I met with an elderly woman recently. Her husband was ill, and after a brief hospitalization, was now in a skilled nursing facility. Although he was better and alert, he still required constant care and attention. At her age and physical limitations, she simply could not provide the high level of care he needed in their home. He was going to remain in the skilled nursing facility.
As the facility charge was $7,500 per month, she needed to have her husband qualify for Medi-Cal benefits. Medi-Cal is California’s free or low-cost medical assistance program for those who qualify. There are eligibility requirements that the Medi-Cal applicant must meet, and the requirements are different for single people and married couples.
She was amazed she did not have to impoverish herself in order to qualify. With some planning, her husband could receive the proper care in the facility, and have Medi-Cal pay all, or a substantial portion of the monthly bill. Although she was happy, I cautioned that she should be concerned about “Medi-Cal Recovery.”
When a Medi-Cal recipient dies, the state can seek repayment for the cost of services received, if the Medi-Cal recipient had assets remaining in their name. This was troubling for her, as their house (which was in their revocable living trust) was at risk for Medi-Cal recovery. So, we had some planning to do.
The result? Her spouse received the care he needed. She was able to remain in the home, and keep their monthly income to support herself. And, after some planning, the assets were properly preserved so a Medi-Cal recovery claim was avoided.
If you or someone you know requires skilled nursing care, they should be concerned about Medi-Cal recovery. Fortunately, they may be able to effectively plan to get the care they need, and protect their assets.
For more information, please call the McNamara Law Firm, PC at 661-287-3260, or visit www.theMcNamaraLawFirm.com.