will cover nursing home costs, which can run $50,000 a year or more. Not many people can pay those costs out of their regular income. Long-term care insurance is too expensive for many older people. If the person is already sick, he or she may be uninsurable.
Medicaid covers approximately 36 million individuals including children, the aged, blind, and/or disabled, and people who are eligible to receive federally assisted income maintenance payments. Medicaid Articles
The program, known as Medicaid, became law in 1965 as a jointly funded cooperative venture between the Federal and State governments to assist States in the provision of adequate medical care to eligible needy persons.
Medicaid is the largest program providing medical and health-related services to America's poorest people. Within broad national guidelines which the Federal government provides, each of the States:
- establishes its own eligibility standards;
- determines the type, amount, duration, and scope of services;
- sets the rate of payment for services; and
- administers its own program.
Thus, the Medicaid program varies considerably from State to State, as well as within each State over time.
How can we pay for nursing home care now that my spouse has had a stroke?
The cost of long term care can be devastating for a married couple. The Medicaid eligibility rules allow a married couple to protect some assets to provide for the spouse who is still living at home. The eligibility rules are complex and there is a lot of misinformation about how a spouse can qualify for benefits.
Can I give away assets to my children so that I can qualify for Medicaid?
Depending upon your individual circumstances it may be possible to make gifts to protect some of your assets from the cost of long term care. The Medicaid gift rules are complex and the consequences of making a mistake are costly. Before you give away assets to qualify for Medicaid you need to be clear on how gifts will affect your future eligibility for Medicaid.