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| Home : Producers/agents : Agent forums : Q and A |
Q and A
Below are questions that were posed during the 2007 Agent Forums along with answers.
Q: If a long-term care insurance policy has an unlimited benefit, what will be the resulting increase in the Medicaid asset limit under the Partnership Program?
A: Medicaid will disregard assets to the extent of payments made under a qualifying long-term care policy. In North Dakota, there is no limit on the amount of assets that may be disrgarded. Other states' partnership programs may, however, have a cap on the amount of assets that can be protected via the purchase of long-term care insurance.
Q: Can a Medicaid recipient buy a Medicare Advantage plan?
A: Yes, there is nothing that prevents a Medicaid recipient from purchasing Medicare coverage. However, the individual's circumstances must be carefully considered to determine if it is advantageous to purchase a Medicare Advantage plan. In some cases, Medicaid will pay Medicare premiums for a Medicaid recipient so it may be beneficial for some to purchase a Medicare Advantage plan. It depends, however, on the type of medical expenses the Medicaid recipient has and the extent of the coverage the recipient receives through Medicaid. A recipient with full Medicaid benefits may not necessarily benefit because whatever Medicare does not cover (i.e., deductibles, coinsurance, vision, dental), Medicaid likely will. On the other hand, a recipient who does not receive full Medicaid coverage will incur the deductible, coinsurance, vision, and dental costs and will have to pay at least a portion of them. In this case, it may be financially beneficial for the recipient to have a Medicare Advantage plan.
Q: Which states currently have an approved Partnership Program?
A: California, Connecticut, Indiana and New York have operated Partnership Programs since the original inception of the program. As of September 26, 2007, the following twelve additional states have had Medicaid state plan amendments approved to operate a Partnership Program:
Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Virginia.
More states may ask for federal approval to implement a Partnership Program. Check the CMS website for the latest information.
Q: Do benefits paid under a long-term care insurance policy for the time the insured lived in an assisted living facility qualify to protect assets under the Partnership Program?
A: Yes - any payments made under a qualifying long-term care policy will result in the disregard of assets to the extent of payments made.
For more information or clarification, please contact:
Melissa Hauer
mahauer@nd.gov
State Capitol, fifth floor
Dept. 401
600 E. Boulevard Ave.
Bismarck, ND 58505-0320
701.328.2440
701.328.4880 fax
1.800.247.0560 toll-free
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