Learn How an Aid and Attendance Benefit Application Can Help You or a Loved One

If you or a spouse have served in the military, you may be eligible to submit an Aid and Attendance Benefit Application that can help offset the cost of care for an assisted living. The basic requirements to be eligible to submit an Aid and Attendance Benefit Application are being aged 65 or older, being a wartime veteran, and not currently receiving 100% VA disability income.

How an Aid and Attendance Benefit Application Can Help:

To be considered a wartime veteran for an Aid and Attendance Benefit Application, you must have served during specific timeframes.  They are as follows:  World War II (December 7, 1941-December 31, 1956), Korean Conflict (June 27, 1950-January 31, 1955), Vietnam era (February 28, 1961-May 7, 1975, although there are exceptions), and The Gulf War (August 2,1990-present).

Additionally, there are different amounts of benefits available for an Aid and Attendance Benefit Application depending on your situation.  The maximum monthly benefits are as follows: Two married veterans can receive $3,649, a surviving spouse of a veteran can receive $1,478, a veteran with no spouse or dependent children can receive $2,300, a married couple where the veteran requires care can receive $2,727, a healthy veteran with a spouse who requires care can receive $1,750.

These benefits received as the result of having an Aid and Attendance Benefit Application approved can prove invaluable, especially for a veteran or their surviving spouse that needs assisted living care.  Not every assisted living is contracted with Medicaid, but the ones that are generally get $1,400-$1,600 of the monthly bill covered by Medicare.

  

In 2024, the average monthly cost for an assisted living facility in Florida is $3,994. This means that if a veteran or their surviving spouse has been approved for Medicaid benefits and for an Aid and Attendance benefit Application, they can have the majority of their bill paid every month for the assisted living facility.

This is a game changer, as many veterans or their surviving spouses live on limited fixed incomes that may not be enough to cover their cost of care otherwise.  Everyone, especially veterans and their spouses deserve to be cared for as they age without going broke.  By combining an Aid and Attendance Benefit Application with Medicaid benefits, this can be achieved!

Final Word:

Platinum Benefit Services has been obtaining Medicaid approvals for our clients for over 27 years.  In that time, we have won over 14,000 approvals.  We work closely with a VA accredited professional who will help you apply for an Aid and Attendance Benefit Application while we work to secure Medicaid benefits on you or a loved one’s behalf.  We take what we do very seriously and will not stop until you or a loved one receives the care you or they need.  If you would like to pursue Medicaid eligibility and submit an Aid and Attendance Benefit application to obtain VA benefits, contact Platinum today!

Things to Consider When Filing a Medicaid Application for the Elderly

There are many factors that determine whether a Medicaid Application for the Elderly is successful.  The Department of Children and Families is the organization that reviews and either approves or denies Medicaid Applications for the Elderly.

Factors to Consider When Filing a Medicaid Application for the Elderly:

The Department of Children and families (DCF) has income and countable asset limits for applicants.  In 2024, the income limit is $2,829, and the countable asset limit is $2,000 for an individual applicant, $3,000 for a married couple that are both applying, and $2,000 for the applicant and $154,140 for the non-applicant spouse if married.  For many individuals seeking to file a Medicaid Application for the Elderly, this is already enough to cause confusion.

The rules do not stop there. DCF looks at the 5 years (60 months) prior to application to see if any gifting has occurred. DCF looks at money given away, assets sold for less than fair Market Value (FMV), etc. DCF is concerned that a potential applicant will try to dispose of money in order to get below the countable asset limit.  If DCF determines that gifting has occurred, a potential penalty period may ensue that pushes back the date that benefits begin after a Medicaid Application for the Elderly is filed. 

The penalty divisor in 2024 is $10,300.  This is the amount that DCF figures an average skilled nursing facility will cost per month.  If the total gifting over the 5 years prior to application is equal to or greater than $10,300 an ineligibility period occurs.  The formula for calculating this ineligibility period is

(aggregate gifting/$10,300=months of ineligibility). There are no partial months of ineligibility, so it is always rounded down.  This can certainly cause problems in regard to a Medicaid Application, because situations do happen where the gifting is enough to cause at least a month of ineligibility.

Fortunately, steps can be taken to correct the gifting so that it does not cause an issue for a Medicaid Application for the Elderly.  Beyond the basic approach of returning the gifted amount, the other strategies to correct gifting are not widely known, so it is advisable to speak to an expert when trying to correct gifting so that it does not interfere with a Medicaid Application for the Elderly.

When an individual or couple that wishes to submit a Medicaid Application for the Elderly is over the countable asset limit, there are many protection strategies that can be used to convert the assets from the countable category to the non-countable/exempt category for qualification purposes.

Steps can also be taken to restructure income so that it meets the qualification criteria for a Medicaid Application for the Elderly.

Over to You:

Platinum Benefit Services has been obtaining Medicaid Application for the Elderly approvals for over 27 years and has obtained over 14,000 approvals.  Over that time, we have gained unmatched expertise in the field which translates to unmatched results for you or a loved one.  If you want to know you are in the best hands, contact us today!

Estate Planning in Florida and Its Role in Medicaid Application

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Estate planning plays a crucial role in the Medicaid qualification process because it helps to meet Medicaid's asset limit for eligibility purposes while protecting the assets. It can be used later by families and loved ones for future inheritance. One thing is for sure: Medicaid is all about the people with limited resources or who are financially unprivileged, so people with more assets can't avail of this healthcare program. However, it is possible with the help of an experienced estate planning attorney in Florida.

Why is Estate Planning Needed for Medicaid Planning?

To be eligible for long-term care, people who apply to obtain Medicaid benefits should meet the income limits and assets under a specified amount that Medicaid can modify twice a year. When the estate planning is planned well in advance of the need for long-term care, Medicaid long-term care, applicants and their families can protect different types of assets they own to meet eligibility criteria in the future.

Medicaid Asset Limit:

Medicaid considers an applicant’s full financial picture with countable and exempt assets. comes with certain asset limits. If the applicant has a higher amount of assets than the current asset limit, then they fail to qualify for Medicaid benefits.

Asset Spend Down:

When the applicant has excess assets, many applicants will spend down the assets to meet Medicaid's required asset limit. This adjustment can be done by paying for the long-term care of the pocket, paying off medical debt, and making accessibility to one's home. Sometimes, the estate planning attorney in Florida also suggests going on vacation to spend down the assets.

Spending down assets allows an applicant with excess assets to meet Medicaid's asset limit, and it doesn't protect assets for the family and loved ones as inheritance. Assets can't simply be gifted to the family or sold according to the market value during the asset spend down. It happens because Medicaid comes with a look-back period. When Medicaid estate planning in advance is done, the future applicant can turn the countable assets into exempt assets while preserving them for the heirs.

Look-Back Period:

During the look-back period, an applicant's previous five years of bank statements can be reviewed to determine if any gifting or transfers have occurred. Violating Medicaid’s rule may attract penalties or disqualification from benefits. In such cases, an estate planning attorney in Florida cautions the beneficiary not to violate the rule and helps them with expert tips on how to preserve assets within Medicaid-regulation-approved strategies.

In Conclusion:

Estate planning attorneys in Florida play a crucial role for Medicaid applicants to meet eligibility requirements while saving assets for the family and future generations. To achieve eligibility and approval, estate planning attorneys employ different types of strategies and formulas that safeguard assets for their clients within the Medicaid requirements.

Platinum Benefits Services is an expert Medicaid application agency that helps individuals obtain Medicaid benefits. Platinum Benefit has years of experience in Florida’s long-term care Medicaid program and can work alongside estate planning attorneys to secure their client’s future and obtain Medicaid benefits. this field assists Medicaid applicants in securing their future with this healthcare program.

The Main Role of an Attorney in the Medicaid Application Process

Long-term care Medicaid, a state government-funded healthcare program for seniors who need assistance with daily living, has become a lifeline for millions. Since it helps people obtain various healthcare benefits including long-term care facilities, there are thousands of new applications filled each month. However, this benefit comes with stringent eligibility rules and complication procedures that may be hard to understand for individuals unaware of them or with no knowledge of the process. In such a case, hiring a Medicaid expert would be a step in the right direction to obtain approval of needed benefits.

Avoiding Disqualification:

As long-term Medicaid has strict eligibility rules for income and assets, most applicants believe they are not eligible due to their high income or countable assets. These assets are often “spent down” to qualify if an attorney is not hired for the asset protection strategies via Medicaid planning. If you improperly spend liquid assets or move assets in ways that the regulations do not allow, it will cause denials or delays in getting qualified for Medicaid benefits. In such conditions, a Medicaid attorney in Miami, Florida, or a Medicaid expert can help formulate a spend-down strategy for qualification, avoiding any issues during the treacherous process.

Avoiding Medicaid Penalties:

If the spending-down strategies are not appropriate for Medicaid’s regulations, it could cause penalties. The penalties can cause disqualification or denial of application. In such cases, the Medicaid attorney can assess the situation to identify issues that could lead to penalty and disqualification.

Getting Qualified for Long-Term Care:

Medicaid covers long-term care expenses like in-home care and long-term care facilities. There are also clinical requirements for eligibility that show the need of individuals applying for such care.  Medicaid attorneys or Medicaid experts can assist in gathering the required documents to prove your need for long-term care services during the application process.

Preparing Adequate Documents for the Application Process:

Needless to say, the Medicaid application process requires careful and extensive documentation, which may be difficult for any individual to complete if not familiar with the process. If there are any errors, the application can be delayed or rejected and benefits can be lost for the critical care needed. An experienced Medicaid attorney or Medicaid application expert can assist you in getting documentation prepared accurately for approval while guiding you through the process for a smoother and less stressful time. Using their experience and skill, they help the clients qualify and obtain approval for long-term care Medicaid benefits.

Navigating Through the Look-Back Period:

Medicaid has a look-back period during which assets and their potential transfers are thoroughly scrutinized. A Medicaid attorney or Medicaid application expert can help to make legal and ethical transfers of assets without incurring any penalties for qualification. It involves strategic planning to ensure that the asset transfers' timing and nature meet the strict Medicaid regulations.

In Conclusion:

When you hire a Medicaid attorney or Medicaid application expert, you are subscribing to a seamless and timely Medicaid application process for approval of much-needed benefits. These professionals help the clients by offering strategic planning, legal expertise, and assistance throughout the application process for a smoother obtainment of benefits.

Experts at Platinum Benefit Services, Inc. offer the best Medicaid assistance to those unaware of the rules and regulations of long-term care Medicaid. Platinum Benefit Services maintains a proven track record of approvals, obtaining benefits for thousands of individuals in Florida. 

8 Types of Documents Required in Medicaid Application for Elderly

Many senior citizens in the USA prefer to avail of Medicaid benefits that ensure long-term care and better quality of life. However, the documentation and the application process is a tedious task. The documents of Medicaid application for the elderly help verify the applicant's eligibility for the program and provide essential information about their financial situation and medical needs. Here is the list of the documents required for Medicaid application for elderly.

Proof of Age and Identity:

8 Types of Documents Required in Medicaid Application for Elderly

The applicant has to submit a document that proves their age and identity, like a birth certificate, passport, and driver's license. The Medicaid application for elderly documents needs to be free from errors. They prove the exact date of birth of the applicant.

Social Security Card:

This application also requires a copy of the applicant's social security card to confirm their social security number of eligibility for the benefits under this program.

Citizenship or Immigration Status:

Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful immigration status is necessary to establish eligibility. This can be proved through a birth certificate, passport, naturalization certificate, or other relevant documentation.

Residential Proof:

The applicants must provide proof of residency in the state where they apply for Medicaid. This can be done by submitting documents like lease agreements, utility bills, or driver's licenses with the current address.

Financial Documents:

Medicaid eligibility solely depends on the applicant's income and the assets he owns. Therefore, financial documents like bank statements, pay stubs, tax returns, and documentation of other sources of income are required.

Medical Records:

Medical reports are crucial to access the applicant's health condition and the level of care they require. While preparing Medicaid applications for elderly, including the latest medical reports, hospital records, medicine lists, and any other relevant medical information is important. 

Insurance Information:

The applicant has to provide details regarding their existing health insurance coverage, like Medicare cards or any other privacy policies, to determine the coordination of benefits and coverage options.

Power of attorney document:

If someone goes to apply on behalf of an elderly individual, legal documentation like the power of attorney or guardianship papers are required to establish their authority to act on behalf of the applicant.

Conclusion:

When it comes to preparing Medicaid applications for the elderly, these documents are required to submit for further processing. 

Platinum Benefit Services offers expert Medicaid planning assistance. It has been in this field for several years and can deliver outstanding results by assisting in navigating through the complexities