Beginning our Medicaid Road Trip

As we mentioned last week, we are starting our Medicaid Road Trip together today. On our journey we will explore many Medicaid “sights”. We hope we don’t hit much traffic along the way but road trips are full of surprises, potholes and detours similar to the Medicaid process .

Our first leg of our trip will explore “What is Medicaid?”

Medicaid is a needs-based public benefit program that is primarily funded by the federal government and administered by each state.  Did you know that Medicaid covers 1 in 5 Americans including many older Americans who require long-term care? There are complex rules that govern eligibility and our upcoming series will take some off-ramps into the rules surrounding access to Medicaid benefits.

Medicaid is a partnership between the federal government and the State of Georgia

Each state administers its’ own Medicaid program and has the flexibility to determine who is covered, what types of services are covered  and in what setting these services can be delivered.  We will focus on programs that are unique to the state of Georgia.

Medicaid covers a wide variety of services

Hurley Elder Care Law provides services to people navigating long-term care so we will focus on the long-term care benefits Medicaid offers including: Nursing Home Medicaid, CCSP (Community Care Services Program) and SOURCE (Service Options Using Resources in a Community Environment) and ICWP (Independent Care Waiver Program).

Who typically is covered by Medicaid?

Seniors and people with disabilities make up 1 in 4 Medicaid beneficiaries.  Medicaid is single largest payor for more than 70% of long-term care costs, including nursing home costs. Pretty surprising, isn’t it?

Medicaid is only for poor people

Not true! As life expectancies and long-term care costs continue to rise, the challenge quickly becomes how to pay for these services. Many people cannot afford  to pay $7,000–10,000 per month or more for a nursing home or $25 an hour for an in-home caregiver.  Even those who can pay for a while may see their life savings wiped out in a matter of months, rather than years. Fortunately, the Medicaid Program is there to help.

As we live longer and as care costs continue to rise, more and more families will look to Medicaid to cover the cost of long-term care. In fact, Medicaid has become the long-term care insurance of the middle class.

We’re going to take a break to get some gas but hop back in the car with us next Tuesday as we resume our Medicaid road trip. In the meantime, subscribe to our award winning blog here to follow along with our informative and thorough look at Medicaid for long-term care in Georgia.