Overview of How to Pay for Long Term Care (Part 2 of 2)

As we pointed out in the first part of this article, at a certain point in most people’s lives, they become concerned about paying for long term care.

There are 5 basic ways to pay for long term care.  We discussed private pay, long term care insurance and Medicare in part one.  Now, we turn to Medi-Cal and Veterans Aid and Attendance.

Medi-Cal

Medi-Cal is a form of public assistance for families who meet specified income and asset requirements.  Eigible Californians use Medi-Cal to pay for long term care in a nursing home because they don’t have the personal resources and either can’t qualify for or can’t afford long term care insurance.

Elder Law attorneys help people qualify for and apply for Medi-Cal benefits.  With the guidance of a qualified, experienced elder law attorney,  many assets can be protected; you don’t have to lose them all to the nursing home.

Veterans Benefits

A special Veterans Pension may be available to pay for long term care if you or your spouse is a Veteran who served for the United States military during designated war time periods and are financially and medically needy.

This benefit, sometimes referred to as Aid and Attendance, pays for long term care in assisted living, board and care and in a nursing home.  It’s in addition to any pension you may receive.  There is also a benefit available through the VA Pension program for persons who are homebound.

Long term care benefits are also available to certain veterans who have a significant service-related disability

Elder law attorneys who have been accredited by the VA can help veterans and their surviving spouses to qualify for veterans benefits. Attorney Tim Murphy is VA accredited.

If you have any questions about paying for long term care, please contact our office.

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Timothy P. Murphy

Timothy P. Murphy is an estate planning and elder law attorney whose practice emphasizes helping people to build, preserve and pass on their wealth. He works with his clients to accomplish their goals while avoiding unnecessary court proceedings and minimizing or eliminating exposure to death taxes.

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