October Term 2001 · Docket 00-952
Does the Medicaid Act require states to count a spouse's income before their assets?
Wisconsin and a nursing home patient dispute the order for calculating financial eligibility.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Ms. Flanagan argued Congress enacted the protections to prevent spousal impoverishment.
Mr. Hagopian explained the resource-first rule applies to the community spouse.
Mr. Lamken addressed proposed regulations regarding calculation methods.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 45-3 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 45-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 21-23 — Transcript, file page 50, lines 21-23
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests how states must apply federal Medicaid rules for spouses.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 45-3 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 45-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-35
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on December 3, 2001.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-15
What each side wants
Wisconsin wants to apply the resource-first rule for eligibility.
Blumer wants the court to reject the resource-first approach.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 45-3 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 45-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-35
What each side says
Wisconsin argues the resource-first rule fits the statutory text.
Blumer argues the income-first rule better serves the statute's purpose.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 45-3 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 45-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-35
What the justices asked
Does the statute mandate a specific calculation order for assets and income?
Do proposed federal regulations allow states to choose the calculation method?
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 21-23 — Transcript, file page 50, lines 21-23
Why it matters
The outcome defines how states calculate Medicaid eligibility for institutionalized spouses. It determines whether a community spouse keeps more or less income. This directly affects access to long-term nursing home care.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 45-3 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 45-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-35
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 21-23 — Transcript, file page 50, lines 21-23
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 45-3 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 45-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 45-3 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 45-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-35
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.