Georgia Medicaid Lawyer

Are you or a loved one struggling with the overwhelming expenses of long-term care? The average cost of care in Georgia can be $8,000/month or more. That can easily deplete a family’s savings, leaving them bankrupt.

If you and your family are burdened with healthcare expenses, you are not alone. If you are unsure how to navigate the complex Medicaid and Medicare systems, you are not alone. Our Georgia Medicaid lawyers are here to answer all your questions and help you get the financial support you need. Pursuing these types of benefits can be tricky, but an experienced attorney at Nelson Elder Care Law can guide you every step of the way.

Medicaid Crisis Planning

Along with the devastating news, you may start thinking about your future as a caregiver and the cost of the required care. You have no idea what this will cost, let alone how you will pay for it. In short order, you learn that Medicare will not pay, especially for the long-term. You are worried about your loved one, but you are also worried about running out of money and being broke.

Your first step after a significant diagnosis is to reach out to an experienced Medicaid attorney in the area. You need to discuss planning for your loved one’s future care needs and financial requirements to pay for that care. An elder law attorney will have the necessary skills and contacts required to help you address the important issues, create a strategy, engage and direct the required healthcare staff, and work with you to qualify for benefits.

Questions and Answers about Medicaid and Medicare

Here are some of the most common questions that we hear about Medicaid and Medicare. Our knowledgeable attorneys can further explain how these answers may apply to your specific situation.

1. Does Medicare Cover All of our Nursing Home Bills?

Unfortunately, no.

Medicare still remains somewhat of a mystery to most Americans. Most are under the impression that Medicare will cover all of the expenses for nursing home care. That is not the case. The most Medicare will cover is the first 100 days and it will not be the full amount, if you are eligible at all.

2. So Where Does Medicaid Come In?

For most people, Medicaid only becomes an option after Medicare benefits are exhausted. But what many people don’t realize is that Medicaid benefits are not automatic. In fact, to receive Medicaid, a patient and the patient’s spouse, if married, must first “spend down” their countable assets. In most states, the limit of owned assets can be no more than $2,000, but it gets more complex for married couples.

There are also specific assets that may be automatically exempt for purposes of qualification. Medicare and Medicaid can become quite complex, and if you don’t know the details of qualification, you can lose tens up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. You will want to get an experienced Georgia Medicaid attorney on your side to guide you through this maze and avoid costly mistakes.

3. What is the Five-Year Lookback Rule?

Because Medicaid is a benefit based on financial need, many people may try to spend or transfer their savings and property in order to qualify. The five-year lookback rule is meant to prevent abuse of this system.

When you fill out your application for Medicaid, the government will look at your financial transactions from the previous five years. If they find major transfers, large gifts to children or property sold for less than it’s worth, they can impose a penalty. This may make you ineligible for Medicaid for months, or even years. There are many types of transactions that can violate the lookback rule and many people are unaware of this.  It is critical to consult one of our Medicaid attorneys before applying.

4. What Can Medicaid Benefits Pay For?

If you qualify, Medicaid benefits can help pay for certain medical expenses such as:

• Nursing home care
• Doctor and hospital bills
• Prescriptions
• Vision and dental care
• Medicare premiums, and so much more

5. What if My Husband or Wife has been Diagnosed with a Serious Condition?

Imagine that your partner has been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ALS or “Lou Gehrig’s disease”, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, or a form of dementia like Alzheimer’s. Along with the devastating news, you may start thinking about your future as a caregiver and the cost of the required care.

You have no idea what this will cost, let alone how you will pay for it. Then you learn that Medicare will not pay for the help your family will need, especially for long-term care. You are worried about your loved one and their needs, but you are also worried about running out of money.

Your first step after a significant diagnosis like this should be to reach out to an experienced Medicaid attorney in your area. You need to plan for your loved one’s future care needs and financial requirements to pay for that care. Our Elder Law attorneys will have the necessary skills and contacts required to help. Together, we will address the important issues, create a strategy, engage and direct the required healthcare staff, and work with you to qualify for benefits.

Let our Georgia Medicaid Lawyers Take Care of You

Regardless of your situation, dealing with the Medicaid system is rarely easy. Things can get complicated quite quickly. You may be thinking:

• What do I do to protect my home?
• What do I do to “spend down” or convert my assets without getting in trouble?
• Do I apply before or after we start getting care (and what about bills)?
• Can I protect my assets in advance, before I get sick?

These are all valid questions. Don’t attempt to answer them on your own. You have enough on your plate. Instead seek professional advice with a qualified attorney who practices in Medicaid planning. We are all most vulnerable in situations where we “don’t know what we don’t know.” Know your legal rights before it is too late.

Call a Georgia Medicaid lawyer on our team today for a free consultation.