St. Petersburg Medicaid Attorney
Suppose long-term nursing home care is suddenly needed for a loved one in a crises situation. Or what if, one day, you need to be placed in assisted living or a nursing home? How would you pay for it?
St. Petersburg Medicaid attorney John Frazier helps Pinellas County seniors qualify for Medicaid benefits. These benefits can cover the high cost of nursing home or other long-term care, and protect the senior’s assets from being depleted.
Asset Protection from St. Petersburg Medicaid Attorney
The soaring cost of nursing home care for an incapacitated person can eliminate a family’s savings and the inheritance planned for loved ones. It can even mean the loss of the family residence.
- The cost of nursing home care in St. Petersburg is now averaging about $7,452 a month.
- The median daily rate for a semi-private room in a skilled nursing facility is $245, which equates to a yearly cost of about $89,425.
- Private room rates in Pinellas County can reach $102,200 annually.
- Assisted living can run anywhere from $3,000 to $6,000 per month.
These numbers are staggering. But there is something you may be able to do–and the Medicaid program and laws that regulate Medicaid provide the remedy.
Understanding Florida Medicaid Planning
The primary alternative to privately paying the nursing home is Medicaid. In fact, Medicaid is the only public program that will pay for continuing custodial care for most people.
Medicaid is a federally funded health insurance program administered by the State of Florida.
Medicaid planning can help the average senior living in Florida—regardless of their financial situation—to legally restructure and shelter their assets in order to qualify for Medicaid benefits.
Many complex regulations govern a person’s eligibility for these benefits. One rule is that a Medicaid applicant is not eligible to receive Medicaid if his countable assets exceed $2,000.
This does not mean you must empty your bank account and sell your home in order to qualify for Medicaid benefits. In fact, this one requirement has caused many people to mistakenly believe they must liquidate their assets and “spend down” before they can be eligible for Medicaid.
This is not the case, and is a dangerous misconception. It is the failure to engage in Medicaid planning that has impoverished many a Florida spouse or loved one.
With legal counsel from St. Petersburg Medicaid attorney John Frazier, it may be possible for you to preserve all or a part of your life savings, your home, real estate and other assets, and qualify for Medicaid benefits.
Do not assume that it is too late! Even if you are in an assisted living facility or a nursing home, our law firm may be able to assist you.
For most, trying to make sense of the Medicaid program can be overwhelming.
- There are so many rules regarding qualification for Medicaid. How can I know what to do?
- Will Medicaid deny my application because my income and assets are too high?
- Do I have to wait 5 years after gifting assets, before I can become eligible for Medicaid?
- Do I have to give away all my property to my children?
- What are “countable” assets?
- Are there legal ways to get up higher on the assisted living Medicaid waitlist or even bypass it?
Medicaid eligibility requirements are extremely complex. These and other questions burden countless Florida families caring for aging loved ones. But the answers to these and many other questions may surprise you.
Contact Your St. Petersburg Medicaid Attorney
To get answers to your questions and to learn about the options available to you, please get in touch!
Attorney John Frazier understands all of the implications of different Medicaid planning options and can help you make the best decisions for you and your loved ones.
Are you concerned about the costs of hiring an attorney? Read more about my sliding scale fees that are the clearest, fairest you will likely find.
Request a free consultation to understand how we can help you today.