Fratello Law

Medicaid Planning Attorney Syosset

Qualify for Medicaid Benefits with Help from a Medicaid Attorney

If you or a loved one is beginning to need additional assistance in the home or in a facility, you may be considering Medicaid to cover the high cost of long term care. A decline in health, a fall or other accident or a recent diagnosis may indicate that a need for additional assistance is on the horizon. However, navigating the complex Medicaid application process or determining what benefits or long term care options are available can be difficult and overwhelming, and any errors can reduce or delay your Medicaid benefits, which can be very costly.

Our Medicaid team at Fratello Law is dedicated to take the time to understand the needs of our clients and ensure appropriate coverage and support is in place in a timely manner.  We understand how overwhelming and stressful it is navigating the Medicaid process while managing the needs and care of a loved one without assistance. If you need assistance getting the appropriate coverage through Medicaid, our experienced Medicaid team is here to help.

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Suffolk Office: (631) 406-5580
Nassau Office: (516) 321-4010

What is the Difference between Medicare and Medicaid?

There are many different Medicaid programs, but for individuals 65 and older, disabled or blind, Medicaid typically works in conjunction with Medicare to “fill gaps” in coverage.  Medicare is the federal medical insurance program for individuals 65 and older or disabled individuals under 65.   Medicaid is available to eligible individuals to cover the cost of long term care, including home health aids, Assisted Living Program (ALP) and Nursing Home care, items not covered generally by Medicare.  While Medicare coverage is available upon turning 65, Medicaid coverage must be approved through an application and eligibility determination process.  This is where a skilled Syosset Elder Law and Medicaid attorney can assist. 

For more specific information, you may want to consult the government website for Medicaid benefits. If you have a specific question, you may want to speak with one of our Elder Law and Medicaid attorneys in Syosset. Our attorneys are highly experienced in the Medicaid eligibility and application process and take the time to understand each client’s individual needs and goals to provide guidance,detailed information and resources.

How Can My Syosset Medicaid Attorney Help Me?

A qualified Medicaid attorney in Syosset can assist you in several ways through the application process. Our Medicaid attorney will guide you through the entire Medicaid process, assist you in estate planning and maximizing asset protection for your loved ones.  

Medicaid Application Assistance

While hiring a lawyer is not necessary to gain access to Medicaid coverage, a knowledgeable Medicaid attorney can help you avoid mistakes and streamline the application process.  When seeking Medicaid to cover the cost of home health aids or a nursing home bill, even a month delay can be very costly. A mistake or oversight on an application can lead to unnecessary delay or rejection.  Avoiding proper planning can result in loss of asset protection and preservation of income.  Our experienced Medicaid team will ensure that you avail yourself of all available protections to which you are entitled. 

Meet Income and Asset Limits

If you think you are over the eligible income or asset limit for Medicaid, a Medicaid lawyer may be able to help you qualify. This may be done in several ways, including planning to lower your countable income or assets. Being over the income or asset limit does not mean you will never be eligible for Medicaid.  It is important that you understand what assets are not counted for Medicaid eligibility purposes and whether there are any exemptions available to preserve assets.

Protect Your Income and Assets

Your Syosset Medicaid lawyer may also know several valuable strategies for protecting your income and assets. As in most instances, early planning is always preferred and generally provides maximum asset protection.  However, when life presents unexpected changes in our plans and we are unable to plan ahead, we still have options available.  It is important that you understand your options given your unique circumstances.

Maximize Income and Assets for Your Loved Ones

If you are married and only one spouse is applying for Medicaid, there are laws preventing your spouse’s impoverishment. This helps guarantee that your spouse is able to live and not draw from too little financial support. If you want to focus on protecting your spouse’s well-being, please bring this up with your Medicaid lawyer during your no-cost consultation.

Reduce Stress

If you’re worried about Medicaid and receiving the long term care you need while maximizing your asset protection, your elder law attorney in Syosset is essential for reducing this stress, explaining your options and helping you develop a strategy that is right for you. To save time and focus on more immediate and important matters, we strongly encourage you to partner with a qualified Medicaid attorney at your earliest convenience

Are My Assets in Syosset Too High for Medicaid?

Trust Attorney SyossetOne of the first roadblocks most individuals fear in applying for Medicaid is that their assets are too high or they make too much money to qualify for Medicaid.  While there are asset and income limits associated with Community and Nursing Home Medicaid, there are many exceptions, exemptions and protections if you understand the program.  There is also misinformation given about what needs to be done to qualify for Medicaid.  It is important that if you or a loved one is in need of long term care or concerned about asset protection for long term care down the road, you speak to a qualified elder law, trust and estates attorney to understand your options.  Where services are needed, delay in qualifying for and submitting an application for Medicaid can be very costly. Many individuals are told to “spend down” their assets to reach eligibility, which may feel stressful or confusing and may be unnecessary.

What should you do to reach Medicaid eligibility? The answer is:  it depends.  Every person is unique in their needs, resources and goals.  It is essential that you speak with a Syosset Medicaid planning attorney that understands your individual circumstances and the available Medicaid programs and coverages to determine the best plan for you.  You may be able to avoid unnecessary barriers with the help of a qualified Medicaid attorney in Syosset. Syosset lawyers with experience in elder law and Medicaid understand strategies and planning that protect your assets and give you access to the care you  need, without unnecessary delay.

Get the Benefits You Need With Syosset Medicaid Attorneys From Fratello Law

If you need help qualifying and applying for Medicaid, our team at Fratello Law may be able to offer the assistance you need. We are dedicated to supporting our clients as they navigate the entire Medicaid process, and we believe in treating each one like family. This means we are invested in creating and building trust and treating each other with empathy and compassion. We are a small firm with a big heart.

To schedule a no-cost initial consultation, discuss the details of your needs, and get more information, please do not hesitate to contact us at your earliest convenience. You can do so by calling us at (516) 321-4010 or completing our contact form. We look forward to welcoming you to our client family.

Medicaid Services We Offer

Medicaid Home Care Application

If you or a loved one need care at home, our experienced lawyers will help you make the right financial moves, protect hard earned assets, and complete the necessary application and paperwork in order to have home care services covered by Medicaid.

Medicaid CDPAP Application

With the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP), you or another family member or friend can get paid from Medicaid to be a caregiver for your loved one. This is a Medicaid-sponsored plan that empowers the Medicaid recipient to select and hire a friend or family member as their paid caregiver. Fratello Law will guide you through the multi-step process of the Medicaid CDPAP application.

Pooled Trusts

A pooled trust is a trust that allows you to protect your income while receiving public assistance benefits, like Medicaid. A pooled trust is an essential tool to preserve your monthly income to pay for your supplemental needs that are not met by public benefits. Our expert Syosset Medicaid planning attorneys can assist you in applying for and establishing a pooled trust to ensure your needs are met.

Medicaid Assisted Living Program Application

The Medicaid Assisted Living Program (ALP) covers the costs of care component for a Medicaid recipient to reside in an approved assisted living residence. We will help you or a loved one understand eligibility, protect assets and complete the complex application process to get your assisted living aid expenses covered.