We will touch on the different income requirements and cut off levels for eligibility.

First and foremost, age is the number one factor and should be the first thing considered before applying.

Institutional / Nursing Home Medicaid

As of the year 2020 a single individual at a minimum age of 65 years can have an income of no more than $2350 in a single month.

This also applies for nursing home Medicaid, assisted living and in-home care when it’s provided through a states HCBS waivers.

Please keep in mind This coverage of Medicaid is specifically for institutional or nursing home Medicaid.

Medicaid Income Limits

An individual receiving Medicaid may not surpass a monthly income of $2205.

If for any reason their income surpasses that amount, some planning must be done in order to create eligibility.

If an individual is married, typically the spouse’s income does not count towards the income, so it is important to maximize income protection through a monthly needs allowance.

The Medicaid office allows the community spouse to earn as much as $3022 per month.

Medicaid Asset Limits

If an individual applies to Medicaid for long-term care, they are typically allowed to keep $2000 in assets. If they are over this amount, they must spin down on care.

An important note to take into consideration is that individuals are not allowed to give gifts in any amount for a period of 60 months prior to applying for Medicaid.

There are Medicaid planning strategies that can help individuals who have assets in a higher range than $2000.

Home equity should also be taken into consideration for Medicaid asset limits.

The maximum amount one can submit for home equity and Medicaid is $560,000.

It is important to take note and understand that your home may be subject to the Medicaid repayment process if necessary.

What Are Medicaid Resource Limits?

Resources are categorized as countable and excluded for eligibility purposes.

Resource eligibility limits depend much on whether the applicant for Medicaid is married, and if an individual is applying for Medicaid with a spouse who also qualifies.

An unmarried applicant can have countable resources and a limit for an unmarried applicant up to $2000.

A married applicant who is married to someone that is in eligible has a countable resource limit that is equal to one half of the couples combined countable resources.

If a couple is married and both of which live in a nursing home and are both applying, the countable resource limit is $3000.

A couple that is married and living in a nursing home while only one qualifies the resource limit for the applying spouse’s $2000. The countable resource limit for the spouse that does not qualify or is not applying for Medicaid is unlimited.

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At the time, technology was not as advanced and aids for hearing were considered low in cost. Typically most Americans needed them as they became older, and life expectancy wasn’t what it is today.

Every year millions of Americans want to know if Medicare rules will be updated to include hearing aid costs themselves.

Why Is The Cost So High?

Some states have laws supporting hearing aids for children, but in general most insurance do not cover the cost. Why is that?

Typically hearing aids can cost anywhere from $1000 to $6000 for each device. You would think that over time with the advancement of technology in the last decade that prices would significantly decrease. Yet, they have not.

This is in part because there are only 6 primary manufacturers of hearing aids. Additionally, clinics need to make a profit, so they mark the prices of hearing aids up significantly as well. By the time the consumer receives the devices with the proper setup, the costs have become far from affordable for most families.

In fact, Consumer reports has shown that the markup on hearing aids is well beyond 100%.

Are There Other Solutions?

If Medicare doesn’t cover the costs, and audiologists mark up the prices so high, what other options are there?

1. Costco Stores

Costco always has specials for members on valuable services, and hearing aids is one of the largest markets for Costco to offer.

In fact 11% of all hearing aids sold are Costco’s own proprietary brand of Kirkland.

Starting at just shy of $1500 per pair (Not per device). This is probably one of the most economical ways to improve hearing on a budget.

The quality as attested by many customers reviewing the product, is beyond satisfactory for industry standards.

2. MDHearingAid.com

An online solution that most audiologists will shutter is MdHearingAid.

Part of the reason for this is the fact that the prices are much lower, and the whole experience can be completed online rather than in person.

Even if you are told that the quality of the hearing aids are inferior, the devices sold at MDHearingAid are FDA approved.

The reason they can offer a less expensive solution, is the fact that they have no brick and mortar business, and their offers are based on sales at scale.

3. TruHearing

While not a manufacturer of hearing aids, TruHearing could be viewed as a supplemental method for finding better hearing aid prices.

As a company, they work with insurance providers, and manufacturers such as Starkey, Signia, Oticons, and Widex to provide lower prices for consumers.

Will Insurance Start Covering Hearing Aids?

Medicare hasn’t had any proposal for change on including insurance as of 2020, and most insurances aren’t required to provide the service within their plans in almost all states.

If healthcare reform picks up steam again, there is a possibility that hearing aids may get included into future plans offered, but currently it seems quite unlikely to change until the spotlight is placed on how many individuals in the USA need assistance with hearing devices.

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There are several programs available that pay for family caregiving. However, you need to qualify for these programs in order to get assistance. Here are some questions that can help you examine yourself to determine whether or not you will be able to qualify. 

• How much care do my parents need? 
• How old are my parents? 
• Is one of my parents a veteran? 
• What assets do my parents have? 
• What state do  My parents and I live in? 

Depending on your answers to these questions, you may be qualified to become a paid caregiver for your parents using government funded programs. One such government funded program is Medicaid.  

Medicaid

This program offers several different plans that can be used to pay for a family caregiver. Eligibility for Medicaid depends on factors such as age and income.

If your parents are eligible for Medicaid, they may be able to receive financial aid from the Cash and Counseling program. This program is only available in 15 states in the United States. It provides seniors with disabilities the ability to manage how to use their money to pay for items and services that are directly related to their own personal health care needs. As a result, they can even choose to use some of the money from the Cash in Counseling program to hire and pay for a caregiver. To find out whether or not you are eligible to become your parents’ caregiver, contact your local Medicaid office. 

Home and Community Based Services Programs 

These type of programs deliver ongoing support to help caregivers while providing them with a daily pay to make the financial burden of being a caregiver easier. Your parents will typically qualify for these programs if they are enrolled in Medicaid and receive a whole in home care. These programs are not limited only to seniors. If your parents have intellectual, developmental or physical disabilities they may qualify to receive help from a home community based services program. The main goal of the HCBS programs are to provide family caregivers the ability to focus on providing quality care for their family members, instead of worrying about the financial burden of being a caregiver. 

Looking for these types of programs is easy. You can search for Home and Community Based Services programs on the Medicaid official website using the search box. 

Family Paying Family

One of the benefits for your parents of having a family caregiver is the level of familiarity that comes with family taking care of family. However, there are also financial benefits for your parents. You will be saving them a lot of money by being the primary caregiver. That being said, you have the ability to ask your parents or other family members to compensate you for your efforts. If they were to pay out of pocket for a professional caregiver, they might end up paying about $5000 a month. If you are willing to work for less than this amount monthly, they may be willing to compensate you directly. 

First, write out a draft of what you think would be fair compensation for caring for your parents. Then, present it to family members that are involved. Finally, when everyone comes to an agreement, consider speaking to an attorney.

When making this arrangement with your parents, it’s best to speak with an attorney to draft a contract. There you will state your work and payment schedule. While this might not seem like a pleasant thing to do there are benefits of having a legal document drawn up. For example, this may come in handy later if your parents need to apply for an assisted living facility. 

The Long Term Services and Supports Program

This program provides financial support to seniors who are in need of long-term care. It allows them to manage for themselves how they would like to receive that care. The details of this program vary depending which state you live in. Some states have restrictions on them that prevent hiring family caregivers. Some factors that would prevent you from becoming a caregiver in these states would be following:

• Your relationship to the family member
• Whether or not you live in the same household

Veterans Services 

If either one of your parents are a veteran, then you might be able to access additional resources. One such additional resource is the Veterans Aid and Attendance. This is for senior veterans in need of regular assistance for a number of activities of daily living. This program may provide up to $1,830 a month per person. This money  is put in the control of the person in need. As a result, they can put it towards the long term care program of their choice. This includes paying a family caregiver.  

Tax Deductions Available to Caregivers 

Finally, once you become a paid caregiver, take advantage of all the tax deductions available. Costs such as dental or medical bills, transportation costs and home modifications for handicap accessibility may be able to be written off. If you’re not sure what you qualify for, you can talk to your accountant. Your accountant may suggest that you begin keeping track of your mileage on your vehicle and saving receipts for any expenses that you can include as tax deductions. 

The post How to Become a Paid Caregiver for Your Parents appeared first on MyOrder Health.

Aging doesn’t necessarily mean poor health. There are plenty of older adults that enjoy good health, sometimes even better than younger people. 

As your body ages, your skin, bones and mind start to behave in ways that they never have before. Instead of letting these changes catch you by surprise, keep yourself informed about your body. Know what to expect and know what to do to maintain your happiness and your health through these changes. This article will outline Seven different things that you can do. To stay happy and healthy as you age. 

An Active Lifestyle 

One of the most important things that you could do as you get older is maintain an active lifestyle. This might seem obvious to some people, but unfortunately exercise is neglected in many people’s lives. This leads to healt challenges and more difficulties later as you age.  

Exercise doesn’t have to be scary or stressful. You should have fun while staying active. In fact, exercise can be a wonderful activity to share with friends or family. Do you know what just a 10-minute brisk walk can do? It can reduce the risk of many different health issues including heart disease and even diabetes.  

As you get older you are also at a higher risk for developing arthritis. People with arthritis also benefit from maintaining an active lifestyle.  

Doctors recommend you get at least two and a half hours of exercise each week. These two and a half hours should be of moderate-intensity exercise. You can meet this time requirement by engaging in half an hour of moderate-intensity exercise for five days out of the week.  

Remember that your goal is to stay active not just get active. So, pick an exercise activity that you like to do. If you don’t like sticking to a gym routine, go for a brisk walk or even a ride on your bicycle instead.  

Eating Healthy 

Even if you’re not used to exercising everyday eating is something that you are used to doing every day. Because it’s something that we already do every day, it makes it that much more important to do it well. Making sure that your body is well nourished can help to reduce the risk of getting heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure. All in all, when you eat better, you feel better.  

Maintaining a healthy and well-balanced diet is one of the most important things that you can do in aging well. You need to replace the unhealthy foods in your diet with healthier ones. This means foods that have more fiber and more nutrients. 

In addition to eating your everyday fruits and vegetables. Place a limit on consuming foods that are high in more dangerous ingredients for older adults such as fat, cholesterol and sodium. You may also want to consider taking some daily vitamins to ensure that your body is getting enough calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 every day.  

Mental Health 

Keep learning new things and challenging your brain.  Don’t shy away from taking advantage of low prices for fitness classes for seniors or even senior classes at your local college. This can help keep your brain from declining and bring joy to your life. 

If you’re feeling down or depressed, talk to someone. Start with a friend or family member, then if you need to, talk to your doctor. Your doctor might be able to recommend a therapist for you to talk to. If you feel that that’s something that you would benefit from give it a try. Maintaining your mental health is as important as your physical health.  

Healthy Relationships 

One of the most difficult things about getting older is the loneliness you might feel. Staying connected with the people in your life, forming new relationships and keeping your relationships healthy is as important as keeping your body healthy. By connecting with other people, you make sure that your mind is active. This helps prevent depression and dementia. 

Many seniors have found that volunteering within their communities or taking classes to learn something new has helped them form new relationships and stay connected with other people. Ask around to see where you’re needed in your community.  

Preventative Care 

Even if you feel fine, visit the doctor regularly to maintain your health. There are immunizations that you can get to help protect you against dangerous sicknesses like the flu and pneumonia. Get screened for breast cancer and colon cancer regularly. Once detected, you can start getting treatment.  

Learn to Cope 

Coping mechanisms are extremely important as you age. Everybody faces periods of both joy and stress. The more you resilient you are, the more gracefully you will be able to cope with the challenges that arise in your life. 

Try and keep your focus on everything that you’re grateful for. You might lose things as you age but don’t stop taking everything that you still have for granted. Try and appreciate and enjoy what you have even more than before. Accept what you can’t change and always look for the silver lining in every situation. Learn to face all your limitations with dignity and good sense of humor. Laughter is sometimes the best medicine.  

Look for Joy 

Search for things that bring joy to your life. If you’re facing retirement, you might want to consider picking up an old hobby or even trying a new one. Take a class or join a team to get back to doing what you love.  

You can also decide to dedicate your time to learning something that you’ve always wanted to try. Learn foreign language or how to play an instrument. This combines physical health, mental health, social health and brings joy to your life. 

As you get older, you might also decide that traveling is something that you want to do now that you have time. Many people find joy by simply taking a scenic hike or going camping. If you feel that too much physical activity will be strenuous for you, then you might choose to visit a museum.  

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