One area that is often overlooked in a basic estate plan, but is vitally important, is long-term health care planning. Care in a skilled nursing facility can cost more than $6,500 per month, which can be a difficult burden to meet for those who have not prepared financially. If you are healthy and have the means to afford it, you may purchase long-term health care insurance, but there are many people for whom this insurance is simply unavailable or unaffordable. As such, it is always a good idea to speak with an Arizona estate planning attorney about possible options before the need for long-term health care arises.

Long-term health care planning provides a means by which many people can arrange their affairs to qualify for Arizona’s Medicaid program, ALTCS. Because ALTCS is a needs based program, only those who meet specific income and resource requirements qualify, although many can prepare themselves to meet these requirements in a period of time. Once approved for ALTCS, married members may preserve their assets to provide for the care and comfort of their well spouse. Whether or not you presently need long-term health care, you should discuss this type of planning with an experienced attorney, as health crises often come quickly.

To learn more about long-term health care planning and ALTCS, please visit www.arizonaseniorlaw.com.