Medicare Blog

what to do so medicare doesn't get your parents house

by Dr. Petra Green Jr. Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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Use the power of attorney to organize a care plan, medically, financially, etc. this means you need to use his money for his care and quality of life. This dose not mean you need to sell a house to pay for care right away.

Full Answer

How can I protect my money and house from Medicaid?

Option 2 of the top ten ways to protect your money and house from Medicaid or a nursing home is using an asset protection trust – continued from above . You don’t have to give up all control over your property if you put it into a Medicaid asset protection trust. However, you do have to give up something.

Can Medicare take my home as payment for long-term care?

- Medicare Consumer Can Medicare Take My Home? When considering the payment of long-term care costs, people will oftentimes worry that Medicare can take their home as repayment for such benefits.

How does Medicaid know if I can afford a nursing home?

Medicaid is a government program that pays for a nursing home if you can’t afford it. In Maine it is called Mainecare. But how does Medicaid or Mainecare know if I can afford it? They look at 60 months, or five years’ worth of your financial history. That is the 60-month rule or the five year lookback with nursing homes and Medicaid.

Should you age in place to protect your money from Medicaid?

If you’d like to protect your money from Medicaid, making a plan to age in place is a good start. But if you have too much money or property you won’t qualify for Mainecare home-based services.

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How do you avoid nursing homes?

Ways on how to avoid nursing home taking your house;Spending your assets.Creating a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust.Forming a life estate.Staying at home for as long as possible.Purchasing a long-term care insurance cover.Transferring specific exempt assets to approved people.Transferring the house to your children.

Can a nursing home take your house in Texas?

However, if Medicaid is paying for the nursing home, the Texas Medicaid Estate Recovery Program (MERP) may claim the home after his death to recoup some of what they have spent. There are a couple of ways to avoid this eventuality, including executing a Deed to hold interest in the house.

What happens to my parents house if they go into care?

Their ability to pay for care will be calculated through a means test and, if moving into a care home permanently, the value of their current home will not be included if a spouse/partner still lives there (or, in certain circumstances, a relative).

Can you be forced to sell your house to pay for care?

The simple answer to this is no – you cannot be forced to sell your home to pay for care. But many people will have to contribute to the cost of their care in later life or even meet the full cost.

Why is Medigap the least hassle?

Medigap plans often have the least hassle because they cover much or all the back-end spending. If your parent has this coverage in place, it’s generally not advisable to change it while they are receiving caregiving. The policy is very likely paying a great deal toward their medical care.

Does Medicare cover outpatients?

Original Medicare has two parts: Part A hospital benefits and Part B outpatient benefits. However, Medicare doesn’t cover everything. Each beneficiary will have cost-sharing at the time of service, such as deductibles and copays.

Is Medicare confusing at 65?

Learning about Medicare options is confusing enough when someone turns 65. It can be even more trying for caregivers who have to pick up the pieces where their parents left off.

Can a senior move to an assisted living facility?

Making a permanent move to an assisted living facility is a clear statement that a senior does not plan to live in their community home again. At that point, it is considered a house rather than a home, so the exemption no longer applies.

Can a senior stay in a nursing home?

Indeed, even if a senior moves directly to a nursing home (and for these purposes a short transitional stay in a hospital does not count), their home may not be exempt unless they maintain the “intent to return.”.

Can a spouse be exempt from Medicaid?

The Medicaid rules are different for seniors who are married where only one spouse is applying for Medicaid coverage of nursing home costs. If one spouse, known as the “community spouse,” continues to reside in the primary residence, then the home will continue to be exempt regardless of its value.

Can you transfer a home to a child on Medicaid?

If an adult child lived in the Medicaid applicant’s home and cared for them for at least two consecutive years prior to the parent’s placement in a nursing home, then the home can be transferred to the caregiving child for a nominal value. This transaction is not subject to Medicaid penalties.

Is there a home exemption for a disabled child on Medicaid?

Another home exemption occurs if a senior’s minor dependent child or disabled child lives in the home. Again, in this case there is no home value limitation. Lastly, there is a child-caregiver exception. If an adult child lived in the Medicaid applicant’s home and cared for them for at least two consecutive years prior to ...

Does Medicaid count an elder's home as an asset?

There are several conditions that can impact whether Medicaid “counts” an elder’s home as an asset. Get the facts straight to ensure an aging loved one's primary residence is exempt for Medicaid eligibility purposes.

Is a senior's personal residence considered an asset?

Under the current Medicaid laws in most states, even after a senior enters a nursing home, their personal residence will not be counted as an asset in determining their financial eligibility for Medicaid coverage of long-term care costs. However, if a senior is single and their equity interest (fair market value ...

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What happened to the cabin in the nursing home after the father died?

After several years the son used the power of attorney to transfer the cabin to himself. After his father died, the nursing home sued him, saying he misused the power of attorney improperly, and that he should return the value of the cabin to the estate to pay the nursing home.

What happens if you give your assets to another person?

If you give your assets to another person, then the assets are subject to their creditors. You have simply traded one risk – the cost of nursing home care, for another, the risk that your child may get divorced, or get sued, or go bankrupt, or mismanage the asset.

Can you transfer money to a nursing home?

As in many of the other asset protection techniques used to protect your money or house from a nursing home, a transfer-for-value rule may apply. There are qualifying factors, but in some circumstances, you can transfer money or a house to your child and it will be protected from Medicaid or a nursing home.

Do you have to give up all control of your property if you put it into a Medicaid asset protection trust?

You don’t have to give up all control over your property if you put it into a Medicaid asset protection trust. However, you do have to give up something. Losing control over your own property is not for everyone. If you are considering this option, you should consider it very carefully.

Can you protect your beneficiaries after you're gone?

This plan can also give your beneficiaries protections after you’re gone. You can protect your surviving spouse from nursing home liens. You can protect your kids and grandkids from divorce, substance abuse, bankruptcy, and lawsuits as well. But you can’ t do any of those things if you don’t make a plan.

Is there a home based Medicaid program in Maine?

In the state of Maine, or New York, states where I practice, there are home-based Medicaid programs. You should consult with an Elder Law Lawyer if you want to know the details. Number 8 on the Top Ten Ways to Protect Your Stuff from Medicaid or a Nursing Home list means staying home as long as possible.

Can you use your money to take care of your kids?

Yes , that is coming. #3 Use Your Money or House to Take Care of Your Child or Children. Special Needs Trusts, Supplemental Needs Trusts for. Asset Protection. Option 3 on our list of the Top Ten Ways to Protect Your Money and Your House from Medicaid or a Nursing Home is using your money to take care of your kids.

Can a nursing home be a lien against a person's home?

However, the state cannot recover on a lien against the individual’s home if the home is the residence of the person’s spouse, brother or sister (who has an equity interest and was residing in the home at least one year prior to the nursing home admission), or a blind or disabled child or a child under the age of 21 in the family.

Do nursing homes get medicaid?

Often, nursing home residents will not be eligible for Medicaid benefits until they have spent some – or most – of their personal resources on their medical care. You may have to pay out-of-pocket for the nursing home care each month, and the nursing home may bill Medicaid for the remainder of the amount.

Can you put a lien on your home after nursing home care?

While the actual qualifications for Medicaid can differ from state to state, generally the state cannot place a lien on your home if there is a reasonable chance that you will return home after receiving nursing home care, or if you have a spouse or dependents who live there.

Can you sell your home while in a nursing home?

This means that the state cannot take, sell, or hold your home in order to recover benefits that are paid for nursing home care while you are living in a nursing home in this situation. In most cases, however, once a person who has received Medicaid nursing home benefits has passed away, the state can try to get whatever benefits it paid for ...

Does Medicare take your home?

When considering the payment of long-term care costs, people will oftentimes worry that Medicare can take their home as repayment for such benefits. However, because Medicare does not generally cover long-term care stays (room and board) in a nursing home, or provide extensive coverage for home health care, it cannot take an enrollee’s home as ...

How You Can Help Your Parents Enroll in Medicare

Signing up is relatively simple and is done through Social Security. Remember that each of your parents become eligible in their own time, and marriage doesn’t factor into enrollment. Each person enrolls separately during their Initial Enrollment Period.

What Forms Are Needed to Help Parents with Medicare?

If you’re going to be more heavily involved in your parents’ Medicare coverage, you’ll need them each to fill out the Medicare Authorization to Disclose Personal Health Information form. If you’re speaking to a carrier on their behalf, they might need to submit the form to the carrier.

Helping Your Parents with Medicare Through the Years

Beyond helping your parents learn more, enroll, and select coverage, you can help them stay safe and keep the best plan for them. Talk to your parent (s) about fraud, waste, and abuse, and how they can avoid falling victim to it. Also, make sure they always pay their premiums, so their plan never lapses.

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Complete An “Authorization to Disclose Personal Health Information” Form.

  • If you’re calling Medicare on your parents’ behalf, they will need to fill out a Medicare “Authorization to Disclose Personal Information” form so that a Medicare representative can speak to you directly.
See more on medicare.org

Know How It Works.

  • To help your parents navigate their Medicare options, it’s important to understand how Medicare works. Get started by clicking here to download or order the official U.S. government Medicare Handbook Medicare & You. Browse Medicare.org, a Medicare resource for helping Medicare beneficiaries, seniors, caregivers, and family members understand Medicare-related topics suc…
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Ask Specific Questions About Your Parent’s needs.

  • What types of benefits are needed? Does your parent need prescription drug coverage? What can be afforded? Have a conversation with your parents about their specific health insurance needs and take notes so you can communicate that information to a licensed sales agent. For help considering which questions to ask when having the conversation with your parents about Medi…
See more on medicare.org

Contact An Expert.

  • At any point, you may call a licensed sales agent to help you answer all of your Medicare-related questions. Their insurance expertise and access to multiple providers can help save you time, money, and your sanity when trying to navigate Medicare. Licensed sales agents are a useful – and free – resource. Click here to learn more about the benefits of using a licensed Medicare ag…
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