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dear Chcuk; your message is so timely. my husband will turn 65 in 2 years and his long term disability benefit, that has supported us the last 15 years, will go away at 65. i have thought a long time about the medicaid benefits and our divorce as our only option to survive financially. we have <$100,000 in savings and expect that will evaporate by 65. i wonder what i should do with the look back period at 3-5 years. any more input would be appreciated. thanks patti -----Original Message----- From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Saturday, June 6, 2009 02:47 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: for those old timers that remember This is Chuck using Joyce's membership to sign on. After nearly 28 years with PD, Joyce is still with us in (almost) fine condition. After personally funding her live-in companion(s) since 1996 it was impossible to continue and I had to seek alternative ideas. Some of you might remember my sadness to have to make the decision to divorce Joyce in order to make a Medicaid application for assistance. Finally I had no choice and we were divorced in 2007. What followed was the most difficult financial audit in my lifetime. having a private business I was subjected to state and federal examinations including state sales tax audits. I passed all without exemption!!! Nothing can compare to a medicaid audit. I hired the top medicaid lawyer in South Carolina, called many times to testify in front of state appellate and federal level counts including the US Supreme court for medicaid cases. She knows her stuff. The current look back is five years but she found a provision to narrow it to three....big deal...!! Folks, if anyone is considering applying to Medicaid be ready to provide in duplicate and triplicate every single transaction from whatever source which can be shown which could be thought of as a way to reduce the beneficiaries assets. For me it was a five month process and a dossier of nearly 4 inches of papers. EVERYTHING financial over $1000 was requested in more than one direction. What made it soooo difficult was that the three years prior included years that we were married and co mingled investment and bank accounts. Ouch. Items such as helping our son's wedding, our other son's car down payment and many more normal family actions that were NOT accepted because in effect it was considered a gift. believe me this sucked. If any lives in South Carolina there is another program under which the patient can apply and which is for the most part not publicly advertised. I will supply the info if you ask me. The criteria is similar but has some leeway that straight medicaid does not have. After 4 months she was accepted for 1/2 of the benefits...medical and medicine...leaving the actual living expenses in a nursing home (assisted living is not covered) up in the air. The bills kept coming but since we didn't know if we were accepted how far back they would cover. so i never paid anything except her personal care items. I contacted the state ombudslady who after hearing and reading my letter asking for her support agreed to act on my behalf...the lawyer was against a brick wall... It worked and with a lot of tears from the lawyer, ambudslady and ME last week I received notice that she qualified for the missing link and I was totally free of ALL expenses. Joyce is now living in a nursing home in Columbia, South Carolina, using a power wheelchair to get around and which opened a new world for her. Her PD symptoms continue as was for years and years...no use of her legs complicated by the loss of the use of her right hand due to an car accident. She is the life of the party, knows everyone, just received an honor for redesigning and reorganizing the library, credited with starting a maj jong game club..and known as somebody who will always bring a smile to anyone near. Nobody every accepts PD or a nursing home but she has made peace with herself...i think... We remain closest friends and I am thankful to my current wife who totally supports my efforts and actions for Joyce. Although they havent met, Joyce continually sends her thanks to us both. If anyone is interested in writing to her, and although she cant write back, she will dictate to me and Ill answer all mail. I will give her address to anyone interested who requests it to Joyce's private email at [log in to unmask] (mailto:[log in to unmask]) I had to share this experience for those who find themselves facing financial disaster due to the care giving expenses which will keep mounting. The thought of divorce was the hardest but something that MUST be done, good luck to all.. Chuck CG Joyce first dx 1981 now 65 years old. **************Stay connected and tighten your budget with a great mobile device for under $50. Take a Peek! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100122638x1221845911x1201401556/aol?redir=http://www.getpeek.com/aol) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn