It’s that time of year again. It’s time to figure out what our resolutions are for 2012! Here at Schutjer Bogar, the number one resolution on our list every year is to provide the best Medicaid legal services to our clients.

In order to ensure the Medicaid process goes as smoothly as possible, the one resolution we ask our clients to make is to try and gather as much information as possible from the resident and/or the resident’s family at the time of admission. The time of admission is the best time to gather this information because it is when the resident is most likely to provide the details necessary to process the Medicaid application. Later, after the resident has resided at the facility for a while, oftentimes the family stops visiting, or the resident becomes incompetent; making it very difficult to even obtain the most basic information.

The information that should always be compiled at Admission includes the following:
1. A signed Admission Agreement
2. Any valid Power of Attorney documents
3. Contact information for all next of kin; including work, home and cell phone numbers
4. Resident ‘s date of birth and copy of birth certificate
5. Copies of any and all medical insurance cards
6. Marital status of resident, and information regarding divorce records
7. Information regarding social security benefits
8. Asset information; address of any real properties; and bank names and account numbers where accounts held; pensions, 401K information; life insurance information; burial trusts;

With this information in hand, the Medicaid application can basically be completed at the time it is initially made, making the entire process much easier for all.

Happy 2012!

Eva works out of our Mount Laurel, NJ office with Ivana Grujic, Penelope Jones and Laura Fabiano.