempt from the Medicaid Estate Recovery Program. This means that Washington‘s Medicaid agency could use this estate to cover the cost of long-term care when the Medicaid beneficiary passes away.
Medical Eligibility
In order to qualify for Medicaid in Washington, you must have a medical need for long-term care. The specific medical requirements will depend on the type of Medicare you want; for instance, if you want a Nursing Home Medicaid or Medicaid Waiver, you need a nursing facility level of care. For the regular Medicaid program, you must have a functional need with the activities of daily living to qualify for long-term care services.
Spousal Protection
Although assets for married couples are considered to be jointly owned in Washington, the Community Spouse Resource Allowance helps to protect a more considerable amount of the countable assets for the non-applicant spouse. When it comes to the income limit for only one spouse who is applying, only their income will be counted towards the income limit. The non-applicant spouse or community spouse may also be entitled to a Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance from the applicant spouse.
Applying For Medicaid
Now that you know how to qualify for Medicaid nursing home care and what Medicaid can cover, the next step is to actually apply for Medicaid in Washington. You can apply for Medicaid either online, in person, or by mail, depending on what you are most comfortable with. When you apply, you will need to have specific information on hand, such as:
- Your Social Security number.
- Proof of identity.
- Proof of citizenship.
- Immigration or alien documents, if applicable.
You will also need to provide documents that prove your income and assets so that you can determine if you meet the eligibility requirements. Documents that you can use to prove this include bank records, tax returns, unemployment letters, paystubs, Social Security statements, and documentation of your assets.
You need to be entirely certain that you qualify for Medicaid before you go through the application process to avoid being rejected or experiencing delays. It is highly recommended that you get the help of a medical planner as well as an elder law attorney. Both of these experts will be able to guide you through the application process and determine if you meet all of the eligibility requirements.
What Happens After You Apply For Medicaid
There is no specific time frame you can depend on when you apply for Medicaid in Washington as you may be approved within a few days or it can take up to 45 days. If approved, you will receive a welcome packet from the state as well as a ProviderOne services card within about two weeks. Your coverage will begin the first day of the month that you submitted your application.
Get in Touch With an Elder Law Attorney Today
If you are looking for a long-term care facility that accepts Medicaid, reach out to an experienced elder law attorney at Legacy Law Group in Washington. Contact us today at 509-315-8087 to speak with one of our attorneys to get the process started.
