Preparing for old age may seem like a dismal task, but it is an inevitability that we all must prepare for. When you’ve reached your senior years and you start requiring assistance for performing simple everyday tasks, then you should start looking into long-term care insurance. Without some type of policy, long-term care is expensive, and can even threaten your life savings. Fortunately, if you are eligible, Medicaid can help cover the costs of some long-term care. To better prepare for the future, it is important to understand long-term care and what types of care Medicaid will cover.
What is Long-Term Care?
Long-term care consists of a variety of services to help people meet their Activities of Daily Living (ADL) that include eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, walking, and continence. It’s important to note that this insurance policy must be applied for before you are diagnosed in your senior years. Refer to our blog, At What Age Should You Apply for Long-Term Care? to review the best age to apply for this type of care.
Different Types of Long-Term Care
Depending on personal preferences and health, there are several different kinds of long-term care facilities that individuals may require.
- Nursing Home: A nursing home is a place of residence that provides nursing care, housing, and support services for elderly individuals. This type of long-term care is best for people who require skilled professionals to be available at all times.
- Assisted Living Facility: Assisted living facilities offer housing, meals, and assistance to elderly individuals. These facilities generally do not provide medical care or nursing services. This type of facility is best for individuals who require personal care services, but do not require medical professionals available all the time.
- Home Care: Home care services are designed to help elderly individuals that need help performing ADLs to live comfortably and safely at home. This type of service is best for people who want to continue living at home but require extra assistance.
Will Medicaid Cover Long-Term Care?
Medicaid is a government-sponsored program that helps cover medical care for certain people with low income. Medicaid will pay for long-term care performed by licensed medical professionals but, in most cases, Medicaid will not pay for long-term care performed by non-skilled individuals.
Generally, if you can prove you need long-term care, and you meet the basic requirements for Medicaid, then the program will help cover some if not all of the costs of long-term care. In Massachusetts, Medicaid is known as MassHealth. MassHealth Standard is the only MassHealth service that provides funding for long-term care.
Do You Qualify for MassHealth?
Every state has their own specific requirements to qualify for Medicaid, but there are some basic requirements for MassHealth. Visit Mass.gov for more information of the requirements to qualify for MassHealth.
- Financial: To qualify for MassHealth you must be financially eligible. The State will consider your gross income and the number of people in your household. The financial incomes differ based on what type on long-term care is needed. For additional information, check out Eligibility Figures Tables for MassHealth Applicants and Members to see if you are financially eligible for MassHealth.
- Residency: You must be a resident of Massachusetts to receive MassHealth.
- Citizenship: To qualify for MassHealth, your US citizenship or immigration status must be verified.
It is important to go over the specific rules and regulations of Medicaid to ensure you qualify. If you believe you won’t qualify for Medicaid, consider purchasing long-term care insurance to financially protect you from the burdens of long-term care costs. Contact us at TJ Woods Insurance if you have any further questions regarding types of long-term care and which one to choose.
