Ask Jaleh: The Medicaid Application Process.
Video Summary
Medicaid Application Process. A Request for Assistance, which is also commonly referred to as an RFA form is generally used to apply for most Medicaid programs. With this form, the applicant must file permission steps to allow DCF to check Medicaid, medical and financial records, a form to specify which program is being applied for, and also a doctor’s statement showing the medical necessity of the applicant.
Following receipt of the RFA, the applicant will be notified by a letter containing a request for records the applicant needs to assemble in order to complete their application. Most records requested are bank statements and other financial records tending to show the financial status of the applicant, such as estate planning documents.
After all information is assembled, the case will be decided and a letter will be sent to the applicant informing them of the grant or denial of aid. Usually the decision letter is sent within 45 to 60 days of the application date. It is important to note that it is always best for a lawyer – your lawyer – to handle this process from start to finish, rather than attempting to complete this process individually or through a family representative. Organization and proper presentment of information is necessary, as is the knowledge of laws, rules and regulations, in order to successfully complete this process.
Also, it’s very important to know that the date of your application is key to determination, since in most instances the grant of benefits will be retroactive to the first day of the month in which the application is processed. If the applicant is eligible for one day of the entire month, then entitlement is good for the entire month applied for. Also, the Institutional Care Program entitlement date is the date in which the institutionalization began and the applicant is otherwise eligible. Another component of the application process is verification of U.S. citizenship. Another component is verification of residency in the state of Florida at the time of the application.
What types of financial records must be gathered to ensure complete financial disclosure for the Medicaid application process? Such types of documents include: VA benefits forms and letters, pension benefits, life insurance records, security statements, bank records, deeds, accounts payable such as notes and mortgages, tax bills such as real estate tax bills from the preceding year, vehicle registration, title papers, insurance information such as homeowner’s insurance, disability insurance, life insurance, funeral records, burial accounts, funeral and plot contracts as well as funeral deeds, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, powers of attorney, utility bills, receipts and other records showing current utility needs, HOA statements and dues, leases annuities, personal services contracts are also very important to include. It’s very important to note that the list I just provided is not an exclusive list of all the documents that must be provided in the Medicaid application process.
If you would like us to help you with your Medicaid application process, we would be honored to do so. Please give us a call at Waller & Mitchell, 727-847-2288.
- Published in Medicaid Planning, Videos
Can Family Members Have Me Removed from Late Parents Will?
Video Summary
Can family members have me removed from the Will of my late parents? No, they cannot. Once someone passes away the Will cannot be changed. The only time a Will can be changed is while someone is alive and they can always have a last Will and they can choose who they wish to leave matters to. There are various challenges that can be made to Wills, which can divest you or eliminate you as a beneficiary if the Will was procured by undue influence or the testator, that’s the person making the Will, was not competent. That is a Will contest and if you were a beneficiary under the Will that was procured by undue influence or the person was not competent, well then you could possibly lose your inheritance.
But just because they want to remove you as a beneficiary under the Will they cannot do that unilaterally. There has to be some legal basis as to why you would not inherit. Along the problems that we are seeing, as far as trusts are concerned, the trust is not published and if someone is appointed as a trustee under your parents trust and they passed away, the trustee has the power to distribute the property to whomever they want and cut you out because you do not know what is in the trust, which is a real problem, particularly when you come see an attorney to ask him to do something about it and you do not have a copy of the trust so you do not know whether you are included or not.
If you have any questions about that, about your Will or trust and you being a beneficiary, well give me a call at 727-847-2288.