New Jersey Medicaid

by -

There are five criteria an individual must satisfy in order to qualify for New Jersey long term care Medicaid for seniors (known as Medicaid Managed Long Term Services and Supports). First, the applicant must be a United States Citizen or an Eligible Alien. An Eligible Alien is an individual who has lived in the US for at least five years as a permanent resident.

Second, only New Jersey residents are eligible to collect Medicaid in New Jersey. New Jersey statute defines a resident as any person who is living in NJ voluntarily and not for a temporary purpose, with no present intention of leaving. This is easily satisfied when an individual relocates to a facility or a private residence and files for benefits in that county.

Third, by definition the applicant must be over age 65. However, New Jersey will allow one under the age of 65 to receive Medicaid if she meets the criteria to be deemed disabled under the Social Security Disability laws.

Fourth, the applicant must be within the State’s financial eligibility criteria for both income and assets. This depends on certain criteria, including whether the individual is single or married.

Fifth, the applicant must be “disabled” under New Jersey Medicaid standards. It must be determined that the applicant requires long term institutional level of care. An applicant is considered medically eligible if she needs assistance with at least three activities of daily living. Activities of daily living include toileting, transferring, bathing, dressing, and walking, and eating. Mental deficiencies also satisfy this requirement if the applicant’s mental condition places his or her health or safety at risk.

In the last few years a number of Medicaid application service businesses have appeared. While it may be tempting to employ a service to aid you in applying for Medicaid, families are most often better served using an elder law attorney to guide them in this important and complicated process. Not only is the application process fraught with pitfalls, but there are also many legal strategies that can make the process easier and save the family tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Only attorneys are licensed to counsel applicants on these legal strategies – many of which are unknown and beyond the expertise of Medicaid service providers.

Why you should use an Elder Law Attorney for your Medicaid Application

by -

Medicaid is an extremely complicated yet valuable program that can provide health care services to a senior living at home, in an Assisted Living Facility, or in a Skilled Nursing Facility. We meet with many families who have tried unsuccessfully, or are in the process of applying for Medicaid, who require guidance in order to receive Medicaid approval. Due to the complexity of the application and the documentation required for an approval, many families retain us to guide them through the process.

Although a Medicaid Application processing company can prepare an application, there are limitations. These companies are specifically prohibited from providing legal advice regarding transfers of assets that are allowed by Medicaid. In addition, there are several exceptions to the general rule that an individual cannot transfer assets within five year years preceding a Medicaid Application. Medicaid processing companies are not aware of these valuable exceptions. This lack of guidance often results in financial hardship for other members of the family.

On the other hand, an Elder Law Attorney provides guidance on potential opportunities for spending down along with filing an application on the client’s behalf. To put it simply, the main goal of a processing company is to have the applicant approved for Medicaid, whereas the goals of an Elder Law Attorney are to have the applicant approved for Medicaid while saving as much money as possible using allowable legal strategies. Some examples of the benefits of working with an Elder Law Attorney are: Saving the spouse from impoverishment; providing for a disabled child; saving a home from estate recovery; or merely allowing the Medicaid recipient some extra money to provide for a better quality of life in her final years.

Our guidance takes into account the appropriate healthcare considerations for our client, combined with the financial and tax consequences. A Medicaid processing company will not have these considerations in mind when handling your loved one’s application. Who would you rather guide you during the process, a processing company with a singular focus or an Elder Law Attorney that takes a holistic approach and considers all the legal consequences involved with submitting a Medicaid Application?