• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Nirenstein, Horowitz & Associates P.C.

Estate Planning | Making a Difference One Family at a Time

An Estate Planning Law Firm
Making a Difference One Family at a Time

Call Now: (860) 548-1000

Attend a Complimentary Seminar
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • Our Firm
    • About Our Firm
    • Careers
    • Client Testimonials
    • Meet Our Team
  • Services
    • Asset Protection & Business Planning
    • Estate And Gift Tax Figures
    • Estate Planning
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Loss of a Loved One
    • Pet Planning
    • Powers of Attorney
    • SECURE Act
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust Administration and Probate
  • Elder Law
    • Alzheimer’s Disease
    • Caregiver Information
    • Emergency Medicaid & Nursing Home Planning
    • Guardianship & Conservatorship
    • Hospice Care
    • Medicaid Planning
  • Resources
    • Complimentary Estate Planning Worksheet
    • Complimentary Medicaid/Long-Term Care Calculator
    • DocuBank
    • Elder Law Resources
      • Glastonbury Elder Law Resources
    • Estate Planning Articles
    • Estate Planning Checkup
    • Estate Planning Definitions
    • Estate Planning Presentations
    • Estate Planning Seminars
    • Estate Planning Techniques
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Asset Protection and Business Planning
      • Elder Law & Medicaid
      • Estate Administration
      • Estate and Gift Tax
      • Estate Planning
      • Frequently Asked Questions for Families Without an Estate Plan
      • Incapacity Planning
      • In-Home Elder Care
      • Irrevocable Trusts
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning
      • Living Trust
      • Medicaid Planning
      • Nursing Home Asset Protection FAQs
      • Probate
      • Probate Avoidance
      • SECURE Act 2.0
      • Trust Administration
      • Wills
    • Newsletters
    • Probate Resources
      • Probate Resources
    • Published Books
    • Reports
      • Advanced Estate Planning
      • Basic Estate Planning
      • Estate Planning for Niches
      • Trust Administration
  • Seminars
  • Communities We Serve
    • Fairfield County
      • Darien
      • Fairfield
      • Stamford
    • Hartford County
      • Avon
      • Hartford
      • Simsbury
      • West Hartford
    • Litchfield County
      • Watertown
    • Middlesex County
      • Middletown
      • Old Saybrook
    • New Haven County
      • Middlebury
      • New Haven
    • New London County
      • Groton
      • Old Lyme
      • Stonington
    • Tolland County
      • Mansfield
    • Windham County
      • Woodstock
  • REVIEW US
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
Home » Estate Planning » Will Medicare Cover Hospice Care?

Will Medicare Cover Hospice Care?

June 14, 2022 by John McCann, Estate Planning Attorney

elder lawWhen you are 65 years of age, you will qualify for Medicare coverage if you have sufficient retirement credits. You can earn a maximum of four credits each year when you are working and paying taxes, and you become eligible after you have 40 credits.

If you are married and you do not have the 40 credits on your own, you can potentially qualify on your spouse’s work record. Most people that work get the four credits annually because the earning requirements are minimal.

Hospice Care

As estate planning and elder law attorneys, we assist people that are preparing for the eventualities of aging as they craft their legacies. Asset preservation is part of the equation because expenses that you incur late in your life can reduce your financial capabilities.

There are out-of-pocket costs that you should prepare for in advance even if you are going to qualify for Medicare. Fortunately, Medicare will pay for hospice care, which is care that is provided for people that are in terminal conditions.

If physicians have determined that you have no more than six months to live, you can potentially enter hospice with Medicare paying the bills.

Cognitive Impairment

The Alzheimer’s Association tells us that 32 percent of people that are 85 years of age and older have contracted the disease. Most octogenarians pass away with some level of cognitive impairment, but the period of decline can be erratic.

In some cases, a person with cognitive impairment will enter hospice because their doctors determine that they do not have long to live, but their condition can stabilize to some extent. The Washington Post recently published an article about this difficult subject.

People will sometimes enter hospice, and their families prepare themselves for the inevitable. It can be very difficult to care for someone that is in this condition, and for some older spouses or adult child caregivers, it is more than difficult–it is physically impossible.

Sadly, people will sometimes be sent home because Medicare refuses to continue to pay for the hospice care. This can lead to a cycle that repeats itself, and advocacy groups are starting to bring this to the attention of the powers that be.

Medicaid Coverage

Medicare will pay for hospice care, but it does not cover long-term custodial care that you would receive from an in-home health aide or a nursing home. This is the thin line that enters the picture when people are not going to recover, but the time factor is hard to predict.

Medicaid does pay for long-term care, and it will cover hospice care. Of course, since it is a need-based program, you cannot qualify if you have more than $1600 in countable assets in your name.

You could fund a revocable Medicaid trust to divest yourself of direct possession of assets with future eligibility in mind. The “future” qualifier is important because there is a five year look back. After you fund the trust, you will be ineligible for Medicaid for five years.

Until and unless you are a Medicaid recipient, you can accept distributions of the trust’s earnings. This can allow you to maintain your lifestyle even though you are transferring the nest egg that is generating the income into the trust.

This strategy can be highly effective, but it is a bit complicated. Elder law attorneys assist clients that want to take the right steps in advance to preserve inheritances that they would like to be able to leave to their loved ones.

Schedule a Consultation Today!

Some of the eventualities of aging are disconcerting, but with the proper planning, you can minimize the negative impact. If you are ready to get started, you can schedule a consultation at our Westport or Glastonbury, CT elder law offices if you call us at 860-548-1000.

There is also a contact form on this site you can use to send us a message, and if you reach out electronically, you will receive a prompt response.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
John McCann, Estate Planning Attorney
John McCann, Estate Planning Attorney
Estate Planning Attorney at Nirenstein, Horowitz & Associates PC
John McCann is a partner with the law firm of Nirenstein, Horowitz & Associates, P.C. He received his bachelor of arts degree in economics from the University of Virginia and his master of arts degree in economics from Trinity College in Hartford. He received his law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law.

Mr. McCann is licensed to practice before the courts of the State of Connecticut. He is a member of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys.

Mr. McCann provides to his clients, trust and estate planning, and trust and estate administration services. Formerly, Mr. McCann was an adjunct professor of economics in the State of Connecticut Community College system, and a Commissioner of the Town of Simsbury Zoning Board of Appeals.
John McCann, Estate Planning Attorney
Latest posts by John McCann, Estate Planning Attorney (see all)
  • The Last Note: Crafting a Comprehensive Letter of Final Instructions - September 19, 2023
  • The Gift of Education Can Be Part of Your Estate Plan - August 31, 2023
  • Be Aware of the Medicaid Caregiver Child Exemption - August 15, 2023
Share our Content:

Filed Under: Estate Planning Tagged With: hospice care, Medicaid Planning, Medicare limitations

Other Articles You May Find Useful

probate avoidance
Understanding the Probate Process and How to Avoid It
estate planning terms
Navigating the Labyrinth: Key Estate Planning Terms
estate planning for divorced women
Navigating Your Estate Plan: A Post-Divorce Guide for Women
legacy planning
Legacy Planning: You Can Make a Real Difference
529 college savings plan
The Gift of Education Can Be Part of Your Estate Plan
estate plan updates
Regular Reviews and Updates of Your Estate Plan Are Essential

Primary Sidebar

Nirenstein, Horowitz & Associates

Upcoming Seminars

Estate Planning Seminar

Date: October 17

Venue: Canton Community Center, 40 Dyer Avenue, Collinsville, CT, 06019, United States

Estate Planning Seminar

Date: October 18

Venue: Cheshire Public Library, 104 Main Street, Cheshire, CT, 06410, United States

See all Seminars

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

TESTIMONIALS

Blog Subscription

Our blog gives you the most up-to-date estate planning news. Sign up today to receive our regular updates!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

WESTPORT OFFICE

8 Wright Street, Suite 107
Westport, CT 06880
Phone: (860) 548-1000
Fax: (860) 761-1070
preserveyourestate_sidbr_map

Somerset Square

200 Glastonbury Boulevard, Suite 202
Glastonbury, CT 06033-4418
Phone: (860) 548-1000
Fax: (860) 761-1070
preserveyourestate_sidbr1_map

Office Hours

Monday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday8:30 AM - 5:00 PM

Footer

footer-logo
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this or associated pages, documents, comments, answers, emails, or other communications should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. The information on this website is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing of this information does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.

Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Disclaimer | Site Map | Powered by American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys

© 2023 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.