Category Archives: Medicaid Recipients Over 55
Medicare Consumers May Be Great House-Flippers: Keep Your Mind Wise
I have a guest blogger today – what an honor! Teresa Greenhill is the co-creator of MentalHealthforSeniors.com, which is dedicated to providing seniors with information on physical and mental fitness. Being a senior herself, Teresa, with some help from her granddaughter, manages the website as a way to keep her busy and help other seniors be active and happy in their golden years.
Teresa’s blog today is about Medicare consumers creating a “senior” business…make money as a senior! Think it can’t be done?? Read Teresa’s blog below.
Breaking Into the House-Flipping Business: A Guide for Seniors
House-flipping can be a lucrative and rewarding venture for seniors. Maybe you are a retiree looking for a second career. Maybe you’ve always wanted to get competitive in the world of real estate. Or maybe you’re just trying to stay occupied and active while bringing in a little extra cash. Whatever the case, if you’re considering trying your hand at house-flipping, here are some of the basics you should know.
Seniors tend to thrive in the field of real estate.
Success in real estate can hinge very much on how well you deal with people. And this is something that many seniors have become adept at, over the years. You’ve probably had your share of managing difficult personalities. You can often anticipate issues before they arise. And most importantly, your own life experience sets you up to empathize with what others may be going through. Individuals who are selling or buying a home will appreciate the chance to deal with someone who is competent and calm, and who understands their worries. The bonus for seniors is that the work is relatively undemanding and allows you to set your own schedule.
You don’t need to be a real estate agent.
You don’t need to train to be an agent, or be certified as an agent, in order to get into flipping houses. That doesn’t mean there aren’t benefits to getting your real estate agent’s license, however. As a licensed agent, you will save money on commissions. You will also have better and earlier access to real estate listings. And being educated in the ins and outs of home buying and selling will make the entire process run more smoothly for you.
You will need to start with a certain amount of funding.
House-flipping is not one of those fields you can leap into without preparation, and this includes financial preparation. Before you decide that house-flipping is right for you, check to see whether you are financially ready to make a good start. The biggest expense you will face is the acquisition cost, which will vary depending on location, the size of the property, and its condition. You will also have to deal with renovation expenses and property taxes. Other costs involved in house-flipping include utilities, inspections, permits, and closing costs. So yes, this is a field that is easier to break into if you have plenty of cash on hand. But seniors who don’t have much expendable income still may be able to get a bank or home equity loan to start off.
Should you buy fixer-uppers?
When going into house flipping, the idea is that you will sell a house for more than you spent on it – so, yes, some renovation is a given. But there’s a limit to how much renovation and repair is a good idea. Even a home that looks decent at first glance could have a host of problems including expensive issues pertaining to the foundation, the roof, or the structure itself. Look out for mold, asbestos, termite damage, and wiring problems. A good choice is a home that will benefit immensely from less expensive aesthetic updates such as a good paint job, new cabinets, or improved landscaping. Of course, much depends on how skilled you are at home renovations and repairs, yourself.
Will you have to hire employees?
If you plan on making this a business, you may want to bring on more permanent hires. Or you may prefer simply to deal with contractors. Either way, make sure you hire individuals or companies that have good reviews and are well regarded. Don’t forget that you will need to manage payroll, as soon as you start hiring others. So make sure anyone you bring on fills out the appropriate paperwork, and have an organized system for paying them promptly and correctly.
If you feel you have what it takes to succeed at – and enjoy – house-flipping, this may be the beginning of an exciting new phase in your life. Just be sure you are well informed, and sufficiently financially equipped to get your start safely. If you are a senior interested in real estate and also have legal questions pertaining to Medicaid or Medicare in the Raleigh area, contact Knicole C. Emanuel of Medicaid Law NC.
Medicaid, Medicare, Nursing Facilities, and “Death and Taxes”: Our Uncertain Future for Our Aged Population
There are few “knowns” in life. In 1789, Benjamin franklin penned a correspondence to Jean-Baptiste Leroy, in which he wrote, “Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”
Certainly the phrase “death and taxes” had existed prior to Franklin’s 1789 usage, but considering how famous Franklin became in history for our country, many people attribute the phrase to Franklin.
Think about it. Nothing is certain, but death and taxes. It is a rather bleak view of the world. Why not “nothing is certain except happiness and sadness?” Or “nothing is certain but you being alive and dying?” Why do both “certain” items have to be bleak?
For purposes of this blog, I am using my own phrase:
“Nothing is certain except old age, unless you die early.”
For one day, we will all be old (unless we die early). And when we age, as much as we would love to ignore the fact, the fact is that most of us will be placed in an assisted living facility (ALF) or a nursing home of some sort.
But what will the world of ALFs look like 20…30…40 years from now? With the low Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rates for personal care services (PCS), how many nursing homes will exist in the future?
Already, in Massachusetts, nursing homes are dropping like flies due to low reimbursement rates. What does this mean to the aged population?
In NC, our PCS reimbursement rate continues to be slashed. What will this mean for our aged population?
In the past few years, with approval from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), NC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has lowered the reimbursement rates for non-medical PCS provided both in the home and in a facility.
In October 2013, DHHS officials proposed to CMS a cut in the Medicaid PCS hourly rate by $2.40 per hour, down to $13.12 per hour, retroactive to July 1 (At the time, the PCS hourly rate was $15.52 and allowed up to 130 hours of care per month or, roughly, 4 hours a day).
Interestingly, DHHS has the PCS reimbursement rate for facilities and for home health care providers the same. Yet, facilities face much higher overhead, staffing costs, and building and equipment costs than does a home care provider. So why do both different types of providers receive the same reimbursement rate?
Prior to 2010, DHHS had two separate PCS rates, one for facilities and one for home health care providers. Obviously, the reimbursement rate in facilities was higher than the PCS rate for home health care providers to account for the additional overhead costs.
However, Disability Rights of NC warned DHHS that paying lower reimbursement rates for people living in the home versus a facility violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) agreed, and, in 2012, the General Assembly (GA) had to make a decision: (1) lower the reimbursement rate for PCS in facilities; (2) increase the reimbursement rates for PCS in the home; (3) or come up with some innovative way to not violate the ADA.
Feeling pinched, the GA passed legislation that made it more difficult for recipients to qualify for PCS and decreased the number of allowable hours of PCS to from 130 to 80 hours per month, although if a person suffered from dementia, the PCS provider could get an extra 50 hours/week.
Plus, starting January 1, 2014, the shared savings plan went into effect, which decreased reimbursement rates by 3% across the board.
What does all this mean? It points to a couple of things.
Nursing facilities are facing financial distress.
In Massachusetts nursing facilities have already begun to close down. As of May 19, 2014, within 5 months, 4 nursing homes have gone out of business. According to The Boston Globe, the 4 nursing homes closed because they were “unable to make ends meet with the money they get from Medicaid because reimbursement rates have not increased in nearly a decade, according to the Massachusetts Senior Care Association, the industry trade group. Scores more are on the edge of shutting down.”
Scores more are on the verge of shutting down? For those of you who do not recall Lincoln’s speech, “Four scores and seven years ago…,” a score equals 20. According to the Boston Globe scores are on the verge of shutting down??? 40? 60?
With our aged population growing by the day, what does the future look like for nursing homes and the aged population?
Nothing may be certain except death and taxes, but I think it is certain that you will grow old, unless you die early.
Medicaid Card Warning: This Card Could Cause the State to Recoup From Your Estate!
Have you ever wondered about warning labels? I mean, some of them are so ridiculous that you have to wonder who the person was that created the need for such a ridiculous warning label.
For example, the warning label on the sleep-aid Nytol warns, “May cause drowsiness.” I hope so!
This weekend my husband and I let friends borrow our chainsaw. The warning on the chainsaw says, “Do not hold on wrong side of chainsaw.” Really? What moronic person would grab a chainsaw by the saw blade? But the warning is there, so there must have been at least one person who held the chainsaw by the saw blade, turned on the saw and…you know.
Then comes my personal favorite…my egg carton from the grocery store states, “This product may contain eggs.” My egg carton! Really?
Medicaid cards should come with warning labels. Multiple warning labels. Such as:
“Warning: You may not be able to find a physician willing to accept Medicaid.”
Or
“Warning: This may not be your card. Review the name prior to use.”
Or
“Warning: This card could lead to you losing your home.”
What?
For most people, your home is your biggest investment in your lifetime. Many people want to pass their houses down to children, or, at least, give the children the right to sell the home and keep the money. To some, the home is the biggest inheritance…maybe the only inheritance.
So how can NC take your home if you are on Medicaid?
According to NC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the estates of Medicaid recipients may be subject to estate recovery if (1) The Medicaid recipient applied on or after October 1, 1994. (Considering it is 2014, I would guess that most people fall into this category); and one of the following:
(a) is under age 55 and an inpatient in a nursing facility, intermediate care facility for the intellectual developmentally disabled, or other medical institution, and cannot reasonably be discharged to return home; or
(b) is 55 years of age or older and is living in medical facility and receiving medical care services, or home and community-based services, or In Home Care Services (IHC).
Also, In Home Care Services (IHC) claims for SA recipients ages 55 and over are subject to Medicaid Estate Recovery.
This estate recovery is not new. Recently, I have seen a few articles on the internet that state that this estate recovery is a new addition to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This is incorrect information. In 1965, estate recovery was optional and states could only recoup Medicaid costs spent on those 65 years or older. In 1993, Congress passed a budget bill that required states to recover the expense of long-term care and related costs for deceased Medicaid recipients 55 or older. The 1993 federal law also gave states the option to recover all other Medicaid expenses. The only change that the ACA made to the estate recovery rule is, by expanding Medicaid, providing more estates to be recovered.
“Warning: Medicaid can take your home!”
The estate recovery oddly seems to disproportionately affect people over 55 years of age.
DHHS does state that it will NOT seek a lien on your property while you are alive. DHHS only seeks the estate recovery after your death. DHHS also states that estate recovery is waived in some circumstances. What circumstances are those? And why wouldn’t those circumstances apply to everyone?
What exactly can the state seek to recover?
“At a minimum, states must recover amounts spent by Medicaid for long-term care and related drug and hospital benefits, including Medicaid payments for Medicare cost sharing related to these services. However, they have the option of recovering the costs of all Medicaid services paid on the recipient’s behalf. The majority of states recover spending for more than the minimum of long-term care and related expenses.” (emphasis added). See HHS’s website.
Isn’t Medicaid intended to be free health care for low-income and needy people? If the state can recover from a person’s estate after death, did that person really receive free health care? Or was the health care merely a loan?
Warning on the Medicaid card: “Warning! By accepting Medicaid, you are authorizing the state to recover from your estate, and, in some circumstances, your home.”
But the warning is very tiny print.
