Facility was not allowed to Petition Guardian Court for Appointment of a Guardian of the Person Solely to Submit Medicaid Application on Behalf of the IP

 Matter of Restaino (AG) 2012 NY Slip Op 22236 Decided on August 29, 2012 Supreme Court, Nassau County Diamond, J.

 Quoted from the Decision:

" The petition presented in this Art. 81 guardianship proceeding raises two questions that this court has not previously addressed. The first is whether it is appropriate for a facility to petition the court solely for the appointment of a special guardian of the property of an alleged incapacitated person residing in its facility where the sole power sought is to complete the medicaid application for the facility. The second question that follows is then where there is no healthcare proxy executed by the alleged incapacitated person does the Family Healthcare Decisions Act vitiate the need for a personal needs guardian. Here the court finds that a residential facility/hospital should not petition the court for the appointment of a special guardian for the sole purpose of seeking medicaid benefits when the patient is clearly incapacitated and clearly needs a guardian of the person as well. For the reasons stated herein the court finds that the Family Healthcare Decisions Act is not a substitute for the appointment of a guardian of the person pursuant to Art. 81 of the Mental Hygiene Law. "

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Complete Opinion

https://law.justia.com/cases/new-york/other-courts/2012/2012-ny-slip-op-22236.html