Update on Spousal Refusal for MassHealth Purposes

Having recommended the idea of spousal refusal more and more, I researched the topic again the last time I was at the Board of Hearing searching for new trust decisions.  I have found three more fair hearing decisions regarding spousal refusal:  1709521, 1713783 and 1800448. In all three cases, the spouse at home refused to cooperate financially with the MassHealth application of the institutionalized spouse, and was allowed to keep assets without even having to disclose them. (Other fair hearing decisions on this issue can be seen at Must Both Spouses Always Cooperate When There Is a MassHealth Application for One of Them?)

Spousal refusal may in some cases be a better move than purchasing a single premium immediate annuity, especially where there is a chance that Congress will change the federal Medicaid law that allows such annuity payouts to belong completely to the community spouse and instead begin treating one-half of the annuity as the institutionalized spouse’s income.