The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released its Spousal Impoverishment Standards for 2019, confirming the earlier projections of Pennsylvania ElderLawAnswers member Robert Clofine, who based his estimates on the consumer price index for urban consumers for September.
The official spousal impoverishment allowances for 2019 are as follows (we include Medicaid's home equity limits, which Clofine did not project):
Minimum Community Spouse Resource Allowance: $25,284
Maximum Community Spouse Resource Allowance: $126,420
Maximum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance: $3,160.50
The minimum monthly maintenance needs allowance for the lower 48 states remains $2,057.50 ($2,572.50 for Alaska and $2,366.25 for Hawaii) until July 1, 2019.
Income Cap (in applicable states): $2,313
Home Equity Limits:
Minimum: $585,000
Maximum: $878,000
For CMS's complete chart of the 2018 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards, click here.
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