As part of our practice, we help North Carolina clients qualify for Medicaid and Emergency/Crisis Medicaid. If you qualify (now or in the foreseeable future) for assisted living, memory care, or skilled care, or you’ve already been admitted to a nursing home or expect to go to a nursing home in the foreseeable future, we may be able to help protect your family’s hard earned wealth from depletion. If we’re contacted, no matter how late, we can often help our clients retain a portion of their estate.
We’re committed to legally protecting as much of your family’s estate as possible.
Many families unwittingly lose everything they have to high nursing home expenses and costly medical care. They don’t realize that there are options. They mistakenly believe that they have to spend everything and this often results in everything being lost, even the money which is needed to care for a well spouse or other members of the household who are relying on the nest egg to live. This is not how the law is written. With the proper legal assistance it isn’t necessary to lose everything you own before qualifying for Medicaid and other services.
While Medicaid has strict income limits and caps, skilled planning allows families to protect their nest egg from being completely lost to the steep costs of long term care.
Don’t wait until everything is gone to seek help from an attorney regarding wealth preservation.
While it’s ideal to start Medicaid planning as soon as you get a bad prognosis, even years before nursing home admission is necessary, our office works with families going through emergencies as well. It’s not too late to receive help even if you have a family member who has been recently admitted to a hospital, rehabilitation facility or nursing facility.
Contact our office today to see how we may help!
Medicaid Basics
Medicaid is a healthcare program that is primarily funded by the United States federal government; however, each individual state has the option to supplement the funds provided by the federal government. Although Medicaid is a federal program, it is administered by the individual states. As a result, the eligibility guidelines and benefits provided to participants can vary from one state to the next. Each state, for example, offers several different categories under which an applicant may qualify for benefits. In the State of North Carolina, those categories include:
- Age 65 or older
- Blind or disabled
- Infants and children under the age of 21
- Low-income individuals and families
- In need of long-term care
- Receiving Medicare
General Medicaid Eligibility Guidelines
As a general rule, in order to qualify for Medicaid benefits under any of the categories, and applicant must meet the following eligibility guidelines:
- Be a U.S. citizen or provide proof of eligible immigration status.
- Live in North Carolina, and provide proof of residency
- Have a Social Security number or have applied for one
Furthermore, you will automatically qualify, and be enrolled in, Medicaid if you are receiving any of the following:
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Work First Family Assistance
- State/County Special Assistance for the Aged or Disabled
- (Adult Care Home Assistance)
- Special Assistance to the Blind
Medicaid’s Income and Asset Limits
In addition to the other eligibility requirements for Medicaid, an applicant cannot have income nor assets that exceed the program limit. The income limit varies depending on the category under which an applicant applies and the applicant’s household size. Moreover, the income limit is tied to the Federal Poverty Limit (FPL) which changes depending on where an applicant lives. The FPL also changes on a yearly basis. The asset limit, also referred to as the “countable resources” limit, may also vary depending on the program; however, in most cases the limit is as low as $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple.
What Is Emergency Medicaid?
Traditional Medicaid benefits mimic those of private health insurance policies. If you are approved for traditional Medicaid, therefore, you will be covered for things such as doctor visits, hospital stays, and prescription medications. To be approved for emergency Medicaid, ad applicant must meet all of the general eligibility requirements except the citizenship/immigration status requirement. Note that the residency requirement must still be met, meaning that an applicant must prove an intent to remain in North Carolina. Emergency Medicaid provides similar benefits but only for a limited period of time and only if the applicant has a medical emergency.
Contact Us
If you have additional questions about emergency Medicaid eligibility in North Carolina, contact an experienced North Carolina Medicaid planning attorney at The Law Offices of Cheryl David by calling 336-547-9999 to schedule an appointment.
