New Medicaid and VA Figures for 2016 #2016Medicaidnumbers

                Each year, many of the programs that, as elder law attorneys, we deal with daily, such as VA Aid and Attendance and Medicaid, are adjusted for inflation through a cost of living adjustment.

                For 2016, the Social Security Administration announced that Social Security recipients will receive no increase, the third time this has occurred in the past decade. Because Medicaid and the VA Aid and Attendance program adjustments are tied to the same percentage increase, this means that those benefits will also have no cost of inflation adjustment.  Here are the numbers you need to know for 2016.

                The Medicaid income cap will remain at $2199 per month.  This number is the limit on income per month needed to qualify for most Medicaid programs.  For Medicaid recipients whose income exceeds this limit a Qualified Income Trust (commonly known as a Miller Trust) must be used to achieve and maintain eligibility.

                 The Community Spouse Resource Allowance (CSRA) will remain at $119,220. That is the maximum amount a healthy spouse may keep in countable assets (provided the married couple have at least that amount times 2 at the time the “snapshot of assets” is taken).   The minimum CSRA is $23,844, meaning the healthy spouse can keep at least $23,844 in assets.

                VA Aid and Attendance pension benefits will also remain the same in 2016 2016VAA&A.  This means that a single veteran can receive a maximum of $1788 per month, a married veteran can receive as much as $2120 per month and the widowed spouse of a veteran tops out at $1149 per month in VA Aid and Attendance benefits.