Like all major life changes, having a loved one fall ill and need serious medical care can happen suddenly. Would you be ready to find them quality nursing home care if they needed it? It’s a stressful, draining process trying to figure out just how you’re going to pay for long-term care, especially since in 2017, the average annual cost of a private nursing home room was $97,455 a year! It’s only gone up since then. Now, one option for paying for a nursing home is through Medicaid, the federal program that helps people with limited incomes afford medical costs. However, the qualifications for Medicaid vary from state to state and are endlessly complex wherever you live. As we continue, we’ll explain some of the obstacles associated with qualifying for Medicaid. Of course, it makes sense that to qualify for Medicaid, your income would need to be below a certain level. The total value of your assets also cannot surpass a certain level, either. That asset value threshold is called the Individual Resource Allowance, and it is almost always incredibly low — usually at around $2,000. In many cases, however, homes and automobiles are exempt from the allowance. Don’t Try It by Yourself! Navigating the Complex World of Qualifying for Medicaid
The applicant’s spouse can only keep half of the couple’s assets, up to $128,640, a figure that is known as the Maximum Community Spouse Resource Allowance. So, if a couple has this maximum amount of assets, they’ll have to “spend down” those assets until the applicant has just $2,000 and their spouse has $61,800. However, if you have more assets than the maximum, you could run into more problems if you try to give some of them away. You might violate the Transfer Penalty Rule, which could disqualify you from receiving Medicaid altogether. Now, this overview of qualifying for Medicaid is far from exhaustive, but it should give you an idea of how difficult it is to qualify without expert help. Luckily, the Van Dyck Law legal team can answer any questions you have about your specific situation. Call today at 609‑580-1044 or email Info@VanDyckFirm.com.
If the person in need of Medicaid is married, the rules surrounding the Individual Resource Allowance become even more complicated.
Inspired by TheSeasonedMom.com Spring Vegetable and Chicken Pasta Bake
EDUCATION CENTER EVENTS IN BRIEF There are two events offered by the Education Center, on several different dates, over the next three months. Both will be held virtually, unless otherwise noted. ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND DEMENTIA SEMINAR Dates: April 27, May 4, May 18, June 1, and June 15 Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This seminar is designed specifically for health care workers and will count as eight CE credits toward becoming a Certified Dementia Practitioner. CIRCLE OF FRIENDS DEMENTIA SUPPORT GROUP Dates: April 13, April 27, May 11, May 25, June 8, and June 22 Time: 10–11 a.m. This event is for anyone who is not a health care professional, but who is caring for someone with dementia in some capacity and wants to meet with others in the same position.
Celebrate spring with this easy, tasty, herb-packed pasta bake.
INGREDIENTS • 1 cup cooked chicken, diced • 1 14-oz can artichokes, drained and quartered • 1 cup fresh asparagus pieces • 1/2 cup carrots, grated • 1 1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta • 1 3/4 cups chicken broth • 1/2 cup fresh chives, chopped and divided • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped and divided • 2 tsp minced garlic • 1/4 tsp salt • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 425 F and grease an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. 2. In the prepared dish, stir together cooked chicken, artichokes, asparagus, carrots, uncooked pasta, chicken broth, half the chives, half the parsley, garlic, salt, and 2 tbsp Parmesan. 3. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes. 4. Uncover and stir. At this point, check the pasta to make sure it is al dente. If it’s undercooked, cover the dish and return to the oven until pasta is tender. 5. Remove from oven and garnish with remaining Parmesan, chives, and parsley.
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