Does New Jersey Medicaid Allow the Healthy Spouse to Keep the Maximum CSRA Every Time?

So what happens if the couple has less than $227,280 in assets?  Does the community spouse still get to keep $113,640?  The answer is no.  For example, if on the snapshot date the couple has $140,000, then the community spouse may keep only $70,000, plus the institutionalized spouse’s $2,000/$4,000.  The couple will need to spend down $68,000.

Is there anything the spouse can do to increase the snapshot amount?  Yes, there is, but only if steps are taken before the snapshot date  Once the institutionalized spouse has entered an institution, there is nothing that can be done to improve the CSRA (an important reason to contact an elder law attorney as early as possible).

In order to be eligible for Medicaid, the applicant must be under the asset amount on the first moment of the first day of the month in order to be eligible for that month.  We tell clients they need to be under the required asset limit on the last day of the month preceding the month we are applying for Medicaid.