Nursing home costs average around $8,000/month in Washington. The costs increase significantly as the level of care needed increases and often, as one ages. Very few people have long-term care insurance or the money necessary to pay for a skilled care facility. Even fewer have the funds to pay for a nursing home and support a spouse who is not receiving long-term care. Thankfully, the Medicaid program does exist to help cover the costs of long-term care. With the right planning, Medicaid also allows for spouse’s who are not in long-term care to retain their home, their vehicle, and income to support them.Many people wonder if they will lose their home to be able to afford long-term care. Many people wonder if they will need to divorce their spouse to be able to afford to live independently when the spouse goes into long-term care. We won’t address all the issues associated with Medicaid on the website but let us assure you, YOU WILL NEVER NEED TO DIVORCE YOUR SPOUSE BECAUSE OF MEDICAID! We have heard this rumor reported even by some attorneys. It is simply not true!We have extensive experience creating special needs trusts that protect government benefits, supplement the beneficiary’s lifestyle, and address the realities of Medicaid.
