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Applying for Medicare with an Elder Lawyer

November 16, 2020

As your loved ones age, you may be searching for affordable ways to continue to care for them. Securing Medicare for your aging family members is one way to keep their costs down and maintain more of their wealth in their estate, to cover for other needs such as housing, medical care, and more. While you may think you can simply download the forms from Missouri’s Medicare agency and fill them out yourself, there are enormous benefits to hiring a Springfield elder lawyer to help you with this process. Seeking their guidance will better position you and your loved one for obtaining this critical resource for their ongoing medical care.

Why Hire a Springfield Elder Lawyer to Apply for Medicare?

Medicare is an important government benefit afforded to qualifying senior citizens. Each state manages its own Medicare exchange, making obtaining this crucial medical insurance somewhat confusing. Bear in mind that elder citizens cannot simply access Medicare – they must qualify for it by proving certain elements of their income and ability to obtain other medical insurance coverage.

Elder law attorneys specialize in helping older adults with their long-term estate planning, which often includes planning for Medicare. Because they have an overwhelming amount of experience handling this type of benefits application, wrapping in Medicare planning with your estate planning goals makes everything that much easier. Your Springfield elder lawyer has a unique understanding of Missouri’s specific rules and regulations regarding qualifying for Medicare and will help you identify comprehensive strategies for obtaining coverage and thereby keeping your costs down to a minimum.

Assistance with Avoiding Medicare Penalties

Another important element of hiring a Springfield elder lawyer is that they can assist you with avoiding Medicare penalties that are triggered based on how an applicant responds to key questions on the application form. Because some of these questions involve highly complex subject matter related to trust and estate planning, most applicants will likely answer incorrectly and face costly penalties in the process. 

Because most people aren’t familiar with the various ins-and-outs and opportunities to both qualify for Medicare and avoid penalties, it’s recommended that you seek the counsel of an experienced elder attorney. If you’re anticipating needing long-term Medicare coverage, or simply want to take advantage of the cost-savings as part of your Medicare plan, you can build a Medicare planning strategy into your estate plan.

A knowledgeable Springfield elder lawyer can work with you to fill out the application and build it into your estate plan. Contact our offices today.