• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Unsworth LaPlante, PLLC

Vermont Estate Planning Attorneys

Vermont: (802) 879-7133

Attend A Free Workshop
  • Home
  • Our Firm
    • About Our Firm
    • Meet Our Team
    • What to Expect When Working with Us
  • Services
    • Estate Planning
    • Incapacity Planning
    • IRA & Retirement Planning
    • Legacy Planning
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Medicaid Planning & Elder Law
    • Pet Planning
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust Administration
    • Young Families Planning
  • Resources
    • Articles
    • Elder Law Reports
    • Elder Law Resources
      • Burlington
      • Montpelier
      • Rutland
      • St. Johnsbury
      • White River Junction
    • Estate And Gift Tax Figures
    • Free Estate Planning Worksheet
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Estate and Gift Tax
      • Estate Planning
      • FAQs for Families Without an Estate Plan
      • Incapacity Planning
      • IRA & Retirement Planning
      • Legacy Wealth Planning
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning
      • Medicaid
      • Pet Planning
      • Special Needs Planning
      • Trust Administration
      • Trusts
      • Wills
    • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
    • Medicaid Resources
      • Medicaid Analysis Worksheet
      • Medicaid Guide
      • Vermont Medicaid
    • Newsletters
    • Presentations
    • Reports
      • Advanced Estate Planning
      • Basic Estate Planning
      • Estate Planning for Niches
    • SECURE Act
    • Top Estate Planning Techniques
  • Webinars/Seminars
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Review Us
  • BLOG
  • Contact
Home » How to Apply for Senior Medicaid in Vermont

How to Apply for Senior Medicaid in Vermont

December 11, 2022 by Ellen LaPlante

Essex Junction Medicaid planning attorneys

During your retirement years, there may come a time when you need help paying for health care expenses that are not covered by Medicare. Fortunately, Medicaid may be able to help. You need to know how to determine if you qualify and how to apply though. Toward that end, the Essex Junction Medicaid planning attorneys at Unsworth LaPlante, PLLC explain how to apply for senior Medicaid in Vermont.

Will You Need to Qualify for Medicaid?

Seniors often turn to Medicaid to help cover the high cost of long-term care (LTC). Nationwide, the average cost of a year in LTC for 2022 was over $100,000. If you are a Vermont resident, however, you can expect to pay considerably more than the national average given that the average yearly cost of LTC in Vermont was more than $130,000. The real problem, however, comes when you realize that you may be forced to cover those expenses out of pocket. Like many seniors, you may rely on Medicare to pay for most of your healthcare expenses; however, Medicare won’t cover LTC. Neither will most private health insurance policies unless you purchased a separate long-term care policy. Not surprisingly, over half of all seniors currently in an LTC facility rely on Medicaid for help paying their LTC bills.

Medicaid Eligibility Guidelines

To qualify for Medicaid benefits, you will need to meet Medicaid’s eligibility requirements for seniors, meaning you must meet the income and asset tests. The income limit is tied to the Federal Poverty Level and will change depending on the Medicaid category, your geographic location, and household size. The income limit is not where most seniors encounter a problem though. It is the extremely low asset limit that typically poses a problem for seniors who did not plan accordingly. In most states, an individual applicant cannot own “countable resources” valued at over $2,000. Medicaid does exempt certain assets, such as your primary residence and a vehicle; however, many seniors have accumulated a retirement nest egg full of non-exempt assets that easily exceed the countable resources limit. If your assets exceed the limit, your application will be denied and you will have to “spend-down” your assets before applying again, meaning you will be expected to use those assets to cover your LTC expenses until the assets are gone.

The eligibility requirements become even more complicated when an applicant is applying for assistance with nursing home care expenses because the Medicaid “Spousal Impoverishment Rules” come into play. The rules are intended to ensure that a spouse who remains in the community is not impoverished when his/her spouse enters a nursing home because of the Medicaid “spend-down” requirements. The “Community Spouse” is allowed to keep a certain amount of income and resources when the other spouse enters a long-term care facility. Furthermore, Medicaid’s five-year “look-back” rule prohibits you from transferring your non-exempt assets at the last minute in anticipation of the need to qualify for Medicaid.

Applying for Medicaid in Vermont

The process of applying for senior Medicaid in Vermont is simple enough; however, the eligibility guidelines may pose a problem if you did not include Medicaid planning in your estate plan. Before you apply, look over the Medicaid Application Checklist and the Supplemental Checklist for Medicaid for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled.

You can start the application process by applying online on the Vermont Health Connect website. If you prefer, you may also apply for Medicaid over the phone by calling 1-855-899-9600 or by filling out and submitting a paper application.

Contact Essex Junction Medicaid Planning Attorneys

For more information, please attend one of our upcoming FREE webinars. If you have questions or concerns about applying for senior Medicaid in Vermont, contact the experienced Essex Junction Medicaid planning attorneys at Unsworth LaPlante, PLLC by calling 802-879-7133 to schedule your appointment today.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Ellen LaPlante
Ellen LaPlante
Ellen LaPlante is an attorney whose mission is to provide clients with guidance in Estate Planning, Elder Law, and Medicaid Preparation. She is barred in Vermont and New York. Ellen helps clients put together unique estate plans, including assistance with Trusts, Wills, Powers of Attorney, and Advance Directives. She also works with clients on Medicaid Planning and qualifying for Medicaid assistance.
Ellen LaPlante
Latest posts by Ellen LaPlante (see all)
  • How to Apply for Senior Medicaid in Vermont - December 11, 2022
  • Planning for the “Silver Tsunami” - November 1, 2022
  • Discharge of Indebtedness Income and Student Loan Forgiveness - October 27, 2022

Filed Under: General

Other Articles You May Find Useful

Essex Junction elder law attorneys
What You Need to Know about Elder Abuse
Essex Junction Medicaid planning attorneys
Does My 401(k) Account Count for Medicaid Eligibility?
Essex Junction elder law attorney
Senior Care Options
Essex Junction estate planning attorney
Do I Need an Estate Plan If I’m Single Without Children?
Essex Junction elder law attorney
How to Pick the Right Nursing Home
Essex Junction trust administration attorney
Should I Hire a Lawyer to Help Me Administer a Trust?

Primary Sidebar

Elder Law and Medicaid Planning Attorneys

Unsworth LaPlante, PLC

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE ESTATE PLANNING WORKSHEET

There's a lot that goes into setting up a comprehensive estate plan, but with our FREE worksheet, you'll be one step closer to getting yourself and your family on the path to a secure and happy future.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Blog Subscription

Sign up to Unsworth LaPlante's estate planning blog to receive all the latest news and updates.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Essex Junction, VT

26 Railroad Ave
Essex Junction, VT 05452
United States (US)
Phone: (802) 879-7133
Fax: (802) 879-0408

Map

unsworth_sidbr_map

Office Hours

Monday8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Footer

footer-logo
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

The information on this Vermont Attorneys & Lawyers / Law Firm website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this or associated pages, documents, comments, answers, emails, or other communications should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information on this website is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing of this information does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.

American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc. Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Disclaimer | Site Map | Powered by American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys

© 2023 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.