Medicaid, Spousal Impoverishment Protections and Same-Sex Couples in NY State

Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) & Allison Auldridge

September 1, 2011

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The extension of Medicaid spousal impoverishment protections statewide will have a considerable impact on the economic well-being and health of LGBT elders in New York. This paper provides background on Medicaid's long-term support program and offers historical context on the creation of the spousal impoverishment protections, initially available only to heterosexual married couples. This paper also examines how older LGBT couples face numerous financial and social barriers as they age, both nationwide and in New York State, and are thus highly reliant on support from Medicaid and similar programs. Based on this overview, this brief offers recommendations for New York on the specific actions necessary to enact the estate protections explicitly outlined in the CMS letter.

Categories: New York, Economic Security, Medicaid & Long-Term Care

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