Medicaid planning
Help paying for nursing home care.
Overview
Nursing home care can cost more each month than most families have ever paid for anything.
Medicaid can help pay for it, but its rules about income, savings and past gifts are strict and easy to get wrong. We explain where your family stands, what choices the law allows, and then we prepare and file the application.
Is this for you?
Families usually call us about Medicaid planning when:
- A parent is in rehab after a hospital stay, and the discharge planner has started talking about long-term care
- A spouse needs nursing home care and the other spouse will keep living at home
- Savings are going down faster than expected because of care bills
- Someone told you to "spend down" and you are not sure what that means
- An application was denied, or it is stuck waiting on paperwork
What we help with
- Reviewing eligibility and the five-year look-back
- Protecting the spouse who stays at home
- Spend-down choices the rules allow
- Preparing and filing the application
- Answering caseworker requests
How it works
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Step 1: A first meeting
We meet with you, and with your parent if they can join, to learn about health, income, savings and the home. Bring what you have. We send a checklist ahead of time.
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Step 2: A written plan
You get a plain summary of where things stand, the choices the law allows, and what each one costs. There is no pressure to pick the most complex option.
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Step 3: Gathering records
Medicaid often asks for up to five years of bank and account statements. Our application coordinator tracks what is missing and helps you request it.
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Step 4: Filing and follow-up
We file the application, answer the caseworker's questions, and keep you posted until a decision is made.
What it costs
Example flat fees and ranges for this sample firm. Your fee is written down before any work starts.
| Service and example fee | Example fee |
|---|---|
| Planning consultation (about 90 minutes) Credited toward your plan if you go ahead $350 | $350 |
| Medicaid application only, when no planning is needed $2,500 to $3,500 | $2,500 to $3,500 |
| Crisis plan and application, when care is needed now Depends on the number of accounts, the home, and a spouse at home $4,500 to $8,500 | $4,500 to $8,500 |
| Appeal of a denial Quoted after we review the notice | Quoted after we review the notice |
What we cannot promise
We cannot promise that Medicaid will approve an application, or how much it will pay. That decision belongs to the state agency. What we can promise is a careful application, honest advice about the risks of each choice, and a person who answers when the caseworker calls.
Questions families ask
Will my parent have to sell the house?
Not always. In many cases the home is not counted while a spouse or certain relatives live there, or while the person plans to return. The home can be affected after death through estate recovery. Rules differ by state, so we look at your exact situation.
Is it too late to plan if Mom is already in a nursing home?
Often it is not too late to do some planning. Some choices are still open after care begins, especially when there is a spouse at home. We tell you plainly which options remain.
What happens if gifts were made in the last five years?
Medicaid may apply a penalty period, a stretch of time when it will not pay for care. Whether that happens, and for how long, depends on the amount, the timing and the state's rules. Sometimes a gift can be returned or explained. We review each one with you.
Who you will work with
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Margaret Stillwell
Founding attorney
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Rosa Delgado
Medicaid application coordinator
Related practice areas
Is a discharge date coming up?
Book a consultation online in about three minutes, or call and a real person will answer. We return every call within one business day.