486
Opinion of the Court
County attributed $72,822 to each spouse. Burnett was allocated this $72,822 share as his CSRA,7 and Irene was entitled to reserve a personal allowance of $2,000, 20 CFR § 416.1205 (2001). Combining these sums, the County determined that the Blumers could retain $74,822 in assets.
The County next found that, as of the date of Irene's application, the Blumers' resources had been reduced from $145,644 to $89,335. That amount exceeded by $14,513 the couple's resource eligibility threshold. The County accordingly concluded that Irene would not be eligible for Medicaid until the couple's assets were spent down to the $74,822 limit.
Seeking to obtain a higher CSRA, Irene requested a hearing. For purposes of the hearing, Burnett's monthly income amounted to $1,639, consisting of $1,015 in Social Security benefits, $309 from an annuity, and $315 generated by the assets protected in his CSRA.8 Irene argued that because Burnett's monthly income fell below the applicable MMMNA of $1,727, the examiner was obliged to increase his CSRA, thereby protecting additional assets capable of covering the income shortfall.
Excluding Irene's $2,000 personal allowance, the Blumers' total remaining assets exceeded Burnett's $72,822 standard CSRA, as just noted, by $14,513, an amount generating roughly $63 in monthly income. Attributing that income to Burnett would have raised his monthly income to $1,702,
7 Wisconsin sets the CSRA floor at $50,000. Wis. Stat. § 49.455(6)(b)1m (1999-2001). Because Burnett's $72,822 spousal share exceeded that amount but fell below the federally imposed ceiling, which was then $79,020 ($60,000 indexed for inflation to 1996), the spousal share became his CSRA. App. to Pet. for Cert. 28a.
8 The hearing examiner incorrectly calculated Burnett's relevant monthly income to be $1,702, mistakenly attributing to him all of the $378 in income generated by the full $87,355 in the couple's remaining available resources, rather than the $315 yielded by the $72,822 in assets reserved in his CSRA. See id., at 25a; Tr. 8 (Apr. 29, 1997). Although the error does not affect our decision, we use the correct figures (rounded to the nearest dollar) for illustrative purposes.
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