Exerpienced Long-Term Care Lawyers
Our legislature has provided many government programs to assist citizens with escalating medical and long-term care expenses. If you or a loved one requires skilled nursing care at home or in a long-term care facility, your savings and financial resources may be consumed very quickly on the cost of care alone. There are a few ways to pay for long-term care, however, Medicaid serves as the nation’s primary choice of health insurance coverage due to the eligibility for lower-income populations.
The Law Offices of Schellart Joyce assists seniors and their family to restructure assets, property, and income belongings to the person who requires long-term care assistance, so that those items no longer affect the person’s eligibility for benefits. Caring for a loved one shouldn’t cost a lifetime of savings, call our law firm to get started today.
Protect Your Assets with Schellart Joyce
Nursing homes in northwest Pennsylvania can cost around $90,000 a year. When faced with long-term care for themselves or a spouse, seniors can watch their life savings disappear before their eyes. The most common misconception found among people in the community concerning long-term care Medicaid is the belief that once they are in a nursing home it is too late to protect any assets. THIS IS NOT CORRECT. About half of the asset planning work we do in our office is for clients in a “crisis” situation – that is, with a loved one who is in or about to enter a nursing home. Unfortunately, there are many more folks in this situation we cannot help – not because of the law, or because of their particular situation, but simply because they do not call. At our law firm, we possess a thorough understanding of the law as it applies to seniors, and we help them protect their life savings from the cost of long-term care. Take action now and have our law firm help you start planning to protect your assets the right way.
Are You Eligible for Long-term Medicaid?
Still not sure if you qualify? Contact us today.
Looking Out for Both Spouses When One Goes into Long-term Care Unexpectedly
It is hard on both spouses when one has to go into a nursing home. For the spouse remaining at home, making sure his or her loved one is getting the best possible care is, of course, the top priority. Adjusting to this new living arrangement can be a stressful challenge, and figuring out how to pay for that care is another key issue. With nursing homes in northwest Pennsylvania costing over $90,000 a year, it is no secret that long-term care is very expensive. When one spouse enters a nursing home, couples can see a large portion of their life savings quickly melt away.
Although the Medicaid laws have some important protections for the community spouse, the spouse who is not in the long-term care facility, to allow him or her to keep a portion of the couple’s assets and is also entitled to a minimum monthly income. However, this is often not enough to cover the long-term needs of the community spouse. Thus it is important to look for opportunities to increase the assets and income that the community spouse can keep, and a key part of our job is to be an advocate to help our clients get the maximum benefits allowed by the law.
Still not sure if you qualify? Contact us today.
Additional Options with Medicaid You May Not be Aware of
When an illness or disability makes it impossible to live independently, the thought of having to leave home to move into an assisted living or skilled nursing facility is naturally disturbing. Many people are also worried that if they need long-term care they will have to sell their home to pay for it, until they become financially eligible for Medicaid.
Virtually everyone would prefer to live in their own homes for as long as they can, and it costs the state less to provide care at home than in a nursing facility. Over the past several years, opportunities to receive long-term care in homes have increased. For seniors who are financially eligible, the “PDA Waiver” program provides care in the home paid for by Medicaid. While the Medicaid PDA Waiver program does not provide 24-hour care, it can be of great assistance for seniors who are partially independent or who have family or friends who can help as caregivers.
When planning for long-term nursing care, time works against you. It is important that families who have a spouse, parent, or other loved one needing long-term nursing care contact The Law Offices of Schellart Joyce, an experienced elder law firm, for advice as soon as possible.