Seniors & Disabled Adults
1. Initial Assessment
The process of Health First Colorado (Medicaid) or VA Aid & Assistance planning begins with a thorough assessment of the client’s financial situation. Our team reviews Medicaid eligibility and determines if the client actually qualifies for Medicaid. If he or she does not, we find and present the best solutions to help the client get qualified.
2. Explore Opportunities
Once we’ve evaluated the client’s situation, we explore ways to preserve assets as much as possible within Medicaid Rules. Our goal during this process is to keep the client from spending down their entire life savings in order to qualify for Medicaid.
3. File an Application
Once we’ve equipped clients with the proper information necessary to complete their Health First Colorado (Medicaid) or VA Aid & Assistance application, the client has two options. He or she can handle the application process on their own, or they can have Beneficent manage the representation and filing of the application.
Full assessment & planning sessions typically require 1-2 hours to complete.
Non-Attorney Representation
For those who would like support during the application process, Beneficent can provide non-attorney representation and advocacy throughout both preparation and engagement phases. These services include:
File construction with supporting documents
Application and ancillary form completion and submission
Communication on your behalf with the assigned state caseworker
Application monitoring and medical evaluation
Audit of approval/certification and filing of appeal if necessary
Final consultation for approval/certification review, eligibility maintenance, and annual redetermination requirements
Flat, Fair Fees
Our fees are determined after a complete assessment and planning session. Fees vary based on the complexity and dynamics of each case and are typically less than the cost of a one-month long-term care private pay rate. Flat fees are guaranteed and provide clarity for our clients in determining the level of service desired. Because our services are considered a benefit of the applicant, our fees are considered part of the accepted spend-down.
Industry Partners
Although most long-term care providers who accept Medicaid have a good working knowledge of Medicaid eligibility requirements, taking on the role of a financial advisor of an applicant can have liabilities and pitfalls. Even if some providers have years of experience in assisting with the completion of applications and fully understand the parameters that govern the spend down of excess resources, using Beneficent as a resource is always an option. While it’s important for case managers to be aware of what’s happening with their client, it can be overwhelming to manage proper application and document submission, tracking of accounts and completion of medical evaluations. We provide services to the clients of providers, as well as workshops to help case managers and social workers better understand the ins and outs of the Medicaid process.
Benefits and services available to long-term care providers includes:
Accurate determination of target eligibility date.
Reduction of extended patient accounts due to Medicaid pending status.
Assistance with problem cases.
Assistance with complicated cases.
Continuing Education class for Certified Case Managers.
Continuing Education: Solutions to Pay for the High Cost of LTC
Beneficent is a PACE-certified course provider. Our course, Solutions to Pay for the High Cost of LTC, is meant to educate professionals with a better understanding of long-term care Medicaid eligibility. Proper Medicaid planning can help mitigate the problem of unpaid accounts and smooth the transition from private pay to Medicaid.
Topics Include:
Tools to communicate and explain LTC Medicaid eligibility
What Medicaid planning is and why it makes sense
Qualification requirements and early detection of eligibility problems
How to solve common eligibility problems before an application is denied
Preparing residents for the transition from private pay to Medicaid
Special protections and exemptions for those who are married
When transitioning a client from private pay to Medicaid, tens of thousands of dollars are on the line, meaning a huge impact for the provider. With so many variables that have a direct impact on eligibility, even an applicant with an empty bank account can still be denied for any number of reasons. With the help of Beneficent, long-term care providers are able to help properly manage their clients’ Medicaid eligibility cases.