Cunningham & Associates: Your Medi-cal Regulations Specialist

Understanding Medi-cal laws can be a complicated process.  Many Americans aren’t aware of programs for which they are qualified, or become victims of the system by having their home or other assets taken from their families at a later date.  Even judges have been known to be confused by the intricate and sometimes bewildering nuances of the system’s rules and regulations.  At Cunningham & Associates you can trust that we understand the law and will ensure that you receive all the benefits available to you. 

Cunningham & Associates Medi-cal regulation specialists help clients qualify and protect themselves when it comes to Medi-cal planning in three main areas:

1. Helping clients qualify for Medi-cal benefits
2. Assisting in the reduction or elimination of share of cost or co-payments
3. Protecting client families from retro recovery –  when the government takes assets away from surviving members of the family

Qualifying for Benefits & CSRA
Many Americans don’t realize they can become eligible for Medi-cal benefits.  Cunningham & Associates Medi-cal regulations specialists can help clients navigate oftentimes unclear Medi-cal laws in order help them qualify for benefits.  This can be done a number of ways including filing for a 3100 petition, or requesting for a fair hearing in order to increase your Community Spouse Resource Allowance or CSRA.

In the past Medi-cal viewed a husband and wife were as one economic unit.  Because of this, a number of families were forced to spend down their marital assets in order to qualify for Medi-cal.  Recognizing this was impoverishing Americans, Congress devised CSRA which allows the well spouse and dependent family members to retain assets without penalizing the sick spouse’s medical needs.

When it comes to Medi-cal planning, it is a common misnomer that CSRA is a maximum number.  In many cases a Cunningham & Associates Medi-cal attorney can help increase the CSRA amount in order to help an individual obtain Medi-cal benefits.

Reducing or Eliminating Share of Cost or Co-payments
All too often those receiving Medi-cal benefits are forced to pay more than 90 percent of their monthly income on co-payments or their share of cost.  This is where a Cunningham & Associates Medi-cal attorney can help.  Our Medi-cal regulations specialists are knowledgeable in Medi-cal laws and can assist clients in either significantly lowering co-payments or completely eliminating them.  

Protecting the Well Spouse and Other Surviving Family Members
In a number of cases Medi-cal laws dictate the government has the right to retro recovery – essentially the taking of assets – upon the death of a sick spouse in order to “make up” for monies spent by the government on that person’s medical care.  This can leave the well or surviving spouse and other surviving family members in a poor financial position if assets such as a home are taken away.

A Cunningham & Associates Medi-cal lawyer can assist families in their Medi-cal planning so that the well spouse and other surviving family members are protected.  When you complete your estate and Medi-cal planning with Cunningham & Associates, you can be assured that you will be able to leave the assets you want to the family members you desire without any worry of retro recovery by the government.