With the recent focus on getting schools open and kids back in the classroom, my mind went back to college days and DEADLINES.
I worked my way through college, so my days were full and my nights were short. And every class had assignments and deadlines.
At the beginning of the semester, sometimes I could get ahead on a few assignments, but as the semester wore on, it was usually just “focus on the next thing that HAS to be done.”
I’m not so super smart, so I had to study to get decent grades. And I learned that it wasn’t worth it to turn in an assignment late.
The penalty for being late was BIGGER than the benefit of bringing my work up from good to excellent.
What was REALLY frustrating, was when a teacher would assign another paper on Monday, and it was due on Wednesday.
If they would assign something a week out, and least I could restructure my weekend to get it done, but Monday to Wednesday? No way.
What would be even worse, would be to come into class, and be asked for an assignment that you didn’t even know was due.
“Oh, yeah. If you didn’t have that done by last week, your sink. Come back next semester.”
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In Elder-Care Medicaid, there are some “set-in-stone” deadlines, that no Medicaid-worker is allowed to ignore.
The trouble is that the Medicaid-Applicant DOESN’T KNOW that there is a deadline, and they don’t know how to verify that everything that they needed has been done.
Just recently a friend of mine sent in one paper to the Medicaid office, that they had requested.
The next day he CALLED the Medicaid office to see if they had received it and whether it was what they needed.
The worker responded, “When you send us the paperwork, WE HAVE 10 DAYS to review it, and if we need anything else, we’ll send you a letter.”
Did you get that? It doesn’t matter that there is an end-of-the-month deadline just a few days away.
It doesn’t matter that you need help verifying that this is the right document.
It doesn’t matter that when you miss the deadline, you’ll have to try again next month.
It doesn’t even matter that by missing the deadline, you’ll have to privately pay $9,000 for another month in the nursing home.
What matters is that They Have 10 Days to Review Your Paperwork . . . and They’ll Send You A Letter.
Some people wonder why they would hire me, a Medicaid Consultant, to help them with their Medicaid application.
One small reason is that I KNOW THE DEADLINES.
You see, I worked in the Idaho Long-Term Care Medicaid office for 5 years. I was that worker that had to abide by the “set-in-stone” deadlines. Hopefully, I wasn’t one that said “Wait for the letter.”
When I help a family, I can tell them what we need 1st and what can wait. I remind them of the calendar deadlines. I can review the documents and tell them which ones will work and which ones won’t. And then I can make phone calls and talk with the Medicaid workers.
I know their language . . .
I know their rules . . .
I know the exceptions to the rules . . .
I know their deadlines . . .
I know what proofs they can accept . . .
I know what questions to ask . . .
. . . and because I know, you don’t have to wait 10 days and wait for a letter in the mail.
You can just pick up the phone and ask me, and I’ll coach you on your options and help you meet the deadlines.
Missing 1 deadline can cost you one more month of paying the Nursing Home.
That’s why hiring me gets Medicaid approved faster and saves you more.
Feel free to contact me for a free consultation and assessment – 208-553-8634.
If you have an Elder Care Medicaid Question you would like me to address in a future email, I’d love to hear from you.