Medicaid

Navigating Illinois’s Medicaid application backlog can be difficult for families when their loved one needs long-term care. In this article, we will discuss steps you can take to ensure your application is moving through the system. According to the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) at illinois.gov, the number of Medicaid applications which […]

A standard, open-market annuity might ruin your Medicaid exemption because Medicaid treats it as a countable asset with accessible cash value. To obtain Medicaid eligibility while owning an annuity, it must be a Medicaid compliant annuity. An annuity is a contract between you and an insurance company, wherein you invest money and the insurer guarantees […]

The Medicaid sibling exemption allows a Medicaid applicant to transfer their primary residence to a qualified sibling without violating the 5-year Look-Back Period or facing Medicaid penalties. This protects the home from being counted toward asset limits and shields it from Medicaid’s Estate Recovery Program after the applicant passes away. There are strict eligibility requirements […]

When one spouse of a married couple enters a nursing home using Medicaid benefits, the government provides spousal impoverishment protections to ensure the well spouse can continue to live comfortably in the community. In states like Illinois, Arkansas, and Indiana, when one spouse enters long-term care, the community spouse is simply assigned a portion of […]

For long-term care planning, a standard or general Power of Attorney form may be insufficient. To effectively navigate Medicaid’s strict financial rules, you need a “Medicaid-Compliant” Durable Power of Attorney. When creating a Durable Power of Attorney (POA), one should anticipate the need for nursing home care in the future, which includes the possibility that […]

To apply for Medicaid, you will generally need to provide proof of your identity, citizenship or residency, income, and assets. If these documents are not provided, your Medicaid application may be significantly delayed or even denied. A checklist of the most common documents required includes: 1. Personal & Identity Documents Proof of Identity: Government-issued photo […]