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Louisiana Medicaid Eligibility Manual Eligibility Determinations

Reissued March 18, 2025 Replacing March 5, 2024 Page 1 of I-1660 Revised/added text indicated by underscore Deleted text indicated by “”

I-1660 SPOUSAL IMPOVERISHMENT RESOURCE PROVISIONS (LTC/HCBS/ACH)

I-1661 GENERAL INFORMATION & DEFINITIONS

This policy allows certain LTC/HCBS/ACH applicants/beneficiaries and individuals residing in medical institutions for a continuous period of institutionalization (at least 30 consecutive days), to allocate resources:

• To a community spouse who lives in a non-institutionalized living arrangement, and

• For the community spouse's own use and maintenance.

Exception: The spousal impoverishment provisions do not apply to individuals residing in a Group Home.

Verify that the marriage is legal.

Apply this policy to an LTC/HCBS/ACH institutionalized individual who has a community spouse and who:

• Meets all other eligibility requirements, and

• Entered LTC/HCBS/ACH on or after September 30, 1989.

The maximum amount of the couple's combined countable resources that may be allocated to the community spouse can be found at Table Z-800 Spousal Impoverishment Maintenance Needs and Resource Standards.

Exception:

An increase in the spouse’s resource allocation may be

granted to generate additional income if the available

income is below the spousal allowance.

Before a requested increase in the community spouse

resource allocation can be granted, all available income

of the institutionalized spouse must be allocated or