Medi-Cal is California’s Medicaid health care program. If you have a low income and assets, you may be eligible for a variety of medical treatments through Medi-Cal. If you are qualified and live in California, Medi-Cal provides health care at a low or free cost.
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHCS) will consider your age, income, and resources when assessing whether you qualify for coverage. A Medi-Cal planning attorney in California can assist you through the application process and explain your choices for fulfilling the income and asset limits.
Tips for Medi-Cal Planning
PLAN AHEAD OF TIME FOR MEDI-CAL ELIGIBILITY.
The sooner you start thinking about Medi-Cal, the better. As fears about getting coronavirus grow, older California residents are concerned about their health insurance coverage. People who require prolonged stays in critical care units can acquire enormous medical debt. It is advisable to have a strategy in place on how to qualify for Medi-Cal coverage.
If you apply for Medicaid, Medi-Cal authorities will go back over the last 30 months to determine if you are qualified. Only candidates with assets under the limit will be considered. Certain assets are exempt, which means they will not be deducted from your income. Other assets, such as cash in the bank, are not exempt. Before you may get Medi-Cal, you must demonstrate that your income and assets are below a particular threshold.
If you transferred any non-exempt property or assets to another person within 30 months of application, the value of the transfers will be counted against you. If you have not adequately planned, you may need to go through a period of ineligibility before becoming eligible for long-term Medi-Cal.
REVIEW YOUR MEDI-CAL APPLICATION
For you or a loved one, applying for Medi-Cal might be crucial, especially if you want medical attention right away. It is simple to make mistakes on your Medi-Cal application, which might make you wait longer to get long-term care benefits. Because so many people are unfamiliar with it, the application procedure may be quite puzzling. The challenging application procedure makes mistakes simple to make. For instance, you frequently need to provide over 30 different documents in support of your application in order to finish it.
DO A SMART SPEND DOWN
Spending down one’s assets and income in order to be eligible for long-term Medi-Cal coverage is known as the “spend down” procedure. Spend downs must be done correctly or you risk losing your eligibility for the program permanently.
To become eligible for Medi-Cal without leaving your family with nothing, our attorneys can assist you in recharacterizing or selling your non-exempt assets. If you don’t provide all the required paperwork, you can face lengthy delays. It might be quite beneficial to hire an experienced attorney to analyze and assist you with your application.
INCLUDE YOUR SPOUSE IN PLANNING
If you’re married, it’s possible that only one of your spouses will require long-term care. For instance, one spouse could be told they have Alzheimer’s and would need to move into a nursing facility. The other spouse might want to continue residing in the family home and pay regular visits to the other. When one spouse must maintain the home and have sufficient assets to cover living expenses, how will the spouse who needs Medi-Cal long-term healthcare qualify for Medi-Cal?
For married persons, Medi-Cal has various asset restrictions. Married people have a greater wealth ceiling for Medi-Cal. A portion of the spouse’s monthly income that lives in the long-term care facility might be kept by the spouse who wants to stay in the community. Some of the perks, nevertheless, are not automatically accessible for the spouse who resides in the community.
At Bryant Elder Law, we’ll work with you to ensure that you and your spouse have adequate financial resources to live on. Couples that require one spouse to be eligible for Medi-Cal benefits might choose from a wide range of solutions. The more time you have to prepare, the more time you’ll have to develop a family plan that will work for everyone.
THINK ABOUT ESTATE RECOVERY
What happens when a person who used Medi-Cal long-term insurance coverage dies? In this scenario, Medi-Cal may pursue repayment from the deceased person for the benefits awarded to you. The Medi-Cal recovery regulations in California recently changed, making it simpler for families to safeguard their assets, such as their house, via effective estate planning.
Qualifying for Medi-Cal is only the first step. At Bryant Elder Law, We can assist you in keeping as much of your assets out of the hands of the state of California as possible before and after your death.
CONTACT OUR SKILLED MEDI-CAL PLANNING LAWYERS
With the coronavirus outbreak, more individuals than ever are worried about estate planning. Now is the greatest time to start thinking about Medi-Cal benefits. We can assist you in managing your plans from start to finish at Bryant Elder Law.
Our customers enjoy peace of mind knowing that a thorough estate plan is being created by expert attorneys. If you need to form or revise an estate plan, our law firm can assist you. To book your initial appointment, contact us today so we can help you with your Medi-Cal planning needs.
