Rhode Island Medicaid Planning

09/09/2026

In-Home Continuing Care Retirement a Growing Trend

“Continuing care at home,” provided through a continuing care retirement community, blends the expertise of those communities with support for members staying in their own homes. Members of these programs can move into the facility they contract with, if they need to, with the assurance of containing future costs.

About 75% of American adults in a 2024 AARP survey said they hoped to stay in their longtime homes, or “age in place,” as long as possible, with only 29% of older adults in the survey saying the traditional continuing care model was a likely choice. That model not only involves moving but requires a hefty entry fee and monthly fees to live onsite, where residents can transition to higher levels of care as their needs dictate. The at-home model has been operated by a few communities for decades, creating enough of a track record for the long-term-care industry to adopt it more widely.

This option is offered by only 37 of the country’s 1,911 continuing care retirement communities, or CCRCs, according to industry group LeadingAge, up from 26 a decade ago.

Continuing care retirement communities are widening their scope to help retirees age in place, with measured supports and a way to cap the soaring costs of aging.

08/31/2026

Rhode Island's Medicaid administrators are expecting $24.4 million in savings in the federal fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1 – and $32.5 million the following year – from new "citizenship verification" requirements.

On Aug. 11, EOHHS posted an advisory on its website that said: "Starting October 1, 2026, only the following groups of non-citizens will be eligible for Medicaid." The list included:

Children under 19; and pregnant or post-partum people

Lawfully permanent residents (Green Card holders) after the five-year wait, if it applies

Cuban/Haitian entrants and people from Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau

It's not yet clear how many Medicaid enrollees would have to be dropped or excluded from the program to achieve the projected savings.

06/29/2026

When the nation was founded in 1776, life expectancy was around 35 to 40 years old, historians estimate. However, someone who survived childhood in colonial America often lived into their 60s or even 70s.

Today, the average lifespan is about 79 years old, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Planning for longevity and making sure you don't outlive your resources is of critical importance. Planning to protect assets for you and your spouse is more important than ever.

Make sure you talk with your estate planning attorney and financial advisor to ensure you have a plan in place.

U.S. life expectancy has doubled since 1776 thanks to vaccines, antibiotics, sanitation and clean water that reduced infectious disease deaths.

05/14/2026

Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that provides payment for medical care for persons unable to afford to pay. Medicaid covers physicians’ services, hospital care, supplies and other necessary services once a person has been made eligible for the program. It also pays for the expenses of long-term care in a nursing home.

It is also a program that is of critical importance to know the rules of eligibility so as to advise estate planning clients how to qualify when needed as as to preserve their assets for themselves and their heirs.

Medicaid: What it is and What you need to know The Issue Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that provides payment for medical care for persons unable to...

03/08/2026

🚨 Rhode Island Seniors: Long-Term Care Costs Are Skyrocketing! 🚨
Did you know the average cost of a nursing home in RI is over $14,000/month for a semi-private room and $16,500 for private? Assisted living? Around $6,000/month. Home care can run $7,500+/month for full-time help.

These expenses can wipe out a lifetime of savings in years. That's why planning ahead is crucial—long-term care insurance, asset protection strategies, and Medicaid qualification can safeguard your future.

To qualify for RI Medicaid LTSS: Must be 65+, need nursing-level care, income under ~$9,100/month, assets ≤$4,000 (single). But with proper planning (e.g., 5-year lookback), you can protect assets for spouses/heirs.

Don't wait—plan now! As an estate planning law firm that represent seniors, we help families navigate planning for this phase of life. Contact Us or visit rimedicaidplanning.com for a consult.

03/08/2026

Publicly funded LTSS (mainly via Medicaid) is available for eligible people who require a certain level of ongoing care. Services can be provided in various settings:
• Home (e.g., in one’s own residence or a family member’s home)
• Community (e.g., assisted living, shared living, adult day programs)
• Institutional (e.g., nursing homes, intermediate care facilities, hospitals)

The focus is on person-centered care to optimize health, independence, and quality of life, with services that may be episodic or ongoing.

02/18/2026

State income tax quietly shapes real estate choices because it changes what your home actually costs to keep, not just to buy. In high tax states like California or New York, a big raise, a bonus year, or a strong investment portfolio can make the “same” lifestyle feel meaningfully more expensive year after year, which pushes some buyers toward lower tax states like Florida or Texas, especially when they can work remotely. For others, the math cuts the other way: they accept higher state taxes because the city, schools, network, and long term appreciation potential are worth the premium, and they focus their search on neighborhoods and property types that hold value best. Either way, taxes turn a location decision into a cash flow decision, and that’s why smart buyers look past the list price and ask, “What does living here cost me every year?”

02/12/2026

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, in 2023, 8.4 million Medicaid beneficiaries received assistance paying for care at home or in assisted living facilities – a substantial increase of 8 percent from 7.8 million in 2022. In comparison, 1.5 million beneficiaries received institutional care – mostly in nursing homes – a more modest 3-percent increase over 2022. However, the overall costs for institutional services grew by 17 percent compared to 13 percent for HCBS.

Medicaid Coverage of Home Health Care is Growing: But Will the Trend Last? February 5, 2026 Share Squared Away Blog by Harry S. Margolis Most seniors want to stay in their own homes when and if they need care. In response to this desire and the generally lower cost of home health and assisted living...

02/03/2026

The bipartisan STOP Scams Against Seniors Act, introduced in the House, would authorize the creation of Elder Justice Task Forces to help local, state, and Federal agencies work together to investigate and prosecute illegal scammers.

New legislation has been proposed protecting seniors from scammers.

01/21/2026

In the current environment, financial advisors must integrate LTC planning, tax exemptions, and retirement assets, treating emerging state benefits as a limited foundation while tailoring private coverage, savings, and withdrawal strategies to each client’s circumstances.

The Silver Tsunami is here and planning for the long term care needs for your loved ones is more critical than ever.