Help me sort through the Medicaid maze

• Article - Medicaid: A Beginner's Guide

  Medicaid: A Beginner's Guide. What is Medicaid? Who qualifies for Medicaid? What does Medicaid cover?

• Article - Medigap: A Beginner's Guide

  Medigap: A Beginner's Guide. What is medigap? What are the medigap insurance plans and what do they cover? Are my parents eligible for medigap?

• Article - Medicare: A Beginner's Guide

  Medicare: A Beginner's Guide. What is Medicare? Who's eligible for Medicare? What's covered by Medicare? How much does Medicare cost?

• Checklist - 8 Things to Look for in a Nursing Home Agreement

  Nursing home agreements affect your parent's care in a nursing home. Here's what to look for in a nursing home agreement.

• Article - Hospice Care Basics

  Hospice care can make your parent's final days as comfortable as possible. What to expect from hospice care, how to pay for it, and where to find it.

• Article - "Aging in Place" Communities Offer Seniors Independence and Support

  Creative programs offer seniors new ways to get the services of a retirement community while remaining at home. Here are three popular models.

Blog Posts

• Blog Post - Aging Parents and Dental Care: A Life-and-Death Issue

  Quick: When was the last time your elderly loved one...

• Blog Post - Five Tips for Keeping the Sandwich Together

  Five tips to help sandwich generation members ease the stress of caring for aging parents in their homes.

Questions & Answers

• Question - Is a Medicaid annuity a scam?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Can my mother help pay for her grandchildren's education and still qualify for Medicaid?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Will Medicaid or Medicare help pay for my mother's long-term care?

  Will Medicaid or Medicare help pay for my mother's long term care? Medicare will cover 100 days in a nursing home if certain qualifications are met.

• Question - Do my parents need to get divorced to qualify for Medicaid?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How should my father balance estate planning, tax planning, and Medicaid planning?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Will Medicaid pay for my dad's ventilator and skilled nursing care in my home?

  Medicaid might not cover enough nursing services to allow a patient on a ventilator to receive care at home.

• Question - How can you pay for care when your assets are too high for Medicaid?

  You can still qualify for Medicaid in many states if your assets are above the normal eligibillity limit but you have high medical bills.

• Question - Is there a minimum amount below which Medicaid doesn't bother to check asset transfers?

  For nursing home coverage, Medicaid may look at how the applicant has spent any amount, or transferred property, over the previous five years.

• Question - Is there help for someone under age 65, who has serious illness and little money?

  For someone under 65 and disabled, government programs can help: Medicaid, Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

• Question - Does Medicaid help pay for a hearing aid?

  About two-thirds of state Medicaid programs cover hearing aids, though with certain limitations and conditions.

• Question - Does a living trust protect money from Medicaid consideration?

  A living trust does not "protect" assets from consideration by Medicaid when deciding someone's eligibility for coverage of nursing home care.

• Question - Can my grandmother get a safety bath tub from Medicaid?

  Medicaid can provide special bathing equipment for someone who qualifies for home health care.

• Question - How do I apply for Medicaid?

  Medicaid provides broad coverage for medical care. You apply at your state's local Medicaid office, usually a county social services office.

• Question - How do I reflect my mother's Medicaid coverage and nuring home costs on her tax form and is she eligible for the rebate?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - What information do I need to apply for Medicaid for my mother, for whom I have plenary guardianship?

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• Question - How do I get my husband signed up for Medicare Part D?

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• Question - Can a gift trust to your children protect you from qualifying for Medicaid consideration?

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• Question - Can my grandmother pay me directly with her Medicaid "spend down"check for services that I'm providing?

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Tips & Reflections

• Tip - Using Medicaid to Hire Family and Friends as In-home Caregivers

  If your parent is eligible for Medicaid, the state...