Your Guide to Medicaid in Massachusetts

Before you sacrifice your own money, or your inheritance, to pay for your parents’ nursing home care, ask yourself the following question:

What are my parents’ assets, and what can I do with them?

According to Massachussets law, a person can only use Medicaid if he or she has less than $2,000 in “countable assets.” Certain kinds of assets, however, are exempt from this rule, including irrevocable trusts, long-term care insurance, and some annuities. If your parents have more than $2,000, ask a Massachusetts estate planning lawyer for advice on how to make these assets exempt.

What about my parents’ home?

Owning real estate makes paying for a nurisng home tricky under Massachusetts law. If your parents own a house, and one of them has to live in a nursing home, the house is exempt as long as your other parent continues to live there. You can also get an exemption if one of their children lives there and has a disability. Otherwise, your parents will have to sell it and spend the money on nursing home care before they can use Medicaid.

What are my responsibilities as a child?

Under Massachusetts law, children are required to support their elderly parents. If your parents use Medicaid to pay for nursing home care, the state may ask you to reimburse a portion of these costs. You can get out of this requirement, however, if you lack sufficient means or can prove that your parents didn’t support you in your youth. Ask a Massachusetts elder law attorney if you qualify for these exemptions.

Meta Title: Your Guide to Massachussets Elder Law and Medicaid

Meta Description: Before you put your parents in a nursing home, talk to your Massachusetts nursing home attorney about these three questions.