Medicaid - HCBS Care at Home or in Assisted Living
To assist seniors with a number of questions that they may have about programs that assist individuals with limited income, the Best Times interviewed Charlene Correll, Supervisor in the Elderly and Disabled Division at the Johnson County office of Kansas Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) regarding Medicaid, Food Stamps, and the Medicare Savings Programs.
We have divided that interview into four parts, and this is Part 2 of information provided in response to questions from Ed Schulte, Aging Information Specialist with Johnson County Human Services & Aging.
1. We get a lot of calls about the Home and Community Based Services
(HCBS) medicaid waiver program that helps pay for certain health care services at home or in assisted living facilities that are enrolled in the HCBS program. Many seniors don't know about this in-home services program which you must qualify for financially and functionally. Can you tell us about the financial eligibility for this program?
Resources must be below $2,000 for a single person or $3,000 for a couple. If only one person of a married couple needs HCBS, the couple is allowed to divide their resources and income in accordance with "Spousal Impoverishment" rules. (See question #3)
Countable income that exceeds $716 is obligated to the HCBS services.
For example: Joe has monthly income (after certain deductions) of $816 and is found eligible for HCBS. He must pay $100 per month for his share of the HCBS costs with Medicaid paying the rest.
2. Area Agencies on Aging such as our Johnson County AAA do most of the functional assessments for the HCBS-FE (Frail Elderly) waiver for persons who are 65 and older in Johnson County. Can you briefly explain the other HCBS waiver programs and who does the functional assessments for each program?
- HCBS-PD (Physically Disabled) is for persons age 16 - 64.
- Screening is done by Independent Living Centers.
- HCBS-HI (Head Injury) is for persons age 18 - 55 who have suffered a brain injury. Screening is done by Independent Living Centers.
- HCBS-DD (Developmentally Disabled) serves persons age 5 and over who are mentally retarded or developmentally disabled. Screening is done by the Community Developmental Disability Organization (Johnson County Developmental Supports).
- HCBS-SED (Severely Emotionally Disturbed) serves children under 18 and screening is done by Community Mental Health Centers.
- HCBS-TA (Technology Assisted) serves children under 18 who are dependent on a mechanical ventilator or other technology and would otherwise require care in a hospital.
3. Is it true that Division of Assets or the Spousal Impoverishment Law allows a couple to divide their income and savings, so that one spouse can keep an adequate income and savings while the other one is spending his or her portion of the income and savings down until they qualify for medicaid in a nursing home or through the HCBS program at-home or in an assisted living facility? How and when does a couple apply for Division of Assets?
Your question describes the provision. The amount to be divided is the total of the couple's assets at the time that long term care begins for one of the spouses, (or at the time of assessment for HCBS). SRS can complete a resource assessment at that time, identifying exactly how much of the assets can be retained. This does require the completion of a form which asks for a listing of the couple's assets.
Benefits and eligibility criteria change slightly every year. This information is as of June 2004. For more information, contact the Johnson County SRS office at 913-826-7300; statewide 1-800-766-9012.
Or call Johnson County Aging Information at 913-894-8811. To locate Area Agencies on Aging elsewhere in Kansas and nationwide contact the Eldercare Locator 1-800-677-1116.
Also see www.srskansas.org or www.agingkansas.org
Human Services & Aging
11811 S. Sunset Drive, Suite #1300
Olathe, KS 66061-7056
(913) 715-8800 : voice
(913) 715-8825 : fax
(913) 894-8822 : TTY
E-mail