Rhode Island Long-Term Care Insurance (*)

Rhode Island runs an active Qualified Long-Term Care Insurance Partnership (QLTCIP) program, regulated through the Department of Business Regulation's insurance filings. Under the state's LTSS eligibility rule, resources are disregarded at Medicaid application in an amount equal to what the applicant's qualified Partnership policy actually paid out — including direct reimbursement of LTSS costs and qualifying per-diem or periodic benefits received while getting care.

The policy doesn't have to be fully used up before this protection kicks in, and the benefit extends to estate recovery: at death, the total amount the Partnership policy paid is disregarded when calculating the recovery amount. That said, the same rule is clear about the limits — a Partnership policy can't shorten a Medicaid transfer-penalty period, and it can't excuse a denial based on excess home equity.