We are available to meet with clients in Champaign-Urbana area by appointment.
Contact Us

Estate Planning and Elder Law Attorney | Dent Coulson Elder Law

Get Help Right Away

Call Today: 618-632-7000 or 217-330-5500

or Send us an email

  • Home
  • Our Services
    • Alzheimer’s Planning
    • Asset Preservation Planning
    • Estate Planning
    • Medicaid Eligibility
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust and Estate Administration
    • VA Benefits Planning
  • News & Videos
    • Video Series
      • Coronavirus Preparedness
      • Asset Preservation Planning
      • Common Estate Planning Mistakes
      • Dealing With Alzheimer’s
      • Financial Exploitation of Elders
      • Handling Difficult Conversations with Seniors
      • Married Couples and Medicaid
      • Medicaid Application Process
      • Medicaid Look-Back Rule and Transfer Penalties
      • Nursing Home Admission and Care
      • Veterans Pension Benefits
      • What You Can and Can’t Keep with Medicaid
    • Weekly Newsletter
    • The Elder Law Minute
  • Alzheimer’s Guide
  • Presentations
    • Health Care Power of Attorney
  • Hear From Our Clients
    • Testimonials
    • Share Your Experience
  • About
    • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • Partners & Resources
    • About Our Fees
    • COVID-19 Policies
    • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Email Us
    • Find Our Offices
    • Refer a Friend
  • DCEL Blog

What you don’t know can hurt you: Understanding the Medicaid application process

How do you know if you’re answering things in the best way on a Medicaid application, in terms of getting eligibility, if you don’t know what the underlying rules are?

In this Elder Law Minute video, part of the Medicaid Application Process series, Wes Coulson discusses how your answers may quite possibly be the basis for delaying your eligibility or even denying your application.

What you don’t know can hurt you: Understanding the Medicaid application process

Transcript:

Hi, I’m Wes Coulson and this is your Elder Law Minute. This is another in our series on the Medicaid Application Process.

Have you ever heard the old expression, “What you don’t know can hurt you.”?

Well, let me tell you how true that is with regard to the Medicaid application process. People see the questions on the application and think – “Well, OK, I’ll just answer those.” – and not realizing that a lot of the questions on that application form are things that they’re asking toward the purpose of seeing whether there is anything out there that they can see as a basis for denying your application, a basis for delaying your eligibility.

You have to ask yourself and important question.

“How do you know if you’re answering things in the best way, in terms of getting eligibility, if you don’t know what the underlying rules are?”

So, there’s a real danger there in filling out an application yourself. If you’ve never been through the process before, I think the first time we do anything in life we tend to struggle through it. Moral to the story – we’ve been through this process successfully with hundreds and hundreds of clients, so you might want to think about having us help. Thanks.

For more about Medicaid and the application process, visit these articles:

  • Why can’t we just have a Caseworker help us file the Medicaid application
  • Look-Back Rule and Delay in Eligibility

Dent-Coulson Elder Law is dedicated to providing families in the St. Louis area with their Elder Law needs. Our practice areas include Asset Preservation Planning, Veterans Benefits, Medicaid Eligibility, Alzheimer’s Planning, Special Needs Planning, Estate Planning and more. We understand the financial challenges you may face as you and your loved ones grow older. At Dent-Coulson Elder Law, our clients’ well-being is our number one priority. For immediate help, call (877)995-6876 or Contact Us and we will get in touch as soon as possible.

Veterans Benefits O'Fallon ILFor Immediate Help

If you or a loved one needs immediate help with a planning matter or legal issue, please contact us, and we will get back to you promptly.

774 Sunset Blvd Suite 200
O'Fallon, IL 62269
IL: (618) 632-7000
MO: (314) 567-9292

1901 South Fourth Street,
Suite 211, Effingham, IL 62401
(217) 330-5500

Fax: (618) 632-7333

Office Hours
Monday - Thursday
8:30 am - 12:00 pm
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Friday
8:30 am - 12:00 pm

Champaign-Urbana by appointment

Connect with Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Join us for a FREE Workshop

 

Free WorkshopsIf you have reached age 65, there's about a 45% chance that you will eventually need long-term care.

Join us for one of our highly informative and FREE workshops and find out how you can protect your family's hard-earned life savings.

Visit Free Workshops for more information.

Newsletter

Subscribe to our free weekly Newsletter and receive the latest news, updates and videos straight to your inbox!

Recent Posts

  • Guardianships: The More You Know
  • Medicaid Pre-Planning vs Emergency Medicaid Planning
  • How Should I Prepare for a Move into Long Term Care?
  • What is a Bare Minimum Estate Plan?
  • Does the State Really Take All of Your Money When You Need Long Term Care?

More News & Videos

  • Alzheimer's Planning (85)
  • Asset Preservation Planning (150)
  • Coronavirus Preparedness Series (9)
  • Coulson Elder Law (11)
  • DCEL Blog (1)
  • Document Signing (15)
  • Elder Law Minute Video (444)
  • Estate Planning (191)
  • Health Care Planning/Medicare (138)
  • Medicaid Eligibility (200)
  • News & Videos (488)
  • Special Needs Planning (48)
  • Trust Administration (14)
  • Veterans Benefits (51)

Front office building of Coulson Elder Law

Front office building of Coulson Elder Law

  • Directions to our office locations
  • Send us an email
  • About Us
  • News and Videos
  • Weekly Newsletter
  • Brochures
  • Presentations
  • Hear From Our Clients
  • Partners & Resources
  • Legal Disclaimer

Copyright © 2025 · Wesley J. Coulson | Dent Coulson Elder Law, LLC