Medicaid and Seniors

Seniors are pitched the benefits of a reverse mortgage as a way to "unlock" the equity in their home. However, what happens when they need a higher level of care, can no longer live in the home or try to qualify for Medicaid?

Confusion often arises surrounding use of the term “skilled nursing.” Understanding the terminology used in the long-term care industry is an important first step in determining viable care options for an aging loved one.

Under certain circumstances, life insurance policies are considered countable assets and can affect Medicaid eligibility. Some seniors must include their life insurance policies in their spend-down strategy to qualify for Medicaid long-term care services.

For seniors who are living with hearing loss, devices like hearing aids can facilitate communication, boost their confidence and desire to socialize, and increase overall quality of life. Unfortunately, hearing aids are often paid for out of pocket.

It depends. Certain conditions impact whether Medicaid “counts” an elder’s house as an asset once they move into a nursing home. Get the facts straight to ensure your loved one’s primary residence is protected.

Interested in taking care of elderly parents at home and getting paid? There are many resources that pay family caregivers for their services.

Navigating Medicaid’s financial eligibility requirements is complicated, and the spend down process is one of the trickiest parts. Learn from this caregiver’s experiences before devising your own Medicaid planning strategy.

In most states, Medicaid covers home health care and home care services for seniors who meet functional and financial requirements.

Seniors may be able to transfer their home to their child through the Medicaid caregiver child exception without losing Medicaid eligibility.

Navigating Medicaid eligibility for married couples is tough. When only one spouse needs long-term care, be sure to familiarize yourself with spousal impoverishment provisions and your state’s rules for counting income.

The rules that govern therapeutic leave for nursing home residents depend on how a how a senior’s care is being paid for. Avoid costly mistakes by learning about Medicare and Medicaid bed hold policies.

It can be difficult to determine whether certain assets count toward Medicaid's $2,000 limit. As always, classification of countable and exempt assets varies from state to state, but retirement accounts can complicate Medicaid planning even further.

Medicaid is a complicated program with state-specific rules that can help pay for long-term care services for seniors with low income and limited resources. Explore New York State's rules for income, assets and coverage.

Filial responsibility laws in some states hold that adult children may be liable for their parents’ unpaid medical and nursing home bills. Learn your responsibilities in paying an impoverished parent’s long-term care costs.

Longer lifespans and rising health issues may mean your savings will not last throughout the end of your lifetime. Many middle class American seniors are considering applying for Medicaid to help with these expenses.

Medicaid forces a couple to divest themselves of the assets that they had planned to use for their retirement or to pass on to their family. When it comes to Medicaid planning, in some cases a couple may be better off financially if they're divorced.

There are countless facets involved in determining if a person if eligible for Medicaid, but relationship status does have an impact. If you think you or your loved one may eventually need Medicaid, be sure to take your marital status into consideration.

It is important for seniors and their caregivers to stay on top of changes in health and medical coverage. A bit of foresight can go a long way for a busy caregiver on a budget.

Inheritance and bequests are usually wonderful gifts, but for a beneficiary on Medicaid, these funds can jeopardize their eligibility for benefits.

MFP through Medicaid is a special program that helps seniors avoid being institutionalized. The grant money has allowed states to set up an infrastructure to determine which nursing home patients are most likely to benefit from a move from an institutional setting.