Medicaid is the primary government program that pays for long-term care of the elderly or disabled. It is a federal-state partnership. Federal law sets out the broad parameters of the program and the states administer it within their borders.

Medicaid is a means tested program. If your countable assets or your income exceed the allowable maximums you do not qualify and Medicaid will not pay your long-term care costs until you do. One way to financially qualify is sell all your assets and use the proceeds to pay your nursing home bill every month until you are out of money and then apply for Medicaid – because now you are eligible. You still have to pay all of your income to the nursing home each month, but Medicaid will pay whatever you are short. You get to keep a personal needs allowance of as little as $40 each month ($40 in Virginia, $70 in DC and $77 in Maryland).

Medicaid planning for a single person is the process of lawfully arranging your affairs to improve on that result so that you can qualify for Medicaid as soon as possible while still having access to funds to pay for the ”extras” Medicaid won’t pay for, and potentially leaving something for your heirs.

Medicaid planning for a married person is lawfully arranging your affairs to qualify for Medicaid as soon as possible and maximize the legal and financial protection for the “community spouse”.

If you or a loved one need or will soon need nursing home level care, call us. We can help.