A Long Island Medicaid attorney can provide you with assistance, even if you have Medicare coverage already. Medicare and Medicaid are different and Medicaid may provide broader coverage for things which you cannot get Medicare to pay for. You need to understand the types of coverage which Medicaid can offer and must take steps to ensure you can qualify for Medicaid if you need this coverage. 
Mark S. Eghrari and Associates PLLC provides assistance to those who need a Long Island Medicaid attorney. If you want to protect your assets, make sure you don’t lose your legacy if you need nursing care, and take steps to ensure you can qualify for Medicaid when you need to, give us a call today.
Medicaid vs. Medicare Coverage
Medicaid covers low income people of all age groups, including seniors. Medicare typically covers people only over aged 65; however, there are some exceptions including certain disabled individuals who have received at least 24-months of Social Security disability insurance.
Medicaid is available regardless of your work history, while Medicare is available only to people who have worked for at least 10 years (or whose spouses have worked for at least 10 years) and have paid payroll taxes. Medicaid is means-tested and has both resource and asset limits, while Medicare does not have such limitations (although higher income people may have to pay higher Medicare premiums).
In addition to covering different people, Medicaid and Medicare also cover different things. Medicare provides different kinds of coverage in Part A, Part B, Part C, and Part D. Part A is hospital insurance which is free if you have worked the required length of time; part B is routine medical insurance which a monthly premium is always charged for; Part C is an optional Medicaid advantage policy; and Part D provides outpatient prescription drug coverage through a government contract with private insurers.
Medicaid isn’t going to require premiums, or have deductibles and co-insurance costs which are as high as Medicare. Medicaid also covers many different things which Medicaid doesn’t, including nursing home care. Medicare pays for a nursing home only when skilled treatment is needed, and there are time limits on how long Medicare pays for the nursing home for. Medicaid pays for custodial or routine care in a nursing home which is required when you get older or get sick or injured. Medicaid can pay for this care for the rest of your life, until you pass away.
Why You Need a Long Island Medicaid Attorney Even if You Have Medicare
Because Medicaid and Medicare are so different, many people with Medicare still end up benefitting from becoming eligible for Medicaid. This is especially true if you are getting older and you may need nursing home care which isn’t covered by Medicare.
If you want to become eligible for Medicaid, however, you need to ensure you do not have too many resources. A lot of seniors who have acquired assets and saved money during their lifetimes end up getting disqualified from Medicaid du to their wealth. This is a problem because, reliant only on Medicare, they could end up spending a lot of money on co-insurance costs or could be forced to pay for their nursing home care entirely out of pocket. A senior could quickly spend his life savings if he has to pay for a nursing home.
A Long Island Medicaid attorney can help seniors to make sure they don’t waste all of their life savings on a nursing home or other medical expenses at the end of life. There are ways to structure asset ownership to prevent assets from counting for Medicaid eligibility purposes. To protect the maximum value, taking action early on to make a Medicaid plan is important, so contact an attorney as soon as you can- even if you have Medicare.
Getting Help from a Long Island Medicaid Attorney
Mark S. Eghrari and Associates PLLC provides assistance to clients with Medicare, private insurance, or no insurance. We will help you to understand Medicaid coverage and Medicaid eligibility requirements. Our legal team assists you in determining if you may need Medicaid coverage and helps you to make sure you can get coverage when you need it.
To find out more about Medicaid benefits and eligibility, you can download our estate planning checklist. You can also give us a call at (631) 265-0599 or contact us online to speak with a Long island Medicaid planning lawyer who will help you protect your assets and estate will getting Medicaid to pay for the care you require.
Mark S. Eghrari, Estate Planning Attorney
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