Medicaid Planning & Appeals Lawyer Serving Largo, Clearwater & St. Petersburg FL

Protect Your Assets And Avoid Impoverishment From Nursing Home Expenses

Here is a sad reality: An American family’s entire life savings could be wiped out in as little as a few months after an elderly member enters a nursing home.

Too often, this results from inadequate planning of one’s long-term care. A lifetime of hard work and diligent savings can all go down the drain when a family fails to anticipate the high costs of care for seniors.

Families are also hurt by misconceptions about senior services. For instance, many people mistakenly believe that Medicare will cover most of their healthcare needs upon retirement. But when they discover that prescription drugs and extended facility stays are not covered (among several other things), they may find themselves in a sudden financial tight spot.

As early as now, take steps to protect your family’s assets and avoid family impoverishment. The Schofner Law Firm provides the professional guidance you need for your most effective planning, particularly with regards to the Medicaid qualification. We can start simply by talking about your family’s situation and your long-term needs. Call us toll-free at 1-800-891-9996.

Cost Of Long-Term Care

A recent survey (2018) shows that the median yearly cost of a private room in a nursing home is now at $100,375. That’s 1.6 times the median American household income – much higher than many families can afford.

Meanwhile, other long-term care services incur similarly heavy annual costs:

• Semi-private nursing home room – $89,297
• Home health aide – $50,336
• Homemaker services – $48,048
• Assisted living – $48,000
• Adult day care services –$18,720.

In the face of these expenses, you and your family may consider enrolling in Medicaid. To obtain assistance from this program, it is wise to get the help of a knowledgeable professional who can ensure your eligibility and effective application.

Why You Need A Lawyer’s Help In Medicaid Planning

Though Medicaid is meant to assist numerous Americans with their medical care expenses, this program can be frustrating for many applicants. Here are only some of the factors that a Medicaid lawyer can help you with:

• Medicaid eligibility is complex. You must satisfy financial and non-financial criteria to qualify for the program. A legal professional can help you accomplish all the requirements and ensure that you meet the criteria.
• Medicaid rules vary by state. Florida has its own specific rules on top of federal law. In addition, if you already have Medicaid from another state and you move to FL, you will have to apply again in our state. You’ll want a lawyer to help you navigate the rules.
• Other Medicaid planners may have a conflict of interest. There are non-lawyer professionals who also serve as Medicaid planners. However, many of them are referred by nursing homes and facilities. These non-lawyer planners may have dual loyalties: to you and to the facility that referred you to them. You can avoid this scenario by trusting only a Medicaid attorney who has a professional and fiduciary duty only to you, the client.

How Attorney Schofner Helps You Avoid Impoverishment

With two decades of experience in the field of Elder Law, Attorney Ted Schofner of The Schofner Law Firm is well-versed in legal alternatives for families of seniors. Medicaid is one such alternative. Attorney Schofner can help you successfully enroll in Medicaid by accomplishing these tasks for you:

• Analyzing your family’s financial resources and planning your Medicaid application accordingly
• Preparing your formal Medicaid application, ensuring all eligibility requirements and paperwork are fulfilled
• Providing you with step-by-step guidance through the Medicaid process
• Preparing Qualified Income Trusts (QIT) to successfully overcome “income cap” problems
• Providing knowledgeable advice on other Medicaid-related issues.

What You Can Do Right Now

Before anything else, there is one important thing that you and your family should keep in mind: Never allow anyone to sign a nursing home admission contract containing a mandatory arbitration clause. You may be signing away the most basic of your constitutional rights: a trial by jury. A trial by jury may be necessary in the event of possible abuse and neglect of a nursing home resident or assisted living facility (ALF) resident.

In general, it is best to be cautious of any document you are asked to sign. Don’t hesitate to seek a lawyer’s help if there is something you don’t fully understand.

For Medicaid concerns and other matters regarding long-term planning, the Schofner Law Firm is ready to help. Call us today at 1-800-891-9996 or reach us through our online contact form.