In the Matter of Eileen Golf, as Administratrix of the Estate of Floyd Golf, Deceased, Respondent v. New York State…

Summary

The Court held that the Medicaid statutes and regulations are ambiguous on whether a "resource first" or "income first" method must be used to determine eligibility for a community spouse, and therefore upheld the agency's use of the income‑first method, reversing the Supreme Court and Appellate Division judgments. Justice Bellacosa dissented, arguing that the statutes require a resources‑first approach.