It never seems like the right time to begin planning for long-term care. Long-term care planning can be a challenge as many different factors and emotions are involved– but avoiding the process of planning is more costly than not. There is a strong likelihood that you or someone in your family may eventually need to be admitted into a nursing home as they continue to get older. Since nursing homes are so costly and expensive, many people need help from Medicaid, but the system is set up in such a way that makes it difficult to get the financial help you need.

Hiring an estate planning lawyer is the only way to ensure that your assets will be protected as you create your long-term care plan for you or your loved one. It is wise to hire a Medicare attorney because many people falsely believe that Medicare will cover all of your health needs once you become older. Sadly, this is simply not the case. Planning ahead is the best thing you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones as you age, and our attorneys at Thomas Walters PLLC are here to help you. We will handle all difficult conversations between you and your insurance company, nursing home caseworkers, Medicaid representatives, and more. Our goal is to make long-term care planning as simple and straightforward as we can on your behalf, so you can get back to enjoying your time with your loved ones.

Does Medicare Pay For Long-Term Nursing Home Care?

In a perfect world, Medicare would take care of all someone’s health needs and expenses after they have retired. Sadly, however, it does not always work this way. When the Medicare system was first created in the mid-1960s, legislators were unaware of how many people would need long-term nursing home care in the future. For this reason, the cost of nursing home care can be a challenge for some. There have not been many changes to Medicare since its inception back then–Medicare was intended to cover only short term care, such as rehabilitating a leg injury, or after a stroke. Medicare is not intended to pay for long-term nursing home care, so to mitigate the risk of running into financial problems when a loved one is being admitted into a nursing home, talk to a Medicare lawyer as soon as possible to create a strong plan for long-term nursing home care.

How Can A Lawyer Help Me Make Plans For A Spouse Who Is Already In A Nursing Home?

Once the loved one has entered a nursing home, there are still many steps you can take to make sure your Medicaid and financial situation are sound. As your elder law attorney, we can help you in making sure that all the appropriate documentation and applications are submitted in a timely and efficient manner, so that there is no risk of making any costly mistakes. It’s never too late to make sure your finances are sound.

Nursing home staff do not have an interest in helping you be approved for a nursing home or managing your finances along the way. It may be helpful to turn to them for answers to your questions, but only an estate planning lawyer knows how the law can work in your favor to ensure your assets are protected. The only way to protect all of your finances and assets properly, and to get helpful assistance applying for Medicaid, is to work with a Medicaid planning attorney in Chapel Hill.

Schedule A Free Medicaid Planning Consultation with Thomas Walters PLLC

As experienced elder law attorneys, our team understands the sensitive and often complicated issues that arise when individuals are planning for long-term care. Qualifying for Medicaid, and submitting a successful application, can be difficult to do without the guidance of an elder law attorney. Making any kind of mistake with these processes can be costly, so the best way to reduce any complication is to hire an elder planning attorney.

At Thomas Walters PLLC, our team of elder care lawyers offer a free, no obligation consultation for anyone in the Chapel Hill area who is interested in learning more about long-term care planning, planning for entering a nursing home, applying for and qualifying for Medicaid, and much more. We take the time to listen to your unique situation and your concerns for your family and future. Our lawyers will stop at nothing to make sure that you feel safe, secure, and comfortable every step of the way while creating these important plans.