Plan Your Funeral before Applying for Medicaid

Julie Olds,MMC
 Director of Community Relations and Education
Schoedinger Funeral and Cremation Services 

Kevin Schoedinger & Julie Olds
Senior Agenda - July 11, 2013

Listen to Senior Agenda podcast dated 7/11/2013 to discover why you should plan your funeral before applying for Medicaid.  I will give you a three hints about this reasoning: 

1) We are not suggesting that the application process will make you want to end it all.  

2) Pre planning is not a Medicaid requirement.  

3) This is directly connected to the Medicaid spend down.  

Kevin Schoedinger and Julie Olds of Scheodinger Funeral & Cremation Services were guests on Senior Agenda this morning and they spoke on the importance of funeral pre planning in connection to the Medicaid spend down.  I think you will be surprised to discover what Medicaid considers as allowable in the funeral planning process.  You might also be surprised to learn what Medicaid considers as assets and how very few you are permitted to retain if Medicaid becomes necessary.  Interestingly enough, many assisted living communities and long term care facilities only accept either private pay or Medicaid.  Some accept long term care policies.  Medicare does not cover assisted living or long term care costs.  These are needful conversations.