Effective July 1, 2015 the new base income allowance for a community spouse will increase from $1,966.25 to $1,991.25. The new standard for determining the excess shelter allowance for the community spouse increases from $589.88 to $597.38. Therefore, in computing the community spouse allowance, the community spouse’s shelter costs in excess of $597.38 shall be added to the base allowance of $1,991.25. If the community spouse is paying directly for their utilities, the utility allowance is also added as a shelter expense. The utility amount has been increased effective October 1, 2014 from $454.00 per month to $491.00 per month. The community spouse’s own gross income is subtracted from the overall allowance to determine the amount that may be deducted from the institutionalized spouse’s income prior to applying that income to their cost share of institutional care.
The Board of Social Services will apply the new standards in the post-eligibility treatment of income beginning with the month of July 2015 for all new cases and cases subject to re-determination.
The community spouse’s resource allowance (CSRA) remains unchanged. The community spouse’s share of the couple’s countable resources is the greater of $23,844.00, or one – half of the couple’s total resources, not to exceed $119,220.00. These figures will be effective from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016.
The increased standard also changes the computations of the applicable allowances.
To discuss your NJ Medicaid matter, please contact Fredrick P. Niemann, Esq. toll-free at (855) 376-5291 or email him at fniemann@hnlawfirm.com. Please ask us about our video conferencing consultations if you are unable to come to our office.