During your first meeting with an Elder Law Attorney, the attorney will ask an array of questions about your health, your existing legal documents, as well as your income and assets. You may be asking yourself, “why does the attorney need to know all of…
Category: Long Term Care Costs
The Scariest Part of Aging: Outliving Your Money
According the to a recent study, 49% of Americans report that running out of money in retirement is one of their main concerns about growing older. [1] With the growing life expectancy and the increasing costs of long-term care, it is no wonder…
Asset Protection Planning: Early Planning Protects Your Money, Future, and Peace of Mind
“Well, it sounds like I should have done this years ago.” A new client’s response to the plan we presented at the end of her first meeting with our team. “Yes, most people should have started this planning way before they needed it.” The…
Our Broken Care System: How an Aging Ally Can Help
Last week’s blog explored the complexity of and potential changes to the nursing home admission rules laid out by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. There are specific requirements that must be met in order for Medicare to pay for nursing home care. These…
Medicare Part D: Shopping for a New Plan Can Save You Hundreds!
Medicare’s Open Enrollment starts on October 15 and continues until December 7. Like thousands of Medicare beneficiaries, you’re probably planning to skip this year’s opportunity to make changes to your Medicare benefits. Medicare is not a set it and forget it plan. By skipping…
Georgia Nursing Home Medicaid: The Top 3 Things to Know
Medicaid continues to be the largest payer of nursing home care in Georgia. The path to getting Medicaid, though, is confusing and cumbersome. We have addressed many of the questions about Medicaid through our blog and newsletter. It’s hard to understand exactly how the rules apply…
Georgia Nursing Home Medicaid: Using a Caregiver Contract
We know that over 44 million people provide unpaid care to family members and friends to help them deal with a chronic or debilitating illness. This care is worth about $375 billion, and many caregivers are sacrificing wages and financial security to help their loved ones.…
Georgia Nursing Home Medicaid: Understanding Medicaid Estate Recovery
Many families fear Medicaid estate recovery. Almost every day, we hear from a concerned family member that knows their loved one needs Medicaid, but they are afraid that, “Medicaid will come after our house.” What is Medicaid Estate Recovery? After a Medicaid beneficiary who…
Georgia Nursing Home Medicaid: Understanding the Patient Liability
Nursing Home Medicaid pays for the majority of the cost of the nursing home for the majority of all Georgia nursing home residents. When we last checked, almost 80% of all nursing home residents in Georgia receiving long-term care (and not short-term rehab) are on…
Medicaid Misinformation Creates Poor Long-Term Care Decisions
Last week we published a blog on the special Medicaid laws that protect spouses. As we mentioned, Georgia laws and regulations apply different asset limits, allow for spousal diversions, and delay Medicaid estate recovery for married couples when one spouse is in the nursing…