Consider Supermarket Gift Cards as Medicaid Spend-Down Items

Big supermarkets have recently offered a new alternative to Medicaid spend-down planning when there is a spouse in the community.  The community spouse can now purchase gift cards to buy groceries, and to the tune of four figures! 

This makes sense since it's a necessary expense that the community spouse will definitely have for an indefinite length of time. 

If you're in New England, I found an offer from Shaw's Supermarkets which offers a 5% discount when you spend more than $5,000 on Shaw's gift cards.