You’re starting to think about how you’re going to pay for your long-term care, and you aren’t sure whether you should buy long-term care insurance or if you’ll qualify for Medicaid.
Here are the Medicaid eligibility requirements for long-term care so you can plan ahead.
What Medicaid Covers
Medicaid is a state and federally-funded health insurance program for people of any age who are low-income. Medicaid will pay for your short-term and long-term medical care like visits to the doctor as well as non-medical care like in-home support services. You can also receive assistance if you need money to go into a nursing home. If you qualify on a medical and financial basis, then Medicaid will cover most of your long-term care expenses. If you get long-term care insurance as well, then Medicaid will likely pay for the rest of the costs that your plan won’t cover.
Medicaid Eligibility
You could receive Medicaid if you are 65 and older and your income is below a certain threshold. The income limit depends on the state in which you live and your household size. In Washington, your pre-tax income must not be higher than $17,131 per year if you have one person in your household. If you live with someone else, then that limit jumps to $23,169. If there are three people in your house, it’s $29,207, and for four people, it’s $35,245.
Applying for Medicaid
You can apply for Medicaid in Washington through the Washington Health Benefit Exchange website. The program is called Apple Health, and you can find out more information about qualifying before you apply by logging onto its website.
Contact Legacy Law Group
If you need help with estate planning when it comes to your long-term care, you can contact the estate planning attorneys at Legacy Law Group in Eastern Washington, Spokane Valley, and Spokane itself. Get in touch with us at (509) 315-8087.
