18.3 Spousal Impoverishment Requirements

All institutionalized persons applying for Medicaid must meet the same nonfinancial requirements. Spousal impoverishment"Spousal Impoverishment Protection" refers to special financial provisions in Medicaid law regarding income and assets that affect certain married couples receiving or applying for nursing home or community waiver services. policy introduces no changes in Medicaid nonfinancial tests.

On the financial side:

Assets. The assets of both the institutionalized person and his or her community spouseSomeone who is 1) Married to an institutionalized person and 2) Not living in a nursing home or other medical institution for 30 or more consecutive days. are counted in the asset test.
Income. The income limit is the same as that for non-spousal impoverishment institutionalized persons. But, after the institutionalized person becomes eligible, he or she is allowed to allocate some of his or her income back to his or her community spouse and family.

This page last updated in Release Number: 15-01
Release Date: 06/10/2015
Effective Date: 06/10/2015

The information concerning the Medicaid program provided in this handbook release is published in accordance with: Titles XI and XIX of the Social Security Act; Parts 430 through 481 of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations; Chapters 46 and 49 of the Wisconsin Statutes; and Chapters HA 3, DHS 2, 10 and 101 through 109 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code.

Notice: The content within this manual is the sole responsibility of the State of Wisconsin's Department of Health Services (DHS). This site will link to sites outside of DHS where appropriate. DHS is in no way responsible for the content of sites outside of DHS.

Publication Number: P-10030