The Medicaid application process should be a neutral administrative process, but unfortunately, with the Illinois Office of the Inspector General (OIG) it is not. Likening the process to the Spanish Inquisition may seem severe, however with a person’s long-term care future at stake, this caution is fundamental. The five-year look back is a process that should not be experienced alone.
In this Elder Law Minute video, part of the Medicaid Application Process series, Wes Coulson, Illinois Elder Law attorney, discusses the Medicaid audit process with the Office of the Inspector General and the benefits of going through it with an attorney.
The Illinois Office of the Inspector General: Think of it like the Spanish Inquisition
Transcript:
Hi, I’m Wes Coulson and this is your Elder Law Minute. This is another in our series on the Medicaid Application Process. I want to focus today on something that is specific to Illinois and that is that much more likely than not, your application is going to be signed for audit by the Office of the Inspector General, or OIG.
I don’t usually use these Elder Law Minutes as rants, but please allow me one. The Medicaid application process should be a neutral administrative process, but unfortunately really it’s not with OIG. They ask about all transactions within five years and shift the burden upon the applicant to prove that anything they have question about was an ordinary transfer for value and not a gift transfer that should delay eligibility.
If there’s a moral to this story, it’s this: If you’re going to be applying for Medicaid in Illinois, I really suggest getting an attorney’s help with that process because we have clients consistently tell us when they’ve gone through the OIG audit process, that they just really don’t know how anybody could possibly do this without an attorney. Sorry for the bad news, but thanks for your time.
For more about Medicaid and the application process, visit these articles:
- How to Choose the Right Elder Law Attorney
- What you don’t know can hurt you: Understanding the Medicaid application process
- Understanding the Medicaid “Look-Back” and “Transfer Penalty” Rules
“Your Trusted Advisor on the Elder Care Journey”
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.
