Elder Law & Estate Planning Attorneys
Medicaid Crisis Planning and Long-Term Planning Care are not one and the same. Often, these two terms are used interchangeably, which can be very misleading to anyone who doesn’t understand the first thing about either term. In this blog, we will clarify the various differences between the two so that you can discern for yourself what you need for your situation.
What is Medicaid?
Medicaid is the joint federal and state program available to aging individuals who meet certain asset requirements that helps them pay for the costs of their long-term care. The average monthly cost for a private room in a nursing home in the Philidelphia area is 11,279 (in 2019). Many people are not independently wealthy and cannot afford to pay that amount month after month (even with long-term care insurance and Medicare) which is why Medicaid is available for those who qualify.
Medicaid Crisis Planning
Crisis planning involves a sudden illness, disability, or other catastrophic event that severely impacts your well-being. If this event results in you or your loved one needing to be moved into a nursing home, you will likely need the help of Medicaid to help pay for the costs.
In other words, Medicaid Crisis Planning is the process of preparing for an urgent and immediate need for long-term care so that you can avoid paying the entire amount necessary to receive that care. In order to avoid the panic and scrambling to receive Medicaid benefits during an already emotional time, you may want to consider Long-Term Medicaid Care while you are in good health.
Long-Term Care Planning
Long-Term Care Planning is the process of pre-planning for the costs associated with a sudden illness/disability and long-term care. Nobody ever likes to think about something bad or tragic happening to them—the “it can’t happen to me” mentality is the enemy of prudent foresight. Now is the best time to get your or your loved one’s Medicaid planning underway. If you plan far enough ahead, you won’t have to go through the stress and panic should something happen.
With long-term care, you are essentially using asset protection strategies to keep money and assets away from the pool of assets that Medicaid will look at in order to determine your eligibility for the program. This could mean putting some of your money or assets in a trust. Your situation will be unique from the next person. We can help you find the right solution for your situation, but this is definitely not the kind of thing you should try to do on your own. Please let us help and guide you through the labyrinth that is Medicaid.
Contact Us
Whether you need Crisis Medicaid Planning or Long-Term Care Planning, Levandowski & Darpino is equipped with over 20 years of experience to help you. Our firm is and has been dedicated to practicing only Pennsylvania Elder Law since 1996. Let us help you find some peace of mind. Please call us at (610) 446-9626 or contact us here today!
Levandowski & Darpino
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