At Surprenant & Beneski, P.C., we understand that life can throw unexpected challenges your way, especially when it comes to urgent health needs that require long-term nursing care. While our firm excels at preparing individuals and families for MassHealth (Medicaid) eligibility over time, we also specialize in crisis MassHealth planning, providing swift solutions for clients facing sudden medical emergencies.
Whether it’s a catastrophic accident or an unforeseen medical event, our experienced attorneys stand ready to assist you in navigating the complexities of crisis planning. Below are a number of specific steps, tailored to various estate structures, that can help you address immediate care needs while ensuring future financial stability.
1. Immediate Financial Assessment
In crisis situations, time is of the essence. Our first step is to conduct a thorough assessment of your current financial situation to determine eligibility for MassHealth coverage. This includes evaluating income, assets, and resources to identify any immediate options for financing long-term nursing care.
2. Asset Protection Strategies
Depending on your estate structure, we’ll implement asset protection strategies to preserve your resources while facilitating MassHealth eligibility. This may involve strategic gifting, establishing irrevocable trusts, or converting countable assets into exempt resources to shield them from Medicaid spend-down requirements.
- Strategic gifting involves gifting assets to family members or other loved ones following Medicaid guidelines to reduce your countable assets and accelerate eligibility for coverage.
- Irrevocable trusts, such as irrevocable Medicaid trusts or special needs trusts, can shield your assets from Medicaid spend-down requirements while allowing you to retain some control and/or benefit from the trust assets.
- Conversion of assets by converting countable assets into exempt resources, such as home equity or certain life insurance policies, can help meet MassHealth asset limits without depleting your resources entirely. This may also involve restructuring investments or paying off debts.
3. Income Planning
For individuals with high incomes, we devise income-planning strategies to reduce excess income in order to meet MassHealth eligibility criteria. This may involve:
- Creating annuities
- Establishing Qualified Income Trusts (QITs)
- Exploring other income diversion techniques
In any case, our sharp MassHealth attorneys will ensure that whichever tactic we use is in full compliance with Medicaid guidelines.
4. Estate Planning Adjustments
In some cases, adjustments to existing estate plans may be necessary to align with MassHealth planning objectives. Our attorneys will review your estate planning documents to identify any potential conflicts or gaps that could impact Medicaid eligibility or asset protection strategies. Once we have analyzed your current estate plan, we will recommend appropriate modifications as needed.
5. Crisis Medicaid Application Assistance
Navigating the MassHealth application process can be daunting, especially during a crisis. Our team will provide valuable assistance by completing and submitting the necessary paperwork, ensuring accuracy, and expediting the approval process to secure coverage as quickly as possible.
6. Long-Term MassHealth Planning
While addressing immediate care needs is our priority, we also focus on long-term MassHealth planning to safeguard your financial future. This includes implementing strategies to maintain eligibility, protect assets, and maximize benefits under MassHealth regulations, providing peace of mind for you and your loved ones.
In a Healthcare Crisis? Contact Our MassHealth Attorneys Now!
At Surprenant & Beneski, our experienced attorneys are dedicated to providing solutions tailored to your particular circumstances. Whether you’re facing a sudden medical emergency or planning for future contingencies, you can trust us to guide you through. As soon as you get in touch with us, you will feel the relief that comes from putting yourself in the hands of capable, compassionate professionals.
