What Caregivers Need To Know About Medicaid

Oklahoma City Medicaid attorneys provide help to caregivers who are caring for a loved one. Whether you are caring for an aging parent, a disabled child, a sibling, or anyone else in your life, we can explain the benefits and services available to enhance the quality of life for the patient for whom you are providing care. 

Parman & Easterday has assisted many caregivers, patients, and their families with a wide variety of issues related to illness and the aging process. One key service we can provide is  with qualifying for Medicaid benefits. Medicaid benefits can be an important source of aid for a person with a serious illness or injury who requires costly care. In some cases, it may even be possible for Medicaid benefits to ease the strain of caregiving by allowing family caregivers to be paid for the services they provide.

Please reach out to Parman & Easterday to learn what you as a caregiver need to know about the Medicaid program so you and your loved one are able to get as much help and support as possible.  Our Oklahoma City Medicaid attorneys will help evaluate eligibility, determine what benefits might be available, and obtain or preserve access to important benefits. You can call us today to find out more.

What Caregivers Need to Know About Medicaid

First and foremost, caregivers should consider whether the family member for whom they are providing care could be eligible for Medicaid benefits now or in the future.  For example, parents of disabled children may be able to qualify their children for Medicaid to help cover the costs of expensive care. If the household income of the parents is too high now, children who have special needs may qualify for Medicaid once they become adults.  Parents, however, need to be smart about how they structure any inheritance they leave their children to avoid the loss of these “means-tested” benefits.

Caregivers of seniors or those with progressive conditions should also consider whether their loved ones may require nursing home care or long-term care at home at any point in the future. Often, the only source of funds to pay for this type of care is Medicaid because Medicare does not cover custodial care, defined as routine help with activities of daily living required by many sick or elderly people.   If your relative has too many assets to qualify for Medicaid right now, but may need Medicaid in the future, you may want to assist your loved one in establishing a Medicaid plan to protect assets while at the same time preparing your loved one to qualify for Medicaid when nursing home care becomes necessary.

Caregivers should also consider whether they are eligible to receive payment as a family caregiver.  While this is currently not available in Oklahoma, AARP indicates this is possible in some states depending upon the State’s Medicaid program.  If payments are available for family members who provide care, this could alleviate some of the financial concerns that arise when a caregiver is not able to work full time due to the assistance they provide to their loved one.

Getting Help From Oklahoma Medicaid Attorneys

Whatever your situation, Oklahoma City Medicaid attorneys can provide invaluable assistance with the Medicaid planning process and can offer you the advice you need to take full advantage of Medicaid coverage. We help caregivers and patients protect assets while qualifying the patients for Medicaid, and we can assist you in creating a comprehensive Medicaid plan that makes the most of the benefits available to pay for essential care.

To find out more about how our legal team can help you, call today at  (405) 843-6100 or (913) 385-9400 or contact us online. You can also join us for a free seminar to learn more about the different services we provide to help with the aging process or with caring for a disabled or elderly loved one.