ALJ Brian C. Schneider

DHA Case No. CWA 207110 (Wis. Div. of Hearings and Appeals March 29, 2023) (DHS) ↓ Download PDF The IRIS program can pay for equine therapy, according to the participant’s needs. In this case, the petitioner was approved for three months of twice-weekly equine therapy, which proved effective, but her subsequent request to continue the […] Read more

DHA Case No. CWK 206852 (Wis. Div. of Hearings and Appeals January 10, 2023) (DHS) ↓ Download PDF Vehicle modifications are allowed as a benefit of the Children’s Long-Term Support program, but they must “meet all applicable standards of manufacture, safety, design, and installation.” In this case, the petitioner’s mother asked for a modification to […] Read more

DHA Case No. MKB 200264 (Wis. Div. of Hearings and Appeals January 11, 2021) (DHS)  ↓ Download PDF The final step in the disability determination process for the Katie Beckett program is determining if the child has “marked limitations” in two of six domains or an “extreme limitation” in one. In this case, the DDB […] Read more

DHA Case No. MGE 196806 (Wis. Div. of Hearings and Appeals January 9, 2020) (DHS) ↓ Download PDF An applicant must be under the asset limit as of the last day of the month for that month’s eligibility. In this case, the petitioner’s eligibility for August was denied because her bank statement showed a high […] Read more

DHA Case No. MGE 197380 (Wis. Div. of Hearings and Appeals March 2, 2020) (DHS) ↓ Download PDF In general, a Medicaid application must be processed within 30 days (plus 10 days if needed to provide verification) and the applicant has the burden of providing the needed verification. This case, however, was “highly unusual” for […] Read more

DHA Case No. MGE 199939 (Wis. Div. of Hearings and Appeals April 19, 2021) (DHS) ↓ Download PDF Non-homestead real estate is countable unless it is listed for sale with a realtor. In this unusual case, the petitioner owned some land with a mobile home, but realtors refused to list it because of its condition […] Read more

DHA Case No. 204650 (Wis. Div. of Hearings and Appeals May 3, 2022) (DHS) ↓ Download PDF A resident alien is generally not eligible for public assistance benefits for five years after his or her date of entry. In this case, the petitioner had entered the country less than five years before applying for SeniorCare […] Read more

DHA Case No. MRA 205971 (Wis. Div. of Hearings and Appeals October 17, 2022) (DHS) ↓ Download PDF An ALJ may increase the Community Spouse Income Allowance (CSIA) if either spouse proves exceptional circumstances resulting in financial duress. In this case, although the community spouse had $3,858.22 of her own income, she also had monthly […] Read more

DHA Case No. MGE 208281 (Wis. Div. of Hearings and Appeals May 30, 2023) (DHS) ↓ Download PDF The Medicaid Eligibility Handbook contains two main ways to exempt “property essential to self-support.” The property is (1) exempt (regardless of value or rate of return) if used in a business in which the individual is actively […] Read more

DHA Case No. MRA 178406 (Wis. Div. of Hearings and Appeals January 13, 2017) (DHS) ↓ Download PDF The Medicaid Eligibility Handbook contains two competing rules: revocable annuities are countable and available assets, but IRAs belonging to a community spouse are disregarded. In this case, the community spouse owned an Individual Retirement Annuity, funded by […] Read more

DHA Case No. MGE 160646 (Wis. Div. Hearings and Appeals January 9, 2015) (DHS)  ↓ Download PDF This case involved two main issues: (1) the date the petitioner transferred ownership of a life insurance policy to her Wispact sub-account, and (2) the effect of a pending disability determination on retroactive eligibility. On the first issue, […] Read more

DHA Case No. MDV-36/46674 (Wis. Div. Hearings and Appeals Nov. 21, 2000) (DHS)  ↓ Download PDF When a person, or another acting on the person’s behalf, acts to transfer property such as a life estate without receiving fair market value in return, it is a divestment. But what if the transfer happens automatically, because of […] Read more