Monday, May 4, 2009

Medicaid Unplugged

No, I don't know all the answers you might have about Medicaid. I'm just way more tuned into Medicaid now because I'm doing more with Medicaid right now. I'm actually helping clients with their applications (for readers who are these clients, don't fret, I have LOTS of supervision).

Even though I've been listening in on Medicaid consultations for over 2 years, like anything else, you don't really pay attention until you actually need the information. Like now. And Medicaid is really complicated.

I'm also looking at my own family's situation in a new light. I know my Mom is getting really tired of me telling her "If you ever have to apply for Medicaid...", but what I know is that I don't want to have to do her Medicaid application. It will be one of those hard ones, and not just because it's Mom.

I marvel at some of the families I work with when they get the list of all of the documentation that's needed: months worth of bank statements, sometimes from years ago, copies of checks, copies of legal documents, copies of life insurance policies, etc., and then they actually send it to me. I'm not sure I could find all that documentation for myself, much less for my Mom.

Mom announced over the weekend that she had old bank statements that she needed to shred, and I told her "Keep at least 5 year's worth, in case you need to apply for Medicaid". She's keeping 7 year's worth for the IRS; who cares about the IRS?

I guess my point is, Medicaid is such a complicated animal, that if you or a loved one has even an inkling that Medicaid might be needed in the future, it's worth a visit to your friendly, neighborhood Medicaid specialist to learn a little bit about it. I'm thick in the middle of Medicaid every day, and the thought of being on the client side of the table makes my head hurt, and I know about this stuff!

If Katten & Benson is too far away or too difficult to get to, call us anyway, because we can refer you to someone more convenient who we know will do a good job for you.

Happy sorting and filing!

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