Protecting Spouses of Medicaid Applicants: 2023 Guidelines

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the 2023 federal guidelines for how much money the spouses of institutionalized Medicaid recipients may keep, as well as related Medicaid figures. What Are Spousal Impoverishment Rules? Spousal impoverishment is a concern for Read More …

What Is Hospice Care at Home?

Hospice Care At Home Attorney

Hospice care is a type of health care that patients with terminally ill conditions rely on at the end of their lives. This type of care focuses on pain management and emotional, spiritual, and familial support for patients nearing the Read More …

Know The Difference Between Medicare and Medicaid

difference between medicare and medicaid

Although Medicaid and Medicare are both public health insurance programs, they have essential differences. Medicare is a federal program for older adults, people with disabilities, and individuals with end-stage renal failure. Medicaid is federal-state assistance for those with limited incomes.  Read More …

What Are Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts?

Elder Law Attorney Cleveland to help protect assets from Medicaid

Medicaid is a state- and federally funded health program for lower-income persons of all ages. For applicants who fall into certain categories, Medicaid imposes specific rules on how much income and resources they can have and still qualify for benefits. Read More …

Medicare Vs. Medicare Advantage. What is Right For You?

Medicare Advantage Attorney Cleveland

Recent research by the Kaiser Family Foundation examined the differences between traditional Medicare Vs. Medicare Advantage. While people in either program were similarly satisfied with their care and overall care coordination, some distinctions became apparent. Traditional Medicare’s Strengths Traditional Medicare Read More …

Nursing Home Eviction? What can you do?

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Nursing home evictions, or involuntary discharges or transfers, disrupt the lives of residents, leading to homelessness, separation from familial support systems, and loss of care. As federal law covers all federally funded nursing home residents, nursing home evictions are legal only in Read More …

Tues., Nov.1st, 10-2, Aging Well Senior Expo at Lorain County Community College

Aging Well Senior Expo Lorain

Come meet Joseph L. Motta on Tuesday, November 1st, 2022, at the Lorain County Community College Spitzer Conference Center  from 10:00am-2:00pm. Learn about valuable community services that specifically benefit seniors. The Aging Well Senior Expo is a great place to Read More …

Qualify For Medicaid With a “Miller” Trust

Miller Trust Attorney Cleveland

In order to qualify for Medicaid, the applicant’s income must fall below a certain level. Most states allow individuals to spend down any income above this level on their care until they reach the state’s income standard. But in some Read More …

What Documents Are Required for a Medicaid Application?

Medicaid Paperwork in Ohio

(updated with 2023 numbers to reflect Medicaid Guide 2023) Medicaid applicants must prove that they have limited income and assets in order to be eligible for long-term care services. Before beginning the application process, it is helpful to understand what Read More …

Using Estate Planning to Prepare for Medicaid

Medicaid Strategies

Long-term care involves not only a loss of personal autonomy; it also comes at a tremendous financial price. Proper planning can help your family prepare for the financial toll and protect assets for future generations. Long-term care can be very Read More …

Saying Medicaid Estate Recovery Keeps Families in Poverty, Groups Call to Abolish It

Talking ABout Estate Planning to Parents

To qualify for Medicaid coverage of long-term care, you must satisfy very complicated financial eligibility rules—rules that often can be traps for the unwary. One of the most significant traps is Medicaid’s right to recover its expenses from your estate Read More …

Article in This Month’s Northeast Ohio Boomer Magazine

Estate Planning Article in Boomer Magazine

This month’s Northeast Ohio Boomer magazine features an article written by Joseph Motta. Understanding Long-Term Care One of the greatest concerns of seniors and their families is the cost of long-term care, especially the cost of nursing home care. Long-term Read More …

What It Means to Need ‘Nursing Home Level of Care’ for Medicaid Eligibility

Medicaid Qualifications

When applying for Medicaid’s long-term care coverage, in addition to the strict income and asset limits, you must demonstrate that you need a level care typically provided in a nursing home. Whether you are applying for nursing home coverage or Read More …

In 2022, Social Security Beneficiaries Will See the Biggest Increase in 39 Years

Best Estate Planning Attorney Near Me

The year was 1983: The U.S. invaded Granada. A gallon of gas cost 96 cents. Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ video premiered. That year was also the last time that Social Security recipients saw a cost-of-living increase steeper than the one just Read More …

Social Security Shortfalls Are Predicted to Begin a Year Earlier Due to the Pandemic

Social Security Planning Attorney Cleveland

The Social Security trustees are projecting that due to the economic downturn caused by the pandemic the Social Security trust fund will be depleted in 2033 — one year earlier than the previous estimates. Once the fund is depleted, Social Read More …

Better Than No Loaf: Medicaid Planning Using “Half a Loaf” Strategies

2021 Medicare Premiums

While it is preferable to conduct long-term care planning well in advance of needing care, if you haven’t planned ahead, there are some strategies available to avoid spending all your assets. Three so-called “half a loaf” approaches allow a Medicaid Read More …

Medicaid’s Attempt to Ensure the Healthy Spouse Has Enough Income: The MMMNA

Best Estate Planning Attorney Cleveland

When most of a couple’s income is in the name of the spouse who is receiving Medicaid, the spouse remaining in the community may wonder what he or she will live on. Medicaid has created some protections for the community spouse. Read More …