When a loved one needs long-term care, families often reach out to community resources for guidance with applying for Long-Term Care Medicaid. Inevitably most are told that they have too much income or assets to qualify. “You have to spend down the excess and then apply for Long-Term Care Medicaid” they are counseled.
If the family is fortunate enough to find their way to an Elder Law Attorney, they learn that the quintessential requirement for qualifying for Long-Term Care Medicaid is medical, not financial. The prerequisite for qualifying is that the applicant requires assistance with at least one activity of daily living (ADLs). If there is no medical need, qualifying for the benefit is impossible. Thus, the need for assistance is the touchstone for Long-Term Care Medicaid qualification. It guides and shapes the family’s journey throughout the application process.
