“Elder Care: Nursing homes, Medicaid and the middle class”

“Elder Care: Nursing homes, Medicaid and the middle class,” by Karen Kaslow, The Sentinel

Quote:

“The basic understanding is true that in order to receive Medicaid, an individual is only permitted to own a minimal amount of assets. However, the government also makes it possible for middle class families to qualify for this benefit. … Various tools and strategies are available to help protect assets from the cost of long-term care and create eligibility for Medicaid. The timing of an individual’s planning, as well as the situation and their specific goals, will influence the type of strategy which should be used. Even if your loved one is already in a nursing home, techniques are available to create financial eligibility for Medicaid before all of the person’s assets have been spent on the cost of care. These techniques are legal and are practiced nationwide, although each state’s rules may differ somewhat.”

 

 

LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform:

All this is true and a major reason why so few people plan or insure for LTC and end up on Medicaid. Yet search the professional literature of LTC analysts and you will find almost no evidence they are aware of Medicaid planning. Until LTC intellectuals awaken to the reality of how LTC financing really works, we will make very little progress toward improving it. I develop this theme in “Long-Term Care: The Problem” and will explain how to fix these problems in “Long-Term Care: The Solution” due out early next year.