Areas of Practice
Medicaid
Medicaid is a Federal Program which will pay for the cost of the nursing home based on medical need and on the finances of the individual or the married couple. This Federal program is administered at the State and County levels. It is one of the most complex areas of law and requires a skilled and experienced professional to navigate.
Medicaid Planning
Medicaid Planning is the process by which a single resident or spouse of a resident in a Nursing Home, who is not eligible due to the amount of assets they have, is still able to obtain Medicaid Eligibility by using exemptions and conversion of assets into income. This can mean a spouse, who might be $100,000.00 over the eligibility limits for Medicaid, can yet immediately obtain Medicaid for her husband. Medicaid planning is perfectly legal.
Asset Protection and Medicaid Estate Recovery
Asset Protection is the process by which a person’s assets are protected from being unnecessarily spent on the Nursing Facility. This is done through a combination of maximizing exempt assets, structuring assets that are deemed available into a stream of income so that they are no longer an asset, or if necessary gifts can be made even if the client is already in the Nursing Facility and despite the well known “5 Year Look-Back Rule”. In addition, once Medicaid Eligibility is obtained, it is critical to then have the Institutionalized spouse’s name removed from assets such as the home, most bank accounts, as beneficiary of life insurance polices, and other assets to prevent the state of Ohio from recovering against those assets. If this step is not taken, and the “well” spouse at home predeceases her institutionalized Husband, allowing the institutionalized spouse to inherit all assets, Medicaid will terminate for the institutionalized spouse. This can be easily avoided with the correct planning. For those who are facing an Estate Recovery Claim by the Ohio Attorney General negotiations can sometime be successful in paying less than the full amount owed.
Financial Powers of Attorney
One of the most critical documents needed is a Financial Power of Attorney. This document allows a loved one to step into the shoes of the institutionalized person and make necessary changes to assets when needed. Due to the evolution in the way financial institutions honor Financial Powers of Attorney over the years it is critical that the document be sufficient for what needs to be done with assets. Without this document planning could be defeated.