Medicaid Crisis Planning

South Carolina attorneys who will fight to protect your legacy

An imminent long-term care need calls for immediate action. A Medicaid “crisis” is exactly that: with the high costs of nursing care, your entire financial future can be at stake. If you or a loved one is facing catastrophic long-term care costs in the immediate future, contact the South Carolina Medicaid crisis planning attorneys at Benjamin R. Matthews and Associates, LLC right away. We’ll explain your legal options and act quickly to protect your legacy.

What is a Medicaid crisis?

Put simply, a Medicaid crisis is any situation where a person is currently in need of nursing home care, or will be in need very soon, and has been informed that they do not qualify for Medicaid assistance due to their assets. This can occur due to a serious accident, a sudden and rapidly progressing illness, or an unexpectedly fast decline in a person’s faculties. Because nursing home costs can easily stretch into the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, this can be financially ruinous.

What is Medicaid crisis planning?

Medicaid crisis planning is intended to preserve as many assets as possible amid a Medicaid crisis. When the person in need of long-term care has a healthy surviving spouse, the goal is to allow the “sick spouse” to qualify for Medicaid without depleting the life savings or assets of the “well spouse.” Likewise, we want to preserve as many assets as possible for your estate to protect your legacy.

How do we implement a Medicaid crisis plan?

South Carolina law sets strict maximum limits for income and assets to qualify for Medicaid assistance, as well as specific exemptions for certain assets. For a single person, the limit is $2,000 in “countable” assets, but for married couples, the laws are much more complex. We’ll review your assets, examine the relevant laws and regulations, and come up with a plan to shield as many of your assets as possible.

It's never too late to plan for your legacy

A Medicaid crisis plan is an option of necessity that won’t shield as many of your assets as a non-crisis Medicaid plan might have, but if you’re facing a crisis, you do have the power to protect your legacy. There are certain categories of assets that may have been sold off or spent down without a plan but can be preserved with proper legal assistance. For instance, we are often able to help people avoid a forced sale or lien on their homes. We may even be able to assist with Medicaid crisis planning for someone who is already in a nursing home.

Don’t delay, and don’t take nursing home employees at their word when they flatly declare you’re not eligible for Medicaid. Get an attorney on your side who is committed to finding the best solution for your family. We have conveniently located offices in Columbia and Rock Hill, and decades of experience fighting for people throughout South Carolina. Contact Benjamin R. Matthews and Associates, LLC today to get our team on your side in your Medicaid crisis.