Unfortunately, Medicaid fraud and abuse is a reality. It costs billions every year in diverted funds that could have been used for valid health care services. Because of this fraud and abuse, the cost of Medi-Cal coverage has increased needlessly. Another problem is the risk of harm to patients who are unknowingly exposed to unnecessary medical procedures for the benefit of fraudulent doctors.  Your Long Beach Medi-Cal planning attorneys can help you avoid fraud on your part.What is Considered … [Read more...]

One of the worst mistakes you can make when it comes to planning for the future is overlooking the potential need for Medi-Cal planning. What typically happens is that young, healthy clients assume that planning for long-term care in the future is unnecessary. While being healthy in your senior years is fantastic, that does not preclude you from needing health care assistance later on. Let our Orange County Medi-Cal planning attorneys help you plan.Plan for the UnexpectedYou may not have … [Read more...]

One important question we have been asked by clients is why they would ever need to transfer their residence into a trust? One of the most common reasons is to protect your home from estate recovery by Medi-Cal. If there is a Medicaid lien against your estate at the time of your death, then your heirs will lose your house. However, if you understand how to protect your home from estate recovery through appropriate Medi-Cal planning, you could avoid this unfortunate consequence. This article will … [Read more...]

There may come a time for every family when a loved one might benefit from hospice care and a decision must be made how to pay for that.  The purpose of hospice care is to provide care, instead of a cure, for medical ailments. This includes providing end-of-life care, typically at the patient's home as opposed to a hospital or long-term care nursing facility.  In many cases, it will be the patient's friends and family who will serve as the primary caregivers and decision makers regarding the … [Read more...]

A common misconception that many people have is that they can make themselves eligible for Medi-Cal by, basically, giving away their assets.  However, there are mechanisms in place that discourage individuals for doing just that. When it comes to IRAs, they are considered countable assets. But, there are Medi-Cal planning strategies that our Medi-Cal planning attorneys can provide to help you protect your assets while maintaining your eligibility.Income Limits For Single and Married … [Read more...]

If you are over the age of 65 and still relatively healthy, that is something to be happy about. But that doesn’t mean you don’t need to consider Medi-Cal planning. Why? Because you never know if you might need long-term care at some point in your life. The worst mistake you could make is overlooking the need for Orange County Medi-Cal planning.  Unexpected illness or injury can leave anyone with medical issues that require long-term care.  It is reported that more than 2/3 of the population … [Read more...]

If you are considering applying for Medi-Cal benefits, there are important eligibilty requirements that you must be aware of.  One important eligibility issue is known as the “five-year look-back period.”  This penalty period applies when an applicant is seeking long-term care benefits through Medi-Cal and makes asset transfers during that period. This article will explain a few ways our Orange County Medi-Cal planning attorneys can help you prove that your asset transfers are not subject to the … [Read more...]

Medi-Cal is a “payer of last resort” which means that all other sources of payment for an applicant’s medical care, must be exhausted before Medi-Cal will begin to pay for long-term care expenses.  If you give away any of your property or assets shortly before applying, you may be ineligible for long-term care benefits for a five-year period after your application is accepted.  In determining whether this penalty period applies to you, the Medicaid agency will scrutinize any transfers you made … [Read more...]

Through years of experience, our Orange County Medi-Cal planning lawyers have learned that families should seriously consider planning for the potential need for hospice care. Hospice care is a type of health care service that focuses on caring for individuals instead of curing medical illness, as well as providing end-of-life care. The majority of hospice care takes place in the patient's home. It is not uncommon for friends and family of a hospice patient to serve as the primary caregivers.  … [Read more...]

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that the rate of hospitalization in nursing homes is steadily rising. According to some statistics, one-fourth of long-term nursing home patients require hospitalization every year and one-fifth of nursing home patients receiving Medicare benefits return to the hospital within 30-days of being released. This “boomerang” effect of repeated hospitalization and nursing home readmissions is a problem. Our Long Beach nursing home lawyer can … [Read more...]