UPDATE - Deficit Reduction Act Smith Bovill Fisher Meyer Et Al Attorneys Saginaw Michigan

UPDATE – Deficit Reduction Act

As our Winter newsletter explained, the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) was signed by President Bush in February of this year. Michigan Department of Community Health (DCH), however, has taken little or no action toward implementing this new policy.

The Department of Human Services continues to process Medicaid applications under the former “current” Michigan law. DCH has indicated that they hope to begin implementation of a policy in the fall, 2006; however, there are other areas of DRA that they are focusing on before this will happen. There have been no new policy provisions submitted for comment, which is their standard procedure before a new policy is implemented.

Proper planning with a potential Medicaid applicant requires consideration of their planning options and ability to qualify under “current” Michigan law. At the same time, they need to be aware of the affect on the planning if the new law is implemented midstream.

Smith Bovill, P.C. counsels clients on elder law and Medicaid planning issues regularly as part of its estate planning, probate, and trust administration practice. This letter, as well as all prior letters, are posted on our web site at http://www.smithbovill.com/. Please check our web site for any updates to the newsletter and additional information regarding elder law. This letter, and the information on our web site, is intended to be for informational purposes only. As a result of the constantly changing laws in the Medicaid area, the information provided may change. We would be pleased to discuss this, or any other Medicaid or elder law issues, in more detail.

SHARON A. BURGESS
SMITH BOVILL, P.C.

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