Have you recently learned that your aging loved one must enter a nursing home? Are you now trying to figure out how to plan for nursing home care for an aging loved one and feel like you are all alone with this planning? You are not alone. A qualified Wisconsin elder law attorney can help you wisely choose among the options available to pay for the costs of nursing home care. In addition, he can ensure you understand what each option costs and whether there is anything you can do to shield your loved one’s life savings from being immediately depleted. This National Elder Law Month, let us share a few key considerations with you.
For this discussion the main topic will be, does your loved one qualify for Medicaid? As your Wisconsin elder law attorney will explain, Medicare and Medicaid are two different programs. Medicare is often available to all senior and disabled adults, but typically has a limited nursing home benefit, paying only for 100 days of care. If you are at the point where you are considering long-term nursing home care for your loved one, you are not likely to get far with Medicare alone.
However, does your loved one qualify for Medicaid? Your loved one’s income level and assets are one of the primary qualifications for receiving Medicaid benefits. If your loved one qualifies, Medicaid will cover nursing home costs.
Is it possible for your Wisconsin elder law attorney to help you? Absolutely! Your elder law attorney can help you with the process of obtaining Medicaid services for your loved one. By working with and going through these steps to apply for Medicaid with your elder law attorney, instead of trying to go it alone, your attorney can advise you of whether Medicaid may seek to recoup costs from your loved one’s estate once he or she passes away. If this is the case, your attorney can help you with estate planning strategies on behalf of your loved one that may minimize the depletion of his or her life savings due to Medicaid. An elder law attorney can counsel you on how best to proceed with your loved one’s best interests in mind.
Our office is committed to excellence in practicing elder law, including Medicaid and long-term care planning. We encourage you to contact us and schedule a meeting with attorney Alan Hougum today.
