Medicaid - ALTCS Lawyer Mesa Arizona | ALTCS Planning

Arizona Medicaid & ALTCS Lawyer

Many Generations

Some of the biggest creditors at the end of life are the State of Arizona and providers of long-term care. Average long-term care prices are rising everywhere, leaving many looking for ways to protect their estate against those creditors, including planning to ensure that Medicaid will pay for long-term care at the earliest point possible.

In Arizona, the Medicaid program dedicated to providing long-term care services is called the Arizona Long-Term Care System, or “ALTCS”. Medicaid planning under ALTCS may be your only option to ensure that you receive long-term healthcare benefits while protecting your hard-earned assets.

The first step in Medicaid planning is to learn what is at stake and how you can protect your hard-earned assets. Provided within is a brief look at some aspects of Medicaid in Arizona. For a tailored plan, consult with a qualified legal advisor.

The best advice we can give you is this:

Start planning now! No one knows what the future will bring. The sooner you start preparing, the fewer surprises there are likely to be. And planning now can make a big difference financially and emotionally for you and your loved ones.

Our Arizona Medicaid/ALTCS attorneys have the answers to the questions you have about the complex Arizona Long Term Care System.

How Much Do Nursing Homes Cost in Arizona?

According to a Cost of Care Survey 2011, provided by Genworth, the following amounts show the average cost of long-term care in the Metro Phoenix Area for full-time services:

Home Health Aide Services - $40,040.00/year
Adult Day Health Care - $45,188.00/year
Assisted Living Facility - $36,000.00/ year
Nursing Home Semi- Private Room - $66,795.00/ year
Nursing Home Private Room - Average of $82,490.00/ year

Today, an estate worth $250,000.00 can be completely consumed by the cost of long-term care in anywhere from 3 to 7 years.

How Can My Loved One Qualify For ALTCS In Arizona?

When applying for ALTCS, the state of Arizona will use your application to conduct a three part test. If you meet all three, you will qualify. The applicant must:

Have medical need of Long-term care;
Meet the income limits;
Meet the asset limits.

If the applicant does not meet any one of the three tests, the applicant will not be eligible for ALTCS. Further, applying at the wrong time may unnecessarily delay benefits. Therefore, it is crucial to choose to apply when you know you will qualify.

But Why Do I Need an Attorney?

An ALTCS Attorney will help you with Proactive Planning Verses Crisis Planning (but can help you in either case!)

Proactive Planning: The preferred method of planning for ALTCS is to plan to meet the income and asset limits before become medically eligible. To help you understand your options, we have a process. The first step involves providing you with a Medicaid Asset Protection Strategy Analysis. This complete written analysis of your current financial situation will include recommendations and a follow-up Conference with an Attorney to discuss strategies available to protect your assets from the cost of long-term care. From there, you can decide what to do.

Crisis Planning: Often people wait until they are medically eligible to apply for ALTCS. These situations are usually stressful and involve a sudden need for immediate qualification because of a newly acquired medical condition. It is never too late to plan, even if a loved one is already in a Nursing home. (However, do not rely on the Nursing home to apply for Medicaid for you.)

How Much Should I Try To Protect?

This may seem like a simple question; of course all of it, right? However, protecting your assets involves significant questions relating to control and quality of life.

Often people neglect this issue and affect their quality of life later on. A commonly used phrase is “I’ll just spend down my estate and then apply for Medicaid.” Such statements do not take into consideration the quality of life while on Medicaid. For example:

Will a monthly allowance of $93.00 per month provide you with enough spending money while on Medicaid?
Do you want to live in a private room or share with someone? Medicaid may not be willing to pay for a private room.
How important is it to leave a legacy for your children or loved ones?

Arizona Medicaid & ALTCS