Necessity

The special income limit applies only to a person’s countable income . To determine the need for a QIT, determine if the income is countable for the purposes of Medicaid eligibility if the person's income will stay the same after approval for Medicaid. For example, certain types of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits do not count toward eligibility for Medicaid. Also, some types of income, such as VA pensions, are subject to an automatic reduction when a person living in a Medicaid-certified nursing facility becomes eligible for Medicaid. In addition, when retirement income was legally divided between spouses through a Qualified Domestic Relations Order and each spouse gets a check in their own name, the income of one spouse is not counted for the eligibility determination of the other spouse. HHSC follows a name on the check rule to determine the countable income of a person applying for nursing home Medicaid.