Medicaid Application Assistance, LLC
Providing the highest level of service and compassion to you and your loved one.
The Process . . .
My goal is to make the Medicaid Qualification process as quick and stress-free as possible.
When you contact Medicaid Application Assistance you will be asked a number of important questions to provide me with details that are required to determine if I can help you in the qualification process or if a referral to an attorney who specializes in Medicaid "Planning" would be recommended if your goal is to secure certain assets prior to applying for Medicaid benefits. Please note, Medicaid Application Assistance is not affiliated with any government office and we do not work for or represent the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
If you would like to meet with me to discuss your loved one's long-term care needs in more detail, an appointment will be scheduled and I will forward you a questionnaire which will need to be completed prior to our meeting, in order to have an accurate understanding of the matter. I charge a nominal fee for the initial 90-minute consultation. My fees are set as a "fixed" fee and due at the time an engagement agreement is signed. It is important to note that qualification is not guaranteed as it is impossible for me to know what transactions have transpired in the previous five years before applying for benefits, but I do guarantee that you will receive my complete and thorough attention to disclosing all transactions and my recommendations on how transactions should be corrected if Medicaid should find them to be disqualifying. Click here for information regarding common terms used in the Medicaid qualification process.
Once the Medicaid qualifcation process has begun, I will provide you with an initial set of questions and request for documents to be reviewed. It is important to note that if the applicant is married, I will require information on both the applicant and the spouse. It is critical that I receive all requested documents as quickly as possible, as the review of the documents is detailed and time consuming. At a minimum, you should be prepared to provide me with copies of statements for all open and closed accounts (bank, investment, insurance, etc) for a period of five years. I will require documented proof of all sources of income (Social Security, Veteran's benefits, retirement accounts, and any other income). I will also require proof of assets and other resources, in addition to copies of all life insurance and annuity policies owned by both the applicant and the spouse.
A Medicaid application can not be filed until the following eligibility requirements have been met:
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A nursing home resident won't be eligible for Medicaid benefits if the resident's income exceeds the annual income limit, unless the applicant sets up a "Miller" trust which will be required to hold the income and disbursed as Medicaid dictates.
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In order to be eligible for Medicaid benefits a nursing home resident is limited by the amount of assets. *It is important not to wait to begin the application process until this limit is reached as some facilities require private pay during the qualification period.
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The healthy "community" spouse may retain a portion of the couples total "countable" assets.
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If the Community spouse's income falls below Medicaid's limit, the spouse is entitled to the shortfall from the resident's income.
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The Community spouse is permitted to retain all Retirement accounts (with restrictions) and Annuities that are actuarially sound.
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A detailed "spend down" plan will be discussed once all assets and resources have been verified.
Once the application is filed, we can expect a Medicaid "Checklist", asking for additional documentation or clarification of previously submitted information and qualification is usually received within 4-6 months from the date the application is filed.
Please refer to the FAQ tab for additional helpful information.