PA 600 L — What You Should Know

PA 600 L is the form you should use to apply for Long Term Care, Supports, or Services.  The PA 600 L is the application for Medical Assistance in Pennsylvania, or Medicaid.  This is one of key forms used to submit an application for Medicaid if your family member is a resident of a skilled nursing facility.  If your family member is married, the PA 1572 is also necessary.

Please read the rest of the article or skip to the end to find out why your family member does not have to spend down all their resources before becoming eligible for Medicaid benefits.

Where and how to submit the PA 600 L?

You can get the PA 600 L from a County Assistance Office, the long term care provider, or online.  Once completed, the application is submitted to the County Assistance Office in the county where the nursing facility is located.  However, in an effort to streamline the application process and make it more efficient, some CAO’s are handling application from other counties.

The PA 600 L can also be completed and submitted online.  This is a difficult task, however, because generally hundreds of pages must be submitted for a complete application.

When should I submit the PA 600 L?

Medicaid eligibility is determined based on the date of the application.

The date of application can mean one of five things: 1) the date on which a signed application form is received and date stamped at the County Assistance Office; 2) the earliest date the applicant signs the application if it is submitted by an AAA or a provider; 3) the date of the LOCA or the date requested by the client, if the client is receiving MA prior to requesting payment for long term care services; 4) the date of application transmission if submitted electronically through COMPASS, or; 5) the date of first treatment or admission if COMPASS application is submitted by an PA provider.

However, please take heed of this next crucial piece of information.

Retroactive benefits are available for the period before the application is submitted.  The retroactive period starts the first day of the third calendar month prior to the month the application is submitted and ends the day before the application is submitted.

Department of Human Services will pay for the skilled nursing facility (minus the applicant’s gross income) if the applicant was actually eligible for benefits and the PA 600 L is submitted within three months of eligibility.  Retroactive benefits can also be received for a deceased person if the application is submitted within three months of the date of death.

Why is the application for Medicaid so complicated?

The application and approval process for PA Medicaid nursing home eligibility is so difficult because the benefit is so valuable.  If someone is eligible for long term care benefits, they no longer need to pay $9000 per month for their care.  Instead, the applicant that received Medicaid benefits is forced to pay their gross income less $45.00.

This is a drastic savings.  Therefore the eligibility standards are stringent.  The state of Pennsylvania compels the applicant to prove their basic eligibility for benefits, which includes residence, medical need, immigration status, income, and resources.

The applicant must produce 60 months worth of bank statements and other financial documentation to prove eligibility.  Gifting and asset transfer may need to be explained.  Trusts and real estate must be disclosed.  Because the benefits are so valuable, Pennsylvania and the Department of Human Services require a great deal of paperwork and documentation.

How can I save money on a nursing facility?

The Pennsylvania legislature decided that families should not have to impoverish themselves to gain Medicaid eligibility.  The PA Code allows for various gifting and asset reduction strategies that allow married and single Medicaid applicants to qualify for long term care benefits before spend down to $2400 or $8000 in assets.

Converting net worth into income and re-titling the family home are two strategies that VA Legal Team uses to save families tens of thousands of dollars.

Before you private pay the cost of a nursing facility because you think your family must spend down all their assets to qualify for valuable Medicaid benefits, contact VA Legal Team for a free consultation.