Applying for Medicaid coverage can take time. There are some emergency Medicaid services provided in New York, including services for certain undocumented individuals who do not quality for traditional Medicaid coverage. However, in most situations and for most patients, getting Medicaid exactly when coverage is needed is difficult or impossible.
To be prepared in case you need nursing care or other costly medical services, you should strongly consider making a plan in advance to try to qualify for Medicaid so you will be covered if and when something happens. Eghrari Wealth Training Law Firm can provide help in preparing for a serious medical emergency.
Our legal team will assist you in determining what kinds of care you want and where that care should be provided if something serious happens to affect your health. We can also provide assistance in planning ahead to get care costs paid for. Give us a call at (631) 265-0599 to speak with a Suffolk County Medicaid planning lawyer to find out more. We can offer personalized assistance, as well as answering potential questions you might have including:
- Can you qualify for Medicaid if you need it?
- What happens in an emergency medical situation?
- How can a Suffolk County Medicaid planning lawyer help?
Can You Qualify for Medicaid if You Need it?
Qualifying for Medicaid is not as simple as just showing you have a medical need. Medicaid requires that you make under a certain amount of money, have limited resources, and meet certain other criteria. The entire process of proving you qualify for coverage means that Medicaid may not be immediately available to you when you need it, even in an emergency situation.
Because Medicaid isn’t necessarily going to start providing benefits immediately when a medical emergency arises, you need to consider payment options for care after a serious health issue. If you have Medicare or private insurance, you should get some coverage for hospital care or other emergency services. However, you may have high deductibles or co-insurance costs, so a medical emergency could still result in substantial financial hardship.
Most insurers, including Medicare, also exclude coverage for custodial care in a nursing home. For those who have a medical emergency, the lingering effects of the illness or injury could necessitate custodial care, or routine daily care. You may be unable to get any of these care costs covered by your insurer, unless you are getting skilled medical services for a limited time. This means that options essentially come down to Medicaid or running through your life savings paying privately.
Medicaid planning can make it possible for you to protect some of your property, while still qualifying for Medicaid in a more timely manner so you can get nursing home costs and other medical costs covered in an emergency situation. The Medicaid planning process should begin well before the medical emergency arises.
What Happens in an Emergency Medical Situation?
It is important to consider not just costs, but also the other issues that arise during an emergency medical situation. For example, there may be disagreements regarding who will control your assets while you’re incapacitated by a medical emergency. There may be questions about the kind of care you want, including whether you want extraordinary measures like a feeding tube to keep you alive. There may also be many situations when your immediate medical emergency has resulted in a condition that needs ongoing treatment or that requires a move into a nursing home or a rehab facility.
It is best if there is a plan in advance so decisions don’t need to be made when coping with a serious and life-changing medical emergency. An incapacity plan can ensure that the patient maintains some level of autonomy, because the patient’s wishes will prevail regarding who makes medical decisions and what kind of care is provided. An advanced nursing home plan can allow the patient more say in where he lives after an emergency and can allow more time for researching good facilities. However, if no plan has been put into place in advance, Eghrari Wealth Training Law Firm can provide help to patients and their families in responding in an emergency situation.
How can a Suffolk County Medicaid planning lawyer help?
A Suffolk County Medicaid planning lawyer can provide you with assistance in making advanced plans in case of a medical emergency. Being prepared can make life easier for your loved ones and can allow you to have a better outcome and more control over your own destiny when a serious medical situation arises.
Eghrari Wealth Training Law Firm offers assistance with incapacity planning so you’re prepared for an emergency, and our firm also helps patients and families when something does go wrong. Give us a call at (631) 265-0599 or contact us online to find out more about the assistance we can offer.
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