Home Property Equity

In determining eligibility for long-term care services applications filed on or after January 1, 2006, home property (which includes all property adjacent to the home ) is excluded from resources unless the individual’s equity interest in his or her home exceeds the Maximum Home Equity Standard.

The home equity standard is located on the Maximum Income, Resource and Payment Standards 08AX001E Appendix which is also known as the C-1 appendix. The equity limit is found on Schedule VIII D.2.

Home property is any shelter, fixed or mobile, in which the individual has an ownership interest and is used by the individual as his/her primary place of residence.

As long as the client’s equity in the home property does not exceed the equity limit and the individual indicates on the MA-10 and FSS-ML-1 that he/she intends to return to the home it may be excluded as a countable resource up to 12 months from the date of entry into ordinary nursing facility care regardless of when a nursing facility Medicaid application is made. The nursing facility date of entry computer block is located in the FACS interview notebook Resources Tab (IMS Block F 209).

If the client indicates on the 08MA010E (MA-10) and 08MA024E FSS-ML that they do not intend to return to the home or if at any time during the 12 month period, it is determined the individual does not intend to return home, the 08MA025E (FSS-ML-2) must be submitted to have the lien filed. Refer to article Request OHCA to File Lien on Home Property for instructions on filing the lien.

Regardless of whether or not the home property is exempt, it should be entered on the FACS Resource Tab. The required fields are:

• Property Type
• Value
• Home Equity
• Lots or Acres
• Ownership %

Once this information has been saved in FACS, it can be located in IMS by typing EA (space) case number and pressing the enter key.