What is Medicare?

 

- Medicare is the federal government’s principal health care insurance program for people 65 years of age and over as well as people of any age who are permanently disabled or who have end-stage renal disease. Medicare consists of four major programs: Part A, which covers hospital stays; Part B, which covers physician fees; Part C, which permits Medicare beneficiaries to receive their medical care from among a number of delivery options; and the recently-added Part D, which covers prescription medications.

 

What is Medicaid?

- Medicaid is a joint Federal and State program that helps pay medical costs for some people with limited incomes and resources. People with Medicaid may get coverage for services such as nursing home and home health care, that aren’t fully covered by Medicare.

 

Does Medicare pay for nursing home care?

 - To qualify for care in a skilled nursing facility, your doctor must certify that you need daily skilled care like intravenous injections or physical therapy.

 

Medicare doesn’t cover long-term care or custodial care. You pay nothing for the first 20 days each benefit period. You pay $144.50 per day for days 21–100 each benefit period. You pay all costs for each day after day 100 in a benefit period.

 

Why do I need Long-Term Planning?

- Long-term care planning can protect assets and can help a family understand how to deal with the situation of a loved one entering a nursing home and determine how to pay for nursing facility care due toMedicare’s limitations.

  

What does Long-Term Planning involve?

- Long-term care planning can involve prepaying for funerals, making burial arrangements, setting up trusts and purchasing long-term care insurance among other things. Our Doylestown elder law attorneys can help you protect your family from the high cost of long-term care.

 

Why should I consult an elder law attorney about Long-Term Planning?

- Our skilled Doylestown elder law attorneys can advise and represent you regarding both short-term and long-term needs. We encourage clients to plan early to avoid penalties and legal complications that can often occur in the future before an illness or disability jeopardizes your estate.