The rules for Medicaid eligibility are strict. The applicant must be a U.S. citizen or a resident alien in the state of application. A Medicaid applicant is allowed to retain only a certain amount of assets/resources, and also must be income eligible. There are some Medicaid programs that solely look at the income of the individual, but description of these programs are beyond the scope of this summary. Some examples of countable resources include cash, stocks, bonds, retirement and investment accounts. If the individual is single, the resource limit is $2,500; if the individual is married, the rules are more complicated and the at-home spouse can keep more assets. Each nursing home in NH has a specific “Medicaid Reimbursement Rate”, which is the amount that Medicaid will pay a facility for a bed. To be income-eligible in NH for nursing home coverage, the Medicaid applicant’s gross income must be less than the Medicaid reimbursement rate for the specific nursing home where the applicant resides. Qualifying for Medicaid also involves medical eligibility requirements, meaning the individual needs help with at least two activities of daily living (ADLs).
