One of the most important reasons to do Medicaid planning is to ensure that your house remains safe. It is a common myth that Medicaid will take your home from you when you apply. There is only a tiny bit of truth to this myth. Your home will not be taken when you are approved [...]
If you think that you will need Medicaid to cover your long-term care needs in the future, it is imperative to speak with elder law attorney to discuss your estate plan. Medicaid has very strict requirements and limitations, and leaves you with such a small amount of income when you do need it, that certain [...]
The easiest way to apply for Medicaid for long-term care or nursing home coverage is with the help of an elder law attorney. When you apply, there are some things you will need to have gathered in advance, regardless of the state in which you are applying. Commonly requested documentation includes: Proof of citizenship Marriage [...]
The look back period is the amount of time that Medicaid can look back at your financial documents to determine your eligibility for coverage. Certain activities, like gifting large assets, can cause you to be disqualified from Medicaid coverage for a penalty period. Before the DRA, the look back period varied from state to state, [...]
Once your doctor documents that you need assistance with activities of daily life, and you have listed out your exempt and non-exempt assets, it is time to fill out the Medicaid application. The length of the application depends on the state, and a case worker will be assigned to review and make a determination on [...]
The income limitations for each state may seem fairly black or white, and for a single person they usually are easy to understand. What confuses most people is what happens to income that you have if you end up qualifying for Medicaid. The answer to this depends on if you are single or married. First, [...]
Once your doctor has determined you qualify for Medicaid on a needs basis, you will have to meet the limitations for assets. Assets are divided into two categories, exempt and non-exempt, and are regarded differently in determining eligibility. Exempt assets will not affect your ability to qualify for Medicaid. Exempt assets include: The home you [...]
When the time comes that you or a loved one needs long-term care, in the home or at a skilled nursing care facility, finding a way to pay for the care needed can be a stressful challenge. Luckily, many people are able to qualify for Medicaid to cover these costs. Let's take a closer look [...]
Understanding Medicaid can make the difference between approval or denial of your application for long-term care coverage. In the next few blog posts, we'll give a closer look at various aspects of qualifying for Medicaid and estate planning for Medicaid qualification. First, a few things to know about Medicaid as an overall program: Medicaid is [...]
You might think qualifying for Medicaid as simple as filling out a form, and for those with no assets and no savings, it may be so. But for those who own a home, have assets or investments, an attorney can save you a lot of headache and heartache later on down the road when you [...]