Nursing homes that give substandard care to residents are the target of new Elder Justice Task Forces intended to move faster in targeting and penalizing certain facilities. The National Review reports in "DOJ Task Forces Target Elder Fraud in Health Care" that teams from several Elder Justice Task Forces deployed…
People think that Medicaid will solve all financial problems if they or a spouse will need expensive medical care late in life. It's not that simple. Concerns about outliving assets or having all their wealth spent on nursing home care has led many Houstonians in different economic brackets to take…
People put off thinking about or planning to apply for Medicaid because there is nothing pleasant about it, from coming to terms with being ill and impoverished to sharing a nursing home room with a stranger, according to USA Today in "Navigating Medicaid for elder care can be as painful…
The Huffington Post published an interesting article on the ethical and legal issues posed by two related legal practice areas, “Some Legal Issues at the Intersection of Elder Law and Estate Planning.” There are legal and ethical issues that arise when determining courses of action in both areas. One is…
Let's take a closer look at what a life estate is and how using one could help you save your family home. Home is where the heart is. The thought of losing your home can be devastating. What options do you have to prevent this from happening? Motley Fool’s recent…
"Will you still need me? Will you still feed me? When I'm 64?" The Beatles first released these quaint, clarinet-fueled lyrics in 1967 when the loving answer to these questions was a resounding, "Yes!" Traditional marriage vows echo this sentiment in that they presuppose a relationship span that encompasses young…
In all states, federal Medicaid law provides special protections for the spouses of Medicaid applicants. But states decide how much the non-institutionalized spouse may keep, within a range. Connecticut's allowance — $23,844 — is the lowest. And legislators are calling for an increase. If this legislation succeeds in reducing the…
In continuation of the series on estate and life planning, this column focuses on how Medicaid factors into financial planning for long-term care. Seniors need to have a plan in place for long-term care, should they need care assistance in the future. A recent article in The Victoria (TX) Advocate…
One attorney calls it the "Get out of Dodge plan"—the best way to keep your assets intact before applying for Medicaid to cover nursing home costs. New Jersey is one of the most restrictive states when it comes to permitting residents to preserve assets for their benefit while Medicaid pays…
Here are some "Get's" that will help you prepare for the Medicaid application process. Get going five years before you think you need to. Medicaid has a five-year look back to all your parents' financial dealings. Which means transactions conducted during that time may be counted in determining their program…