Opinion ID: 2570824
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: SRS 1998 Determination

Text: SRS took the figures provided by the Fischers in their application and re-classified the assets. SRS determined that the real farm property and farm implements owned by Donald at the time he entered long-term care (1996) were exempt property. The reason given was: Income Producing. How SRS arrived at the determination that the farm land was income producing is not shown on the document. Because the property, according to SRS, is classified as exempt, it was excluded from the resource assessment determination. The result of classifying the farm property as exempt is that the total value of countable assets at the time Donald entered long-term care is reduced to the amount of the Fischers' liquid assets, $10,470.44. This figure is then divided by one-half. That value is $5,235.22. Because this figure is less than the total community spouse resource allowance, SRS determined that Betty's spousal allowance is $16,152. (The minimum community spouse allowance was increased by the Secretary during the pendency of this case, but for purposes of these calculations, the difference is immaterial.) SRS determined that the Fischers' nonexempt countable assets at the time of Donald's application was correct as stated on the Fischers' application. Subtracting SRS's determination of the spousal allowance from the total equity of currently owned (1998) nonexempt countable assets, SRS determined that Donald had available resources for his long-term care expenses. Therefore, Donald was not eligible for Medicaid because SRS classified his income producing farm property as exempt.