It’s a Miracle!

Enjoy those moments of “presence”

For the past couple of months, I have seen my mom decline physically and cognitively. She has lost weight and seems almost unresponsive to voice. My family and I ate Thanksgiving dinner at her assisted living, and though she ate rather continually, she was silent and noncommunicative. I thought it was  getting closer to the end. Read More >>

Medicare Will Cover Nursing Home Expenses

Misconception #9 of "The 12 Biggest Misconceptions of Estate Planning Clients"

Unlike the needs-based Medicaid program discussed in the previous blog, the Medicare program is an entitlement program. If you meet all of the eligibility requirements, you will be covered by the program, even if you’re a multimillionaire.

As a general rule, Medicare will not pay for long-term care. This includes both medical and nonmedical care for those who have a chronic disease or disability. Nonmedical care would be help with activities of daily living, such as bathing, eating, dressing, toileting, and getting in and out of bed. This “custodial care” may be needed for years, but, again, isn’t covered by Medicare.

Medicare will pay for skilled nursing care—any care performed by a licensed nurse—but only if all of the following conditions are met: Read More >>

The Government Will Take Everything When Mom Goes into a Nursing Home

Misconception #8 of "The 12 Biggest Misconceptions of Estate Planning Clients"

This statement is untrue, IF you know what you’re doing. All states have Medicaid programs. I emphasize the name only because most of my clients confuse Medicare with Medicaid. They are two completely different government programs—with one exception, which will be covered in my next blog.

Medicaid is a federal- and state-funded program that pays for the costs of more than half of the nation’s nursing home residents. These costs currently average more than $75,000 per year. Positioning yourself to be eligible for this program is a complex endeavor, fraught with pitfalls and “gotchas.” If ever there was a time to hire an attorney, this is it. A competent elder law attorney can advise you on structuring your financial affairs to attain eligibility as fast as possible. Read More >>