Hawaii Medicaid Long Term Care Eligibility for 2023

Hawaii Long Term Care for 2023

hawaii-long-term-care


Hawaii is currently overhauling its 25 year-old system and updating it to meet federal eligibility requirements. To receive long-term care services, a person must meet financial and medical requirements. The medical requirement is a minimum level of functional impairment, requiring an institutional level of care. This is communicated through the Department of Health Service’s Form 1147 and can be approved for a maximum period of 12 months. After the 12-month period ends, the long-term care provider re-evaluates the patient and can renew Form 1147.

  • Each person requesting long-term care services must need those services for a minimum of 30 consecutive days.
  • All countable assets owned by a married couple will be considered by the state. The community spouse, the one not in need of long-term care, will be able to retain some assets. The assets of the institutionalized person cannot exceed $2000.
  • Only the income of the person who needs long-term care will be used when determining eligibility.
  • The income of parents of a child who needs long-term care will be counted only in the first month of the care.

Transfer of assets penalty in 2023

People who transfer assets for less than fair market value may be penalized for the transfer when they begin seeking long-term care. During the term of the penalty period, Medicaid will not pay for long-term care. The penalty is determined by dividing the amount of the transfer by the average cost of nursing home services. The penalty will depend on when the assets were transferred; the state does a 60 month look back period.

  • The transfer of a home will not be penalized if the home was transferred to a spouse, a child who is a minor, a disabled or blind adult child, an adult child who resided in the house 24 months prior to the request of long term care services and delayed the applicants need for long term care services, or a sibling with an equity interest in the home who resided on the property at least one year prior to the institutionalization of the applicant.