Twin Falls Elder Law Attorney
Preparing for the Inevitable with Assurance
Planning for the challenges of aging and long-term care is a difficult, but thoughtful gift for those close to us.
Long-term nursing care is expensive and critically important for everyone to understand no matter your financial situation. Careful planning now can protect your assets and legacy for your spouse or family’s future.
It’s scary to realize your life’s savings and assets could be depleted in just a year or two of long-term care so give yourself the peace of mind that comes with preparing for the future.
Planning for the Future with Care
The realities of aging are often unacknowledged until you or your loved one face a health crisis and are suddenly thrown into a world of nursing homes, care facilities, and complicated legal terms.
Many long-term care facilities in Idaho cost upward of $84,000 a year so even those with considerable wealth face a substantial financial loss. This is a critical issue, especially for middle class families, since insurance doesn’t cover these costs until a patient qualifies for Medicaid. Careful planning now can help protect your assets for your spouse or your children.
Elder law is an aspect of estate planning that focuses on long term care, guardianships, conservatorships, health care directives and powers of attorney. We handle all areas of elder law so you’ll have peace of mind no matter what the future holds.
- Guardianships and Conservatorships
- Health Care Directives
- Financial and Medical Powers of Attorney
- Long Term Care (nursing home) and Medicaid Planning
- General Estate Planning
- Elder Abuse
We’re with You Every Step of the Way
We’ll learn about your family and your concerns regarding you or your loved one’s future.
Before moving forward or implementing any plan, we make sure your questions have been answered and the plan accurately reflects your wishes.
Once your plan is prepared, we continue to follow up to ensure you and your family’s goals are reinforced.
You Deserve Comfortable Care and Peace of Mind
Long-term care can be a daunting thought but an average stay is slightly more than three years. Most people end up paying for nursing home care until their personal or family assets are depleted.
Medicaid and Medicare:
Many of our clients are frequently confused over the differences between Medicare and Medicaid. Though their names are similar, the programs are quite different.
Medicare is an entitlement program, meaning it is a government program that guarantees certain benefits to a particular group or segment of the population. Specifically, Medicare is a federal health insurance program in which most people enroll when they turn 65 years old. There are no financial qualification rules. Medicare covers in-hospital care, extended care after a hospital stay, some home health care services, and hospice services. The rules for nursing home coverage are very strict making it difficult to use Medicare for long term care. It is estimated that Medicare pays for less than 9 percent of nursing home care in this country.
Medicaid is a joint federal-state program, subject to certain federal requirements. Each state implements its own regulations on how the program is managed. Medicaid is not an entitlement program like Medicare, but rather a form of welfare. Medicaid eligibility is based on financial need. To qualify for Medicaid, applicants must have income and assets below certain threshold amounts.
Don’t leave planning for the challenges of aging until the last minute. Protecting yourself or a vulnerable parent or spouse will provide both of you with peace of mind. We know how overwhelming this can be and want you to feel confident in a plan for the future.