Medicaid Planning

In the complex and frequently changing landscape of health care in the United States, Medicaid stands out as a vital program. Since 1965, it has provided essential coverage to millions of low-income individuals and families. [...]

Amid recent reports from such prominent news outlets as The New York Times and Associated Press about the negative impact of Medicaid estate recovery on families, the idea of ending this practice altogether has resurfaced. What Is Medicaid? [...]

For adults who rely on Medicaid, a bill recently passed by the House may mean holding a job would become necessary to continue accessing benefits. What Is Medicaid? Medicaid is a public benefits program providing [...]

Under a federal pilot program, a number of states are using Medicaid funds to cover healthy food costs for Medicaid recipients. Ultimately, the trial program seeks to determine whether nutrition support can help prevent and [...]

Taking on the responsibility of providing full-time care for an aging or disabled loved one can be a rewarding experience. Being a primary caregiver helps you rest assured that your loved one is receiving compassionate [...]

It is an unpleasant thought, but death is a reality we all must face. One way to cope with the loss of a loved one is to be prepared for their final send-off. Funerals are [...]

Congress established the Medicaid Money Follows the Person (MFP) Program to provide states with federal funding to help seniors who are receiving care in institutions but want to live at home. However, it is not [...]

For people who rely on multiple medications, the expenses accumulate. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, eight out of 10 adults say prescription medication costs are unreasonable. Three in 10 adults on four or more [...]

Recent findings show an information gap among Medicaid recipients regarding the need to re-enroll for benefits after the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) ends. Medicaid recipients are inconsistently informed about the end of the PHE and its effect on [...]

Although Medicaid and Medicare are both public health insurance programs, they have essential differences. Medicare is a federal program for older adults, people with disabilities, and individuals with end-stage renal failure. Medicaid is federal-state assistance [...]

On July 8, 2022, the Internal Revenue Service issued new guidance that allows a deceased person’s estate to elect “portability” of their unused gift and estate tax exemption for up to five years after their [...]

When an older person requires help with daily living, options range from residential facilities to in-home care. Typically, less expensive than care facilities, professional in-home care can benefit older adults by allowing them to remain [...]

If your loved one is entering a nursing home, you may worry whether you could be liable for their care. Under federal law, a facility cannot require a family member or friend to co-sign an [...]

Medicaid is a federal program administered on a state-by-state basis. There are several types of Medicaid — including Community Medicaid. Community Medicaid covers care and medical services that enable a recipient to remain in their home or [...]

Many seniors do not necessarily need the constant care of a nursing home but could benefit from participating in a senior day care program one or more days per week. Senior day care usually refers to the [...]

For nearly 60 years, Medicaid has helped support tens of millions of low-income Americans, including seniors and people with disabilities, with low-cost or free health coverage. Come 2023, a new set of rules proposed by [...]

A Medicaid Planner is a term that encompasses many different types of professionals who may be able to assist you or a loved one with qualifying for Medicaid benefits. Not every Medicaid Planner may be [...]

Qualifying for Medicare hardly means free health care -- there are still premiums and deductibles. However, people who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid (called “dual eligibility”) receive help paying their out-of-pocket costs.  Medicare is [...]

Medicaid long-term care benefits traditionally pay mainly for nursing home care, but the federal government can grant “waivers” to states allowing them to expand Medicaid to include home and community-based services. The downside is that [...]

When applying for Medicaid many people often forget about life insurance. But depending on the type of life insurance and the value of the policy, it can count as an asset.  In order to qualify [...]

To qualify for Medicaid coverage of long-term care, you must satisfy very complicated financial eligibility rules—rules that often can be traps for the unwary. One of the most significant traps is Medicaid's right to recover [...]

Long-term care involves not only a loss of personal autonomy; it also comes at a tremendous financial price. Proper planning can help your family prepare for the financial toll and protect assets for future generations. [...]

Medicaid planning can be a difficult and confusing process. The following are some common mistakes people make when planning to apply for Medicaid. Thinking it's too late to plan. It's almost never too late to [...]

New York was the only state that didn’t have a look-back period for Medicaid home care, but that is now changing. New York Medicaid applicants will no longer be eligible for home care if they [...]

An Ohio appeals court holds that a Medicaid applicant who did not provide verification of her mortgage balance is not entitled to benefits even though the original mortgage value was higher than the home’s current [...]

Transferring assets to qualify for Medicaid can make you ineligible for benefits for a period of time. Before making any transfers, you need to be aware of the consequences. Congress has established a period of [...]

Medicaid law provides special protections for the spouses of Medicaid applicants to make sure the spouses have the minimum support needed to continue to live in the community while their husband or wife is receiving [...]

Access to affordable medical care is especially important during a global health crisis. You should be aware that federal law prevents the states from terminating Medicaid benefits while the coronavirus health emergency continues. The Secretary [...]

The coronavirus relief bill includes a direct payment to most Americans, but this has Medicaid recipients wondering how the payment will affect them. Because the payment is not income, it should not count against a [...]

Nursing home residents do not automatically have to sell their homes in order to qualify for Medicaid, but that doesn't mean the house is completely protected. The state will likely put a lien on the [...]

With careful Medicaid planning, you may be able to preserve some of your estate for your children or other heirs while meeting Medicaid's low asset limit. The problem with transferring assets is that you have given [...]

In most states, transferring your house to your children (or someone else) may lead to a Medicaid penalty period, which would make you ineligible for Medicaid for a period of time. However, there are circumstances in which [...]

The Trump administration is officially rolling back a ban on the use of arbitration agreements by nursing homes that was initiated under President Obama. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a rule [...]

At the doctor's office and want to know if a procedure is covered by Medicare? There is an app for that. Medicare has launched a free app that gives beneficiaries a quick way to see [...]

We’ve all heard that it’s better to give than to receive, but if you think you might someday want to apply for Medicaid long-term care benefits, you need to be careful because giving away money [...]

After a Medicaid recipient dies, the state must attempt to recoup from his or her estate whatever benefits it paid for the recipient's care. This is called "estate recovery." For most Medicaid recipients, their house [...]

Medicare covers preventative care services, including an annual wellness visit. But confusing a wellness visit with a physical could be very costly. As part of the Affordable Care Act, Medicare beneficiaries receive a free annual [...]

Although Medicaid limits the assets that the spouse of a Medicaid applicant can retain, the income of the “community spouse” is not counted in determining the Medicaid applicant’s eligibility. Only income in the applicant’s name is [...]

Medicaid law provides special protections for the spouses of Medicaid applicants to make sure the spouses have the minimum support needed to continue to live in the community while their husband or wife is receiving [...]

Many seniors and their families don't use a lawyer to plan for long-term care or Medicaid, often because they're afraid of the cost. But an attorney can help you save money in the long run [...]

Online bill paying has become a popular way to make paying bills easier, and now you can pay your Medicare premiums online too. If your bank allows customers to pay bills online, you can use [...]

Have you or a loved one been denied Medicare-covered services because you’re "not improving"? Many health care providers are still not aware that Medicare is required to cover skilled nursing and home care even if [...]

A new report finds that states have made incremental improvements in providing long-term care, but need to make more improvements in order to meet the needs of the growing number of people who require long-term care [...]

Medicare benefits start at age 65, but many people continue working past that age, either by choice or need. It is important to understand how Medicare and employer coverage work together. Depending on your circumstances, [...]

Medicare is offering relief from penalties for certain Medicare beneficiaries who enrolled in Medicare Part A and had coverage through the individual marketplace. For a short time, these individuals will be able to enroll in [...]

New Obama-era rules designed to give nursing home residents more control of their care are gradually going into effect. The rules give residents more options regarding meals and visitation as well as make changes to [...]

Immediate annuities can be a useful tool to protect the spouse of a nursing home resident who applies for Medicaid. These types of annuities allow the nursing home resident to spend down assets and give [...]

A recent New Jersey appeals court case demonstrates how important it is for families to come up with a long-term care plan before an emergency strikes. The case involves two brothers who got into a [...]

All hospitals must now give Medicare recipients notice when they are in the hospital under observation status. The notice requirement is part of a law enacted in 2015 but that just took effect. Signed by [...]

Philip Moeller. Get What's Yours for Medicare: Maximize Your Coverage, Minimize Your Costs. Simon & Schuster. New York, N.Y. 2016. 291 pages. Medicare is a mixed blessing.  On the one hand, it provides guaranteed coverage [...]

A couple who are both age 60 and who purchase new long-term care insurance coverage can expect to pay between 6 and 9 percent more compared to a year ago according to the 2017 Long [...]

More and more states are switching to a managed care model when dealing with Medicaid long-term care patients, a change that has resulted in a loss of services in some cases. Many states use managed [...]

One of President-elect’s Donald Trump's campaign promises was to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), aka Obamacare, and Republicans in Congress have vowed to make repeal one of their first acts in the new term. [...]