Plymouth Medicaid Planning Lawyer

Plymouth Medicaid Planning Attorney

Estate planning can be confusing, especially when it comes to Medicaid. By working with a local Plymouth Medicaid planning lawyer, you can examine all your options when it comes to protecting your finances and other assets.

Our lawyer team at At Albanese Law, LLC, we work diligently to help our clients and their families qualify for assistance while keeping their assets safe, so they don’t have to worry about their long-term care down the road. If you are moving a loved one to the Life Care Center of Plymouth, Plymouth Harborside Healthcare, or another facility in the Plymouth area, we’re here to help you explore all your options when it comes to protecting your wealth and your Medicaid eligibility.

About Massachusetts Medicaid and Medicaid Planning in Plymouth

Massachusetts Medicaid is also known as MassHealth. As of November, 1,455,521 people were enrolled in MassHealth in 2024. Although there has been an overall increase in Medicaid enrollment in Massachusetts from 2020 to the present, it’s worth noting that the state disenrolled 666,208 people from MassHealth in March 2023.

This mass disenrollment was in response to the provision that paused disenrollments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reasons for disenrollments include eligibility changes, problems with renewals, or other procedural issues. Our Plymouth Medicaid planning lawyers can help you retain your access to benefits when problems like this arise.

The purpose of Medicaid planning is to ensure you can access your benefits once you become eligible while keeping your financial assets secure. Medicaid has strict rules for income and asset limits. You can be disqualified if you make too much money or have amassed too much wealth. That said, you can’t simply get rid of assets to meet the requirements.

MassHealth has a five-year look-back period from the date of a Medicaid application. The Medicaid agency reviews your records during this time to ensure the applicant has not gifted or sold assets at a price below fair market value to meet the Medicaid financial eligibility limits.

Why Work With a Plymouth Medicaid Planning Lawyer?

A Plymouth Medicaid planning lawyer can help evaluate your situation and protect your eligibility, so you can have peace of mind that you and your assets are safe. It can be challenging to protect your financial assets from Medicaid while still staying eligible for long-term care benefits.

About 2.1 million Massachusetts residents have some form of Medicaid coverage. According to a recent Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation report, MassHealth covers 37 percent of all births, 48 percent of children’s healthcare, 59 percent of people with disabilities, and 70 percent of people residing in nursing facilities.

Our goal at the offices of Albanese Law, LLC, is to help people access these public health benefits and to ensure they are being treated fairly under the law. We offer comprehensive estate planning services as well as last-minute crisis planning options that can save you and your family money in a pinch.

About Medicaid’s Estate Recovery Program

Medicaid’s Estate Recovery Program (MERP) is an avenue for Medicaid agencies to seek reimbursement for the long-term care costs provided to a beneficiary after their death. Estate recovery applies to individuals who were 55 or older when they received MassHealth benefits, or individuals of any age who received MassHealth benefits for long-term care in an Institution for Mental Diseases (IMD), an Intermediate Care Facility for Persons with an Intellectual Disability (ICF/ID), or a nursing home.

Following a Medicaid recipient’s death, you can expect the Medicaid agency to contact a beneficiary or the executor of the estate to ask for reimbursement. They seek repayment through the decedent’s assets from their probate estate, which may include items such as their home and other assets listed in the estate. By working with a Plymouth Medicaid planning lawyer, you can learn how you can protect your assets through trusts and other estate planning tools, so they are not eligible for recovery.

FAQs

How Do I Protect My Assets From Medicaid in Plymouth?

One of the main problems many people face is being over the financial limit to qualify for Medicaid. It’s possible to shield your wealth in order to become eligible, and it’s entirely legal so long as you act within the right time frame. Estate planning tools, such as annuities, asset transfers, irrevocable trusts, and life estates, can help safeguard your assets. One popular option is a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust (MAPT).

What Estate Planning Tools Should Be Used in Massachusetts?

There are several estate planning tools available in Massachusetts. A Medicaid Asset Protection Trust (MAPT) is a key estate planning tool used to shield assets from MassHealth’s asset limits for long-term care. Other tools that may be of benefit include life estate deeds, pour-over wills, and revocable living trusts. Consulting an elder law attorney is essential to tailor these tools to your specific nee ds and ensure compliance with MassHealth regulations.

Can Filing a Personal Injury Case Affect my Medicaid in Plymouth?

Yes, filing a personal injury case can impact your Medicaid benefits in Plymouth. If you win a settlement, it can be considered income or resources, which can put you over the financial eligibility limit and disqualify you from Medicaid benefits. Reporting your settlement to Medicaid is typically required, and you may face penalties if you do not.

How Can a Plymouth Medicaid Planning Lawyer Help Me?

Applying for Medicaid in Massachusetts may seem straightforward, but small errors can lead to you losing your access to benefits. A Plymouth Medicaid planning lawyer can help you take the right steps to secure your financial assets within the right period of time, so you can maintain your wealth while gaining eligibility for MassHealth. They can also help with any challenges you may face regarding your eligibility or other tax issues that may arise in the future.

Contact a Plymouth Medicaid Planning Lawyer to Learn More About Your Options

Long-term care is expensive, and eligibility for Medicaid isn’t guaranteed. Our team at Albanese Law, LLC, can help you develop a strategy tailored to your financial situation, so you can have peace of mind knowing your assets are secure and your access to medical benefits is too. If you’re ready to talk about your next steps, reach out to our office to set up an appointment with a qualified Plymouth Medicaid planning lawyer today.