On January 25, 2019 the President signed an extension of the following two policies that will allow for more assistance to seniors needing care:

• Reauthorization of Money Follows the Person (MFP)

• Extension of the guarantee that Medicaid’s spousal impoverishment protections will apply to home and community-based services (HCBS).

Both policies were extended for a short time due to a compromise from the last Congress on how to offset the costs to the Federal government. Importantly, no new limits to Medicaid eligibility were included, such as limits to community spouse annuities.

These policies help ensure that more individuals with disabilities can participate in their communities and that older Americans can age in place. The Medicaid Money Follows the Person Demonstration Program (MFP) has helped more than 88,000 people transition out of nursing and other facilities back to living in their communities.

Also, keeping the spousal impoverishment protections for HCBS in place will help ensure that families can stay together when dealing with the struggles that come with caring for loved ones with conditions such as dementia, multiple sclerosis, or traumatic brain injury.

At the Koler Law Office, we assist clients with obtaining Medicaid to help them remain at home, in an assisted living facility or in a nursing facility. Contact our office to obtain more information or speak to an elder law lawyer today.