Founded in 2015, Elder Law Guidance focuses on helping Richmond families handle Medicaid crisis planning.
When a loved one suddenly requires nursing home care, urgent decisions about asset protection, Medicaid eligibility, and even Veterans compensation become vital. In Richmond, families often face what is known as a Medicaid crisis.
According to Senior Living, the average cost of a semi-private room in a nursing home can reach almost $9,000 per month. Your savings, vehicles, and even the family home can be lost within months without immediate action.
Elder Law Guidance helps families act quickly to protect their assets while securing Medicaid eligibility. As client Trisha Fuson shared, “They helped us get through a very difficult time with honesty and reliability.”
Medicaid Crisis Planning Explained for Richmond Families
Medicaid crisis planning is the process of taking urgent steps to qualify for Medicaid when a loved one has already entered a nursing home or is about to.
Unlike pre-planning, where families prepare years in advance, crisis planning must deal with immediate costs and the five-year lookback rule that penalizes certain asset transfers.
For many families in Richmond, a Medicaid crisis begins with an unexpected health event. A fall, stroke, or hospital stay at Baptist Health Richmond can quickly lead to discharge into long-term care at facilities such as Kenwood Health and Rehabilitation Center or Telford Terrace. When this happens, nursing home bills start immediately.
In Kentucky, the financial stakes are high. According to the Neilsberg in 2025, about 11% of Richmond’s population are seniors, and with more than 35,000 Madison County residents already on Medicaid (CHFS 2024), many families in our community will face a Medicaid crisis at some point.
Without crisis planning, families may be forced into rapid spend-down, selling off property or draining retirement accounts just to cover care. With the right legal guidance, it is often possible to protect a home, preserve savings for a spouse, and still secure the care your loved one needs.
Our Crisis Planning Services in Richmond
- Emergency consultations
- Asset protection strategies
- Medicaid eligibility reviews
- Trusts, deeds, and POA drafting
- Asset transfers & spend-down guidance
- Medicaid applications
- VA benefits applications
- Spousal protections
- Appeals & denial responses
- Post-approval compliance
Get Trusted Legal Support Today
For straightforward legal advice and representation, contact Elder Law Guidance. Call (859) 544-6012 to schedule your consultation.
Why Richmond Families Choose Elder Law Guidance for Medicaid Crisis Planning
Families across Richmond and Madison County choose Elder Law Guidance because we combine education, empathy, and deep community roots.
- Education-First. We explain Medicaid and asset rules in plain English and guide you through every option.
- Compassion in Crisis. We reduce stress with steady guidance and clear solutions when care is needed suddenly.
- Respect and Listening. We start by hearing your concerns and tailoring strategies to your family’s goals.
- Team-Based Support. You gain the strength of an entire team, not just one lawyer.
- Rooted in Richmond. From our historic office near EKU, we work directly with local hospitals, rehab centers, and agencies to move families through the Medicaid process quickly.
How Do I Qualify for Medicaid if I’m Already in a Nursing Home?
It is still possible to qualify for Medicaid after entering a nursing home, but you must meet strict medical and financial rules. In Kentucky, this means:
- Asset limits. Most applicants may keep only a small amount of countable assets (often under $2,000), though a spouse at home may keep more.
- Identify exempt property. Certain assets do not count, such as a primary residence (up to equity limits), one vehicle, and personal belongings.
- Income review. Your monthly income must fall within Medicaid’s guidelines.
- Restructuring assets. If you own more than the limit, a Medicaid crisis lawyer can use tools like trusts, spend-down strategies, or allowable transfers to help you qualify while protecting family resources.
With immediate action and proper planning, families can often secure Medicaid coverage while preserving a home, savings, or income for a spouse.
How Elder Law Guidance Helps in a Medicaid Crisis
When a loved one is suddenly placed in a nursing home, or about to be, every day matters. At Elder Law Guidance, we act quickly with a proven six-step crisis process that brings families clarity during one of the most stressful times of their lives.
Step 1: Emergency Consultation
We prioritize urgent cases. Our first goal is to understand the nursing home placement, answer immediate questions, and explain what can be done right away to stop unnecessary financial loss.
Step 2: Rapid Crisis Strategy Session
In a focused session with an attorney, we design an emergency strategy under Kentucky’s Medicaid rules. This may involve shielding the family home, protecting a spouse’s income, and restructuring assets immediately to reduce or avoid a costly spend-down.
Step 3: Fast-Track Documents
We quickly draft and execute the documents required to put your crisis plan in place, such as trusts, deeds, or powers of attorney, so you’re legally protected without delay.
Step 4: Urgent Asset Transfers & Tax Guidance
Our team helps transfer assets into the right legal structures as soon as possible. We also address tax implications so that the plan is both protective and compliant.
Step 5: Accelerated Medicaid & VA Applications
We prepare and submit your Medicaid application to the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services without delay, knowing that approval can take 45 to 90 days. If eligible, we also file VA benefits applications to add another layer of immediate financial support.
Step 6: Ongoing Crisis Support
Even after approval, Medicaid rules can be strict. We provide 12 months of follow-up to keep eligibility secure and to help families respond to new challenges that may arise.
Get to Know Elder Law Guidance
Founded in 2015 by Scott E. Collins, a U.S. Army veteran and former minister, Elder Law Guidance was created to protect families from losing everything they’ve worked for when crisis strikes.
Our Richmond office is housed in a historic home near downtown and just minutes from Eastern Kentucky University and the Battle of Richmond Visitors Center, landmarks that remind us daily of our community’s heritage.
More than attorneys, we are educators. Families tell us they value how we explain Medicaid, trusts, and asset rules in plain English. We take the pressure off by answering questions and guiding them step by step. Our team-based approach ensures you never face a Medicaid crisis alone.
We are proud members of the Kentucky Bar Association’s Elder Law Division, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and ElderCounsel, and we are accredited to represent veterans before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
At Elder Law Guidance, our commitment is to protect assets, preserve legacies, and give Richmond families peace of mind, even in the middle of a Medicaid crisis.
Medicaid Applications in Madison County: Where to File in Richmond
In Madison County, Medicaid applications are handled through the Richmond-Madison County DCBS Office, located at 304 Anna Hume Boulevard, Richmond, KY. This office is part of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) and processes both initial applications and crisis-related filings.
Families are asked to provide detailed financial records, income statements, property deeds, and medical documentation. Mistakes or omissions can lead to costly delays, or even outright denial of benefits.
At Elder Law Guidance, we work directly with the Richmond DCBS office to simplify this process. By coordinating closely with local caseworkers, we help families avoid unnecessary setbacks and secure approval as quickly as possible.
If you are in the middle of a Medicaid crisis and need to file immediately, our office can often deliver paperwork the same day, reducing the time your family is exposed to high nursing home costs.
Local Resources We Work With in Madison County
Crisis Medicaid planning often requires coordination with trusted local facilities and agencies. Our team regularly works with the following Richmond and Madison County resources to help families secure care, complete applications, and protect assets:
- Baptist Health Richmond
- Kenwood Health and Rehabilitation Center
- Madison Health and Rehabilitation Center
- Telford Terrace
- Berea Health and Rehabilitation
- The Terrace Nursing & Rehabilitation Center (Berea)
- Madison County Courthouse
- Richmond-Madison County DCBS Office – 304 Anna Hume Boulevard, Richmond, KY (Medicaid applications and emergency filings)
By working closely with these facilities and agencies, we help families move quickly through the Medicaid crisis process while keeping local support systems in place.
Call for Immediate Medicaid Crisis Help in Richmond
If a loved one has just entered a nursing home, there is still time to protect your family’s home, savings, and legacy. Every week of delay can mean thousands of dollars lost to nursing home bills, but with the right legal strategy, many assets can be preserved.
Elder Law Guidance is available in our Richmond office, virtually, or even at your home or hospital if needed. Schedule a consultation today and take the first step toward securing care while protecting what matters most for your family.
