Burlington Medicaid lawyers offer help to clients in getting the costs of long-term care covered. Many people end up needing assistance as they get older, and some people will actually require round-the-clock care in a nursing home. The costs of care are very high, and there are risks of abuse or neglect in many different types of care environments, so it is important to make plans in advance for your care. You should work with an experienced attorney to decide what kind of long-term care is your preferred option and you should ensure that your lawyer helps you to make strategic plans and use the right legal tools to afford this type of care. 
Unsworth LaPlante, PLLC has helped many people of all ages to make plans for the day when nursing home care becomes necessary. Our Burlington Medicaid lawyers can assist you in understanding different kinds of long-term care options and can help you through the process of planning to get your care paid for. Give us a call today to talk with an attorney about all of the ways that a lawyer can help you to prepare to get the best long-term care and to protect your assets as you do so.
Options for Long-Term Care
You have many different options for care in the state of Vermont, and the right choice will depend upon the extent of care you require- among other factors. The Genworth Cost of Care Survey lists some of the most common sources of long-term care, along with the costs of each of the different choices. Costs are very high for virtually all of the different long term care options.
Choices include:
- Homemaker services, which have a median annual rate of $48,048 in Vermont.
- Home health aide services, which have a median annual cost of $50,336 in Vermont.
- Adult daycare, which has a median annual rate of $32,136 in Vermont.
- Assisted living facilities, which have a median cost of $48,240 for a single occupancy one-bedroom unit.
- A nursing home, which has a median cost of $102,018 a year in Vermont for a semi-private room and a median cost of $105,120 per year for a private room.
A homemaker typically provides basic help, like cleaning and cooking, while home health aides can provide more assistance with tasks like eating, showering, or using the bathroom. Adult daycare can help with activities of daily living and provide supervision for seniors. Assisted living facilities allow seniors to live in the care facility, but medical assistance and other supports are limited. Nursing homes provide the most intensive care at the highest cost.
Getting Costs Paid For
Whether you get nursing home care, home care, or any other type of care, getting costs covered can be a challenge. Unfortunately, unless you need skilled medical services, Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans, and most private insurance providers will not be willing to pay for your care costs.
Medicare, Medicare Advantage and most private insurers typically only cover even skilled services for a limited duration of time, and provide no coverage at all for routine custodial care. Routine custodial care is the kind of care that most people need, because it is the care required for someone who simply cannot handle routine activities of daily living on their own.
Since private insurance and Medicare don’t pay, you either need to qualify for Medicaid or will need to pay out-of-pocket for care. Medicaid is a need-based program, and having too high of an income or too many assets will make you ineligible. Burlington Medicaid lawyers can assist you in structuring ownership of assets so you do not end up having to spend down your wealth in case you require care.
You should begin the process of making a Medicaid plan to protect your wealth as early as you can before you need care, because you need to have your plans in place at least five years before you try to qualify for Medicaid in order to protect the maximum value of your assets.
Getting Help from Burlington Medicaid Lawyers
Burlington Medicaid lawyers can assist you with the process of exploring options for long-term care, researching nursing homes or care providers, and making plans to get Medicaid to pay for the type of care that you choose.
To find out more about how Unsworth LaPlante, PLLC can help you to plan in advance to get appropriate care, and to get that care paid for, join us for a free seminar. You can also give us a call at (802) 879-7133 or contact us online to get personalized advice specific to your situation. Call us today, as you do not know when you will actually need care.
Ellen LaPlante
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