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Question:

I am an active duty soldier and my elderly mom lives with me. I want her to try to apply for Medicaid since she is retired and has no income. I pay for everything, starting from rent to food. Does she need to mention me or my income when applying for Medicaid?

Response:

As long as you are not taking your mother as a dependent on your taxes, neither your income nor assets will be counted in determining her eligibility for Medicaid, just her own. The fact that you are providing your mother with free room and board will not affect her eligibility for Medicaid. In the reverse of your situation, normally, children cannot receive public benefits as long as they’re living at home unless their parents also qualify. But once they reach age 18, they can qualify based on their own income and assets.

If your were to apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), however, your generosity would cause a one-third reduction in benefits, but she would still be eligible based only on her own income and assets.

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