Your Legal Corner: Information on Medicaid forms – NJ.com

Victoria M. Dalton

Today Your Legal Corner will provide information on “Medicaid Forms.”

OK, you have all heard me say this at least once before — change is hard. It’s hard when we suffer loss; whether it’s through death, divorce, or illness to name a few. It’s hard, because as individuals, we are forced to accept or deal with the “new” normal and in most instances admittedly this is just not easy. Our task, when facing a new challenge, is to smile bravely, place one foot in front of the other and move forward slowly.

It’s important to recognize resources which may be available to you when faced with the challenge of completing Medicaid Forms. Usually it’s the adult child who is responsible for completing the forms and gathering the requested information for the elder parent.

The best way to approach this daunting task of applying for Medicaid is to have a flexible plan in place. Your plan should initially include knowing the Medicaid forms, making friends with your parent’s intake/caseworkers, determining whether to hire an attorney and addressing your situation one day at a time.

Medicaid forms

Medicaid forms may differ from county to county depending on where you live. Contact the Board of Social Services in your county to get answers to specific questions you may have. The main forms to be aware of are the application, the PA-4 form and the PA-31 form.

The first form is the application itself and is usually completed when you meet with the caseworker at the first interview.

The application will inquire as to the financial history of the applicant, going back 60 months, to make sure gifts were not made in an attempt to receive Medicaid assistance prematurely. Make sure the information provided on the application is accurate. As the signer, you will be required to swear that the information contained within the application is correct.

The second form required is the PA-4 form. This form states that the applicant requires an institutional level of care and is needed to apply for Medicaid.

The PA-3l form will state the current income of the applicant along with any acceptable deductions. You will also be required to provide a list of documents to support what has been written in the application. Check the Board of Social Services website in your county or call for the complete list.

Medicaid caseworker

View the Medicaid intake/ caseworker as your friend and follow his or her instructions carefully. By way of background, the caseworker is overworked with many cases, so a friendly, levelheaded applicant will be a welcome change.

Further, as to any deficiencies or questions found by the intake/caseworker within the Medicaid application, it is very important to respond timely or risk the possibility of receiving a Medicaid denial letter. A Medicaid denial letter could mean the tedious application process would have to start over since the requested information was not supplied.

Elder attorney

The question often presented is whether or not the services of an attorney are needed to complete the Medicaid forms. The answer in short depends on you. As the caregiver, you will supply any information required on the forms to your attorney. If your situation is such that you are a growing member of the sandwich generation, working, taking care of your children as well as your parent, an attorney may be a wise investment. The fee is an accepted expense under Medicaid rules, so although the forms are not difficult to complete, the assistance of an attorney may be extremely beneficial.

Additionally, should a question develop, the attorney has been involved right from the beginning, instead of being brought in midstream. So whether or not you retain an attorney is a personal choice.

Until next week, stay dry, think One Day at a Time until Spring when YLC will provide information on “Caregiver Relief.” Until then, God bless, keep smiling and remember who’s in Your Legal Corner!

Victoria M. Dalton is a dedicated Family/Elder Law Attorney with the Law Offices of Hoffman Dimuzio. Call 856-845-8243 for further information. Email correspondence to vdalton@hoffmandimuzio.com or see www.ylcdirection.com.

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