Special Assistance SA3205f1

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT SPECIAL ASSISTANCE AND MEDICAID

If you are applying for or receiving Special Assistance, or if you are considering applying for Special Assistance in the future, the following information is important to you.

RESOURCES FOR SPECIAL ASSISTANCE ARE:

Resources are cash and any other personal property, as well as any real property that an individual (or spouse, if any):

• owns;

• has the right, authority, or power to convert to cash (if not already cash); and

• is not legally restricted from using for his/her support and maintenance."

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GIVE AWAY OR SELL A RESOURCE:

You may not be able to get Special Assistance for a period of time if you, or someone acting for you, gives away your resource or sells it for less than it is worth. This period may be up to 36 months, depending on how much the resource was worth and how much you got for it. You also may not be able to get Special Assistance if you, or someone acting for you, puts your resources into a trust.

Medicaid also looks at all your resources when deciding if you can get Medicaid, but they may look back further than 36 months. If you, or someone acting for you, gives away your resource or sells it for less than it is worth, Medicaid may not pay for certain types of health care for you for a period of time. Medicaid also may not pay for certain types of health care if your resources are used to set up a trust that makes payments to someone else or cannot make payments to you for your benefit. This rule applies to people in nursing homes or hospitals that have nursing services like nursing homes. It also applies to people who get care at home under special programs like the Community Alternatives Program (CAP) or other in-home care.

If you have any questions about how your resources affect your eligibility for Special Assistance or for Medicaid, please talk to a caseworker at your local social services office.

Phone Number:

SA-3205, Transfer of Resources

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