Gardner Elder Law Attorneys Ensure Parents Get the Care They Need

Healthcare and long-term care is expensive and obtaining finanical aid is complex

Healthcare and long-term care for parents affect families and impact financial well-being. When parents are healthy, families may not plan for long-term healthcare. However, without advanced planning, families may pay out-of-pocket costs for healthcare, nursing homes and long-term care until their resources run out. The Medicaid planning lawyers at Stockton & Kandt LLC help prepare parents and caretakers for the future. Our attorneys have extensive knowledge and skill in preparing Medicare applications and preserving family assets, so parents and caretakers can qualify for financial assistance for healthcare and put family assets where they're needed most, such as supporting children through college.

What is Medicaid and how is it different than Medicare?

Medicare is a federal insurance program to help pay medical bills. It mostly serves people over 65 and disabled people. Medicaid is a low-income assistance program that can help people of any age pay healthcare costs. Medicaid is a program funded by federal and state governments. States manage the program according to federal guidelines.

How can I qualify for Medicaid in Kansas?

More than 400,000 Kansans qualified for Medicaid at the end of 2016, but the process is not easy. Kansas did not implement the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010. So, adults with no dependent children do not qualify. Parents or caretakers with a Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) at or below 33% of the poverty guidelines qualify.

Compare Modified Adjusted Gross Income and poverty guidelines

Calculate MAGI by removing certain deductions, such as IRA (Individual Retirement Account), education, and tuition, from Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). Find your AGI on prior year tax forms (IRS form 1040 line 37, form 1040A line 21, and 1040EZ line 4). Calculate federal poverty guidelines by household size. For example, in 2018 the poverty guideline for a family of three is $ 20,780. But determining whether you qualify for Medicare is more complicated than comparing MAGI to the poverty guidelines. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published a 138-page manual on calculating income to be eligible for Medicaid. You must determine whose income applies, what income to count, and over what period. Besides income, other family assets and resources may make you ineligible.

Contact our Kansas Medicaid planning lawyers for guidance you can trust

To learn more about Medicaid benefits and determine if your family qualifies and how you can plan for it, contact the Medicaid planning lawyers at

Stockton & Kandt LLC. Our experienced Medicaid planning lawyers help clients throughout the state successfully apply for Medicaid. We can determine your eligibility and help you plan for your family's future. Call us at (913) 856-2828 or contact us online.