A federal court ruled that hospitals may retain a patient in their building under “observation status” rather than formally admitting them, and that such “observation status” does not count as a hospital stay for nursing home Medicare qualification purposes. Medicare (not to be confused with Medicaid or Title 19) provides…
Until recently, there was a Catch 22 when it came to getting care in the community. If you are 65 years of age or older, the Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders is available. But for younger people with complex care needs, the options in Connecticut have been limited.…
Few crises are more stressful than those related to health and long-term care. It is hard enough to navigate these complex issues during the best of times. In a world full of uncertainty, they become even more stressful and urgent. As we all wrestle with the day-to-day reality of COVID-19,…
By Brendan Daly As an elder law attorney, I’ve been advocating for my senior clients for twenty years, but I recently discovered that my 78-year-old dad still has a few things to teach me. It was a lesson I maybe should have seen coming. I help many clients navigate the…
“Promise me you won’t ever put me in a nursing home.” Our parents would make us sign in blood if they could. Fear of losing their independence and way of life is a tremendous concern among Connecticut seniors. And, in today’s COVID-19 environment – knowing how the virus can easily…
by Carmine Perri You want to apply for Medicaid – a complicated process – but you’ve heard that hiring an attorney specializing in Medicaid planning is expensive. So why not use one of those new services that say they’ll do the same thing for less? But do they really do…
There are few planning tasks more daunting than applying for Medicaid. The process is intimidating and can quickly become overwhelming, not merely because it’s complicated but also because it opens up a Pandora’s Box of legally nuanced questions and concerns. This is not a task anyone can afford to botch,…
Assets count when it comes to qualifying for Medicaid as we discussed in another post, “How to Qualify for Medicaid Benefits by Planning Now.” However, some assets related to your funeral expenses are excluded, and prepaying them is an acceptable way to spend down your assets to qualify for Medicaid,…
By Lara Schneider-Bomzer The Connecticut Supreme Court decision, Pikula v. Department of Social Services, established clear guidelines for determining if a trust should be considered a “supplemental needs trust” or a “general support trust.” In general, assets held in a supplemental needs trust are considered unavailable in determining Medicaid eligibility…
You have probably heard the phrase “spend down” – something you could do to reduce your assets which would help to qualify you for Medicaid. A prepaid funeral contract is one of those items that are considered exempt. In other words, its value won’t be counted when the Department of…