I recently talked to another spouse on this board about Medicaid Planning. I am not sure how many of you have done that - but if you haven't it is worth talking to an attorney about what you can do to protect your assets, yet still qualify for Medicaid. If you don't have longterm care insurance - medicaid can pay for nursing home care, in-home care, day care, medical expenses, etc. However, there are some tricky rules about spending down your assets so that you can qualify and those vary by state.
Eldercare attorneys specialize in this and can help you formulate a plan. My DH is 56; so I have GOT to have a plan... both of how to eventually take care of him (whether at home or in a facility) and for how I am going to continue taking care of ME. My attorney gave me these two web sites to share with the members of this board - these are to associations that specialize in Eldercare law... you can go on them and search for attorneys in your area.
LIfe Care Planning Law Firms Association at www.lcplfa.org and the National Academey of Elder Law Attorneys website at www.naela.org for member referrals.
Thank you for the links. If you want to look further into Medicaid discussions, here is the link to copy and paste to a list of all the Medicaid topics on this board - http://thealzheimerspouse.com/vanillaforum/search.php?PostBackAction=Search&Keywords=medicaid&Type=Topics&btnSubmit=Search
There is one started and ended by "Jane". She is a wealth of information. I am about to start this process for Sid, so I will need all the info. I can get.
I don't have to worry as we have no assets. The value of the motorhome keeps going down and the bank owns all that value. Some benefits to being low income.
YES, you need an ELDER LAW attorney, not just any old attorney will do. They are specialists. I got word the other day that the paperwork was submitted on John's behalf for his qualification for Medicaid. I'll let you know what happens next. I seem to be always prepared for some sort of fight. Always on guard and looking over my shoulder. Life just seems to get more and more complicated. My own situation (in regard to the Medicaid issue) has resulted in my having to go to court in March for 'spousal support'. The nursing home is raging a hard battle for his social security and disability paychecks. Can you imagine? In the meantime, my lawyer tells me NOT to accept money from my parents (if I do, just cash the checks), DO NOT get loans or look into grants for college yet, DO NOT get a job (as if I could, with my injuries still healing), and stay away from the social security and social service agencies for help. hmmmmm...and I'm suppossed to be planning for my OWN future. Yeah. If I couldn't laugh anymore, I'd die crying.
I got our eldercare advice free from the legal department of our local Area on Aging. Our resources are limited and everything was easy. The house is mine, I keep enough of his social security to give me the "state minimum income" and medicaid picks the difference in his nursing home care after his social security is deducted. My budget is tight but doable.
ehamilton, I'm on the same track as you. We aren't there yet since he is not in placement, but after consulting with a state medicaid consultant, I have everything in order (I think!). I think I can handle it that way.
Hi All, I've not been on this site in a while and just came into this link, so I apologize if I might be overlapping another thread, etc. - but wanted to mention that Veterans and Spouses of Veterans might have additional options and benefits available to them - in addition to medicaid. So if you are in that category, please check into that for potential assistance.
Or if someone reading has specific details for Veterans, please feel free to post here - or direct us to the proper thread, etc. Thanks!
I feel rather silly asking this question, but what does happen to SSD and LTD after placement? Is any of that money available to coverage the mortgage should my dh be in a nursing home? Does the LTD stop? Does all of the SSD funds go to the nursing home?
My husband is a vet and is enrolled in the VA health system so he has access to their services. We have outside health insurance with medication coverage so I don't need to use the VA system for his doctor visits but the VA is paying for most of his day care. He is approved for two days a week now and I have a copay of $15 each day he goes to daycare. Due to our drop in income, I have applied to have the copays waived. He needs to visit with a VA doctor at least once a year to keep him active in the system. I was also told by the social worker that the VA hospital near me has respite care if/when I need it.
If your loved one is a vet and meets their eligibility requirements you can apply for Aid and Attendance which will help pay for homecare and I think NH care. I do know it can take a long time to be approved. You can find information at the VA site www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Pension/vetpen.htm#7 OR www.veteranaid.org (which is not affiliated with the VA).