Practitioners know that at the time of an application for Medicaid, the Department of Social Services will look at al transfers of assets in the last 36 months (60 months for transfers to trusts to determine whether the applicant is eligible, or if there remains a period of ineligibility due to prior transfers. For institutional Medicaid, an applicant is ineligible for coverage for a period of time after a gift or transfer of assets. That time period depends on the value of the assets transferred for less than fair market value, divided by the average cost of nursing facility services to a private patient in the community. To determine the time period, the average cost of nursing services in 2001 is as follows: Long Island, $8125; Rochester, $5629; Western NY, $5206; Northern Metro, $6846; Northeastern, $5627; New York City, $7656; Central NY, $4953; The above numbers are effective as of January 1, 2001.
