20 - Using Medicaid for Nursing Homes and In-Home Care
Bellomo & Associates
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Apr 19, 2023
Pennsylvania - South Central PA
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Episode Summary
Medicaid is a valuable federal program that primarily applies to nursing home and in-home care. The law is open to some interpretation by individual states, so it’s important to consult professionals you can trust to guide you through the legal and financial complexities of the program.
Jeffrey R. Bellomo, founder of Bellomo & Associates, is a licensed and certified elder law attorney with a master’s degree in taxation and a certificate in estate planning. Jeff is skilled at explaining legal and financial topics in easy-to-understand language, as he does in this discussion of the current state of Medicaid as applied in Pennsylvania.
Key Takeaways
02:17 – Medicaid basics
Medicaid is a federal program originating with The Deficit Reduction Act (DRA-2005) and The Omnibus Reconciliation Act (OBRA-1996)
The laws apply primarily to nursing home and long-term care (LTC)
Although based in federal legislation, some aspects of the law can vary by state
04:04 – Pennsylvania has state-specific interpretations of the law
Pennsylvania (PA) offers a Long-Term Care Handbook, which is available online
Interpretations can vary by county and even by caseworker
The PA Department of Human Services has final say if there is disagreement in how the state and an individual interpret the law
08:38 – Medicare is not Medicaid
Medicare does not cover nursing home care and LTC
Under Medicare, an individual admitted to the hospital for more than 3 consecutive midnights, can go into an LTC facility for rehab for up to 100 days
Non-compliant or non-participatory rehab patients could lose LTC funding and be forced into private pay
11:31 – PA Community HealthChoices Waiver
This Medicaid program provides in-home care for people with income less than $2,523/month
It can be difficult to qualify for in-home care if a person has income of more $2,523 per month
An excess income trust (see Achieva Family Trust in Pittsburgh) is a possible option for an individual with monthly income of $2,523 plus $500
14:22 – In-home and LTC staffing concerns
During Covid-19 pandemic, agencies had difficulty staffing in-home caregivers
Staffing shortages have lessened, but it’s still difficult in some counties
If staffing is not available for in-home care, a person might need to use an LTC facility
16:34 – Your assets can be protected
The monetary limits discussed above will change in 2023
When a person qualifies for Medicaid in PA, the amount of money they can keep depends upon their income
If an individual dies and has assets (in their name alone) of more than $2,400, the state can recover funds from the estate
Hire a professional for guidance if you know someone in a nursing home or someone who might need LTC within 6-12 months
Links and Resources Mentioned
Bellomo & Associates workshops, including Medicaid
https://bellomoassociates.com/workshops/
Pennsylvania (PA) Long-Term Care Handbook
http://services.dpw.state.pa.us/oimpolicymanuals/ltc/Long-Term_Care_Handbook.htm
Achieva Family Trust
https://www.achieva.info/family-trust
For more information, call us at (717) 845-5390.
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- To view the original version of this article visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zupyNJn-1M&list=PL7k7-MvzIrRgmTeFTi7RMP8vGjYar10V3&index=17&t=224s
- Seniors Blue Book was not involved in the creation of this content.
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Bellomo & Associates
Estate Planning 3198 E Market St, York, Pennsylvania, 17402We Educate so what happened to the Bellomo Family doesn't happen to yours!Our firms mission is to ensure that you and your family never needlessly, painfully suffer. Every team member has a personal story that has brought us here to advocate for you and your family. We want to replace your burden with peace of mind. We have the answers, but more important, we have your back.Bellomo & Associates, LLC advises Individuals and families, business owners, senior citizens, and their families about the estate planning and elder law challenges facing them today. For seniors and their families facing the issues of aging, or for those of any age who wish to protect their familys financial future, we counsel clients and provide solutions on Asset Protection; Specials Needs Trusts; Wills; Trust Design; Medicaid; Estate Planning; Nursing Home Matters; and Estate Administration. For our clients who own businesses, our team assists them with succession planning for their business in conjunction with their estate planning. We have office locations in York, PA, and Lancaster, PA.We offer FREE workshops! Our workshops are fun and entertaining ways to learn! We provide you with the information to decide what is right for you. If after attending, you decide we arent the right fit no problem! Youll never feel any pressure from our team.