What Is the Medicaid Look-Back Period and How Does It Work in Massachusetts?
If you may need long-term care, the Medicaid look-back period can affect when MassHealth will pay for nursing home care. In Massachusetts, MassHealth generally reviews financial transactions made during the five years before you apply. If you gave away assets or transferred them for less than fair market value during that period,...
Should I Do Pre-Need Funeral Arrangements?
Considering end-of-life arrangements can be uncomfortable, but planning ahead can provide significant emotional and financial relief for your loved ones. One option more individuals in Massachusetts are exploring is pre-need funeral planning, which involves making and often paying for funeral arrangements in advance.
At The Law Offices of...
Getting paid as a family caregiver through Medicaid
Caring for an ailing family member is difficult work, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be unpaid work. There are programs available that allow Medicaid recipients to hire family members as caregivers.
All 50 states have programs that provide pay to family caregivers. The programs vary by...
Understanding Medicare’s hospice benefit
Medicare’s hospice benefit covers any care that is reasonable and necessary for easing the course of a terminal illness. It is one of Medicare’s most comprehensive benefits and can be extremely helpful to both a terminally ill individual and his or her family, but it is little understood and underutilized. Understanding...
The Effects of Gifts on Medicaid Planning
Medicaid is a healthcare program designed to help individuals with limited income and assets afford needed medical care. Importantly, Medicaid covers long-term healthcare services such as nursing home costs and at-home personal healthcare.
Because Medicaid is intended...
Prepaid Funeral Contracts and Medicaid
If you are approaching the golden age, you may want to consider the cost of funeral arrangements for yourself that can also include your spouse, children, and siblings. By planning now, you can save yourself considerable sums of money and relieve your family of the financial– and some of emotional –stress involved in...
Gifting and Medicaid
Medicaid is a healthcare program designed to help individuals with limited income and assets afford needed medical care. Importantly, Medicaid covers long-term healthcare services such as nursing home costs and costs for at-home personal healthcare. Because Medicaid is intended to benefit those with limited income and assets, there are strict eligibility...
4 Myths Regarding Medicaid Long-Term Care Coverage
For individuals who are of low income and assets, Medicaid can be an important tool that assists in paying for healthcare and long-term care expenses, such as nursing home or at-home care. However, program rules and eligibility regarding Medicaid, as well as what Medicaid will and will not pay for, can...
Top 5 Reasons to Use a Lawyer for MassHealth
Medicaid is called “MassHealth” in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. While it is a federal program, each state administers it and passes its own administrative rules and regulations to assist in the administration of the federal benefit program. Massachusetts sponsors this medical assistance benefit program for state residents that can be utilized...
Unlicensed Medicaid Planners on the Rise
It is against the law for a non-lawyer to provide certain legal services or to give legal advice for compensation to someone. For instance, only lawyers can represent you in court, draft a trust or will or give advice on matters that touch upon legal issues. With millions of persons born...