Elder law · Rhiannon Ketola
Medicaid and care planning
Long-term care is expensive, and Medicaid is the program that pays once savings run low. It has rules about what a person may own, what was given away and when, and what a spouse at home may keep. We read those rules against your family's situation, then tell you what is possible, what isn't and what each choice costs.
A plain-English picture of your parent's income, assets and bills
The look-back period, explained against what is actually in the file
Protections for a spouse who stays at home
Applications, and the letters from the state that follow
Appeals, when a claim is denied or delayed
Which of these is your situation?
The answer to "can we keep the house" is different in each.
A parent is about to move into care
We look at income, savings and the house before the first bill, so the plan fits before the move, not after.
One spouse needs care, one is at home
The spouse at home keeps a share of the income and savings. We work out how much and how to document it.
Money was given to the family
Gifts and transfers count in the look-back. We find what was given, when, and what can still be done about it.
A claim was denied or delayed
We read the notice, gather what was missing and appeal inside the deadline.
Questions about Medicaid and care
Do we have to spend everything first?
Not always. Medicaid counts what a person owns, but some things don't count, and some protections apply to a spouse at home. What stays depends on the rules for your situation, which is why the first meeting is a review, not a form.
How far back does Medicaid look?
Applications ask about gifts and transfers for a set period before the date of the application. We tell you the period that applies and go through the file for anything inside it.
Can you come to the care facility?
Yes. We meet at the facility, at home or by video, and we can bring papers for your parent to sign when it's the right time.
Start before the first bill
Bring the most recent statements and any letters from the nursing home or the state. We'll say what's missing.