11/18/2005 Bulletin
House
Sends Budget Bill To
Conference (Barely)
Last night the US House of
Representatives voted 217 –
215 in favor of the Deficit
Reduction Act. It now heads
to a House/Senate Conference
Committee for a conference
bill within the next few
days. The Senate version of
the bill was not as
“hostile” to long term care
Medicaid benefits.
With respect to transfers ON
OR AFTER THE ENACTMENT DATE:
The House bill provides a
five year look back
period. Sanctions
calculated would begin to
run on the date of
application. In other
words, a few thousand
dollars given to the kids, a
church, or a charity 4 years
and 11 months earlier could
create a sanction commencing
on the date of application!
PLEASE CONTACT
Representative Howard Coble
(howard.coble@mail.house.gov)
(he voted for the bill,
incidentally) and Senator
Dole (www.dole.senate.gov,
then click on “email”) and
Senator Burr (www.burr.senate.gov,
then click on “email”) and
URGE them to URGE their
colleagues on the Conference
Committee to reject the
provisions of section 3111
of H.R.4241 (Deficit
Reduction Act).
I will be happy to send a
copy of section 3111 to
anyone who wants it (2 pages
long).
As we all know, there are
expected changes to North
Carolina rules
pertaining to life estates.
The legislature said the
rules could be enforced “no
earlier than October 1”.
Earlier I had emailed you
that it looked like November
1 was the likely enforcement
date. I understand that DMA
has not received input from
the Attorney General on the
new regs and December 1 is
not even a likely
start date. I have also
heard some speculation that
DMA may be waiting to see
what happens with the
federal legislation. Who
knows. Until further word,
however, the old rules
apply!
Email me back if you have
any questions. Have a great
weekend.
Bob
