Opinion ID: 171635
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: HPF Proceedings Regarding Brown's Medicaid Benefits

Text: Kansas amended its applicable law, effective July 1, 2004. After that date, Kansas deemed trust resources available to the extent, using the full extent of discretion, the trustee may make any of the income or principal available to the applicant or recipient of medical assistance. Kan. Stat. § 39-709(e)(3). In accordance with this amendment, HPF notified Brown that after August 31, 2005, she would no longer receive medical assistance because she was not medically needy. Brown challenged this decision by requesting a hearing before HPF. She sought a hearing because it was not clear at that time whether Kansas's new law could be applied retroactively to her. Moreover, during the pendency of her appeal, she continued to receive benefits. The hearing officer overturned the decision to terminate Brown's Medicaid benefits on January 15, 2006, apparently reasoning that the new Kansas law did not apply to trusts set up prior to its enactment. [2] However, in a Final Order dated April 26, 2006, Day reinstated HPF's original decision to terminate Brown's benefits. In the order, Day informed Brown that she had a right to file a petition for state judicial review of the order and that such a petition must be filed within thirty days. [3] Following up on this final decision, on April 30, 2006, HPF wrote Brown to inform her that [w]e are closing your medical assistance and food stamp case effective May 31, 2006 because your resources exceed the maximum allowable amount for your household size.