Simply because you are particularly healthy at the moment, that does not mean you won’t eventually need long-term care in the future. This is a common misconception shared by some Sacramento residents. You may not have health issues right now, but how can you predict how healthy you will be in 30 years? In fact, an unexpected injury could leave you with health issues that ultimately require long-term care, as well. More than two-thirds of all residents over the age of 65 need long-term care at some point in their lives. Therefore, it would be a mistake not to at least be familiar with the Medi-Cal process.
Even healthy people can have a need for long-term care
So many people ignore the fact that sickness is not the only reason you may need long-term care. For instance, if you suffered a terrible injury following an automobile accident, there is certainly a possibility that you will need long-term care in order to fully recover from that injury. In many cases, loved ones are admitted to nursing homes because of the need for daily assistance with activities such as dressing and grooming, simply as a result of aging.
Medi-Cal eligibility for Sacramento residents
One important aspect of the Medi-Cal process is determining eligibility. Medi-Cal is essentially one basic benefits program that you can qualify for in several different ways known as eligibility categories. For instance, SSI-Linked Medi-Cal is an eligibility category which allows individuals who qualify for SSI to automatically qualify for Medi-Cal benefits. There are more than 90 eligibility categories, each with its own rules and requirements. Once you meet the requirements of any eligibility category, you are considered eligible for either full or partial-scope Medi-Cal.
Common eligibility categories for people with disabilities
If your family has income at or below 138% of the Federal Poverty Level, you may be eligible for Income-Based Medi-Cal. If you are aged or disabled, you may be eligible for Aged & Disabled Federal Poverty Level Medi-Cal. If you are disabled and working, you may be eligible for California’s Working Disabled Program.
If you are aged, blind, or disabled, but your income is too high for other Medi-Cal programs, you may be eligible for Aged, Blind, and Disabled – Medically Needy Medi-Cal. For this program, you may need to “spend down” a certain amount of your own money before Medi-Cal begins to pay for medical services. This payment is called a share of cost. For more information regarding the Medi-Cal process and Medi-Cal eligibility, you can visit this link.
Health insurance typically does not cover the cost of long-term care
Unfortunately, far too many people misjudge the real cost of long-term care, which is typically rather expensive. The average annual rate of long-term care in California is more than $94,000. Add to that the likelihood that nearly half of the California citizens age 65 and older need long-term care for approximately five years. That can be overwhelming enough. Yet, there is a common misconception that Medicare and private health insurance will be sufficient to cover the costs of long-term care. In reality, they cover very little of these costs.
What is involved in the California Medi-Cal process?
One of the primary differences between Medicare and Medicaid, or Medi-Cal as it is known in California, is that Medi-Cal is an income-based or needs-based healthcare assistance program. Federal, state and local tax funds are used to aid eligible individuals with paying their medical expenses. Generally, Medi-Cal recipients are only required to pay a small co-payment for covered medical expenses, if anything at all. Medi-Cal will typically pay for some in-home services, but only if a physician certifies that home care services are actually needed for specified medical reasons.
The benefits of Medi-Cal planning
The purpose of Medi-Cal benefits is to assist low-income California residents in paying for medical services. Because Medi-Cal is a needs-based program, recipients can have no more than $2,000 in assets. The goal of Medi-Cal planning is to keep you from exhausting all of your resources in order to be eligible for benefits.
Also, if an applicant for Medi-Cal gives away property or assets right before submitting an application, those transfers of property can be seen as fraudulent and result in your benefits being delayed or denied. However, if you understand the Medi-Cal process and plan ahead, you can avoid the appearance of fraudulent transfers.
If you have questions regarding the Medi-Cal process, or any other elder planning needs, contact the Northern California Center for Estate Planning and Elder Law for a consultation, either online or by calling us at (916) 437-3500.
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