(408) 443-2397San Jose Medi-Cal Benefits & Planning Attorney
Ensuring That Clients Receive Needed Benefits and Long-Term Care Expenses with Comprehensive Medi-Cal Planning
As we and our family members or loved ones continue to age, it’s essential that we consider ways to protect our assets and ensure that we receive the necessary benefits to help us through our senior years and in cases of disability. Estate planning and elder law attorneys have the legal knowledge necessary in the related practice areas of medical and long-term care planning to help you manage your assets so that you qualify for government programs that can provide assistance for nursing home care and more.
Let Keyes Law Group, PC help you with your Medi-Cal (California’s version of the federal Medicaid program) planning. Our attorney can help you plan for long-term medical care. The Medi-Cal planning process has some similarities to general estate planning but requires a great deal of care and skill, as Medi-Cal rules for eligibility and recovery are very strict.
Every single person would benefit from looking to the future and planning for long-term care. Contact our San Jose law firm to begin discussing your particular goals and needs today.
What is California’s Medi-Cal Program?
Medi-Cal is a state-run program that helps pay for healthcare services for qualifying families and low-income individuals.
For Medi-Cal to pay for healthcare or a long-term care facility, you must be a low-income individual in one of the following categories:
- Age 65 or older
- Children of low-income parents
- Foster care children
- Have a qualifying disability
- Individuals with specified illnesses or diseases
- Pregnant adults
Medi-Cal is based on need. In 2025, a recipient will only qualify for the program if their estate satisfies the resource and income limitations. Single applicants must have an annual income below $20,783. Married couples must have a combined annual income of $28,208 or below.
Why is Medi-Cal Planning Important for Single Individuals and Married Couples Alike?
The cost of nursing home care and assisted living facilities can be astronomical, especially in a state with a high cost of living like California. Few seniors have the resources necessary to pay for a long-term care facility on their own, especially if they plan to have an extended stay. The elderly who use their own resources to pay for nursing home care frequently find themselves low on funds before long.
Medi-Cal planning involves developing strategies to reallocate your assets and resources in a manner that allows you to meet the criteria for medical coverage. If nursing home or assisted living care may be required in the future, you may qualify to have medical pay for the cost of care rather than depleting your resources.
How to Qualify for Medi-Cal?
Medi-Cal’s long-term care program may pay for the cost of care in an approved skilled nursing home or in-home caregiving for a qualified Medi-Cal applicant. However, not all elder care companies accept Medi-Cal benefits as payment.
Strict eligibility rules limit the amount of assets a Medi-Cal recipient can own. A recipient’s monthly income can limit the benefits available. Any income above a certain threshold is a ‘share of cost,’ similar to an insurance co-pay. A Medi-Cal recipient must pay the monthly share of the cost of health care before Medi-Cal will pay any benefits.
What Are Considered Countable Assets for Determining Medi-Cal Eligibility?
California’s Medi-Cal program has strict income and asset limits for individuals hoping to qualify for financial assistance. Assets will either be deemed exempt or countable. Countable assets are any assets that have value towards the government program, and exempt assets are those that are passed over. Assets worth reviewing with your medical planning attorney include your vehicles, real estate property, life insurance policies, personal belongings, and funeral funds.
In 2024, California eliminated asset limits for all Medi-Cal programs. Eligibility is now a question of income. These asset limits could be reversed as easily as they were created.
What Are Recovery Claims?
After you pass away, California may assert a recovery claim against your assets. Under this claim, California would seek repayment for the Medi-Cal benefits they provided during life. A recovery claim can be made in limited circumstances. A certified estate planning attorney can help you avoid such claims. Contact us today to learn more.
Contact Us to Schedule an In-Depth Case Evaluation with a San Jose Medi-Cal Benefits and Planning Lawyer Today
Our California law firm is well-versed in the practice areas of estate planning, elder law, and long-term care planning. We can assist you throughout the process of applying for medical coverage and planning for the future so that the government program will start paying for your much-needed benefits.
To learn more about the advantages of legal representation, please contact our San Jose law office to speak with the attorney and his legal team today.
Call us at 408-443-2397.