It may be that you or your loved one is looking towards long term care and you wish to know if you can receive Medicaid benefits while at home instead of a nursing home. You ate not alone.
In fact, the vast majority of citizens prefer to be cared for at home rather than going to an assisted living center. It is cheaper, and you get to be in a familiar place, probably cared for by your family. For these reasons, All US states now allow some aspect of home care to be covered by Medicaid so that participants do not have to go to a nursing home before they can get the benefits.
However, the extent to which home care is covered by Medicaid is limited in some states. In New York, community based long term care services, including personal care assistance are covered by Medicaid through the MTLC program.
· Managed Long-Term Care (MTLC) Program
The MTLC is a Medicaid program established for eligible individuals having chronic diseases and/or disabilities who prefer to get their care at home. The state of New York requires Medicaid eligible individuals above 21 who are in need of community based long term care to apply for Managed Long Term Care plans.
This program optimizes the assistance the home care giver offers their loved one. It also provides the external professionals necessary for professional care such as skilled nurses, personal care assistants, etc.
The MTLC comprises sub plan, and it is best to consult with an elder law attorney to know which is best for you.
· Consumer-Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP)
In some cases, the MLTC agency may provide a third party financial body that will offer the services typically provided by a personal care assistant. The Medicaid participant will be the one to hire the personal care assistant. He or she is thus in the driver’s seat, having the authority to hire who will care for them.
In summary, there are several Medicaid programs that will cover your home care. You just need to know what’s right for you so that you can live your final days in comfort.
To get more insight into what Medicaid program to enroll in, it is best to consult an elder law attorney near you.
What does Medicaid cover?
Medicaid covers a host of things that border on long term care, whether in a nursing home facility or at home. It covers:
- Doctor visits
- Hospital expenses
- Home health care
- Nursing home costs for long term care.
- Pediatric and family nurse practitioner services, and the likes.
Medicaid does not cover prescription drugs. Medicare takes care of that.
Medicaid eligibility
Medicaid, on the other hand, is a program that covers the healthcare cost of long term care for low income Americans who cannot afford the high cost of assisted living.
Notably, Medicaid caters to people of all age unlike Medicare. It caters to children and older adults, each with their own requirements, nonetheless.
The following persons can apply for Medicaid:
- Adults earning below $884 monthly and having an estate worth less than $15,900
- Pregnant women
- Single individuals
- Children below 18
- Someone having blindness or other disability
- Parents and caretakers
- New York residents
- Legal aliens.
- An individual wills huge medical bills
Eligibility for Medicaid is typical determined by your income. If you earn over the limit of $884 monthly with estate worth over $15,900, you may not qualify for Medicaid.
Talk to an elder law attorney near you NYC
Planning towards long term care can be daunting, but things become clearly when you have a legal expert guiding you.
If you have questions or need help with your long term care in New York City, put a call through to our law firm today.
We also help in estate planning, ensuring you get peace of mind for your future.
Our attorneys can help you plan and establish documents for asset transfer, incapacity, guardianship for your minors, and probate minimization so that your loved ones can inherit without hassles.
Let us help you strategize now so that you can look to the future with assurance.
Call us today to speak with an elder law attorney near you in New York.
