Many of our elder clients come to us when they have learned that their loved one needs long term care and that Medicare will stop paying next week. They are faced with a $6000/month nursing home bill and yet not enough income or resources to pay the bill for more than a few months – and oftentimes not even that long. This is crisis Medicaid planning. People often enter skilled nursing care via rehabilitation after a hospital stay. The hospital stay and a portion of the rehabilitation are covered under their Medicare plan, so it is assumed this pay arrangement will continue. However, the day they get the news that more care is needed but Medicare will stop paying, panic sets in. Nursing homes are not charitable operations: if they are not paid, the resident can and will be evicted. The services they provide are costly and profit margins are thin, so one must act immediately to arrange for care costs. The nursing home may be able to help you obtain benefits initially, but they are unable to advise on or take any actions to protect the estate against future loss. Go visit an elder law attorney as soon as possible following a hospital admission: we can help lessen the crisis for all involved.