What is a Miller Trust and How Does it Work?
A Miller Trust also referred to in Missouri as a Qualified Income Trust, can be used by Medicaid applicants who are over the Medicaid income limit for those programs with an income cap. There are many different names used for a Miller Trust depending on the state in which an applicant resides or the state […]
What is Medicaid Spend Down and How Does It Work for the Nursing Home?
Eligibility for Medicaid to help pay nursing home bills requires individuals to meet the guidelines for the program they are applying. Basically, there are three such guidelines; proof of medical necessity for long-term care, limited assets, and insufficient income. If the assets or income exceed the allowed amounts, the individual may not initially qualify, but […]
Stages of Dementia and Available VA Programs
Dementia encompasses a range of diseases causing loss of memory and/or deterioration of other mental functions. The condition usually occurs from physical changes in the brain and is largely a progressive disease. This means it typically gets worse over time. How dementia progresses will mainly depend on the underlying cause of dementia. Although people will […]
Alzheimer’s Care – Signs That Memory Care Is Needed
As we age, our memory often changes. Our ability to recall information or remember life events may be increasingly difficult at times. The difference in age-related memory changes and the beginning signs of dementia may be difficult for a lay-person to distinguish. Alzheimer’s is a medical condition worsening over time. The progression of the disease […]
Medicaid Asset Limits – What You Can and Cannot Keep
Many people in the United States use Medicaid to assist them with their nursing home care, and rightly so. The average cost of care has increased considerably over the years and is projected to continue to rise. In the state of Missouri, the 2017 average cost was about $58,000. The 2019 average cost was just […]
Division of Assets – How to Prevent Spousal Impoverishment
Figuring out how to pay for the cost of care in the nursing home can be both stressful and confusing. When one spouse needs nursing home care, covering the costs can have a devastating impact on the well spouse’s finances. Paying for care without impoverishing the spouse who is living at home can be quite […]
