Do I Really Need An ALTCS Planner?

It really depends. If your single/widowed/divorced and bring in less than $1,911 per month and have less than $2000 in assets than you don't need a planner but if your situation falls outside of that category I've come up with a list of questions to ask yourself to determine if an ALTCS planner is needed.

• Is monthly income over $1,911?
• If single, are assets over $2,000?
• If married, are assets over $20,880?
• Is the primary house in a trust?
• Does the applicant’s assets include a trust?
• Have there been transfers of cash or assets within the past 60 months? (i.e. charity, gifts, name changed on property)
• Does the primary home have more than $500,000 in equity?
• Is there more than one home/property?
• Is there more than one car?
• Does the applicant have an annuity?

If your answered YES to any of the above questions, it is in your best interest to visit an ALTCS planner BEFORE applying for benefits. Going directly to an attorney can be costly and unnecessary - find a trustworthy ALTCS planner who can offer affordable advice to get on ALTCS.

What Services Does ALTCS Provide?

The Arizona Long Term Care Program provides the following services for approved members:

• AHCCCS Acute Care Services, which include: doctors, hospitalization, prescriptions, lab work, x-rays, tests, and specialists treatments.
• Nursing facility care, a freestanding hospice, or a psychiatric hospital for persons age 65 or older.
• Home and Community-based Services (HCBS) provided in your home. These in-home services are intended to help you to remain in your own home.

HCBS services include, but are not limited to:

• Home Health Nursing
• Habitation
• Adult Day Care
• Personal Care Medical Transportation
• Mental Health Services
• Homemaker Services
• Attendant Care Respite Care
• Home Health Aids
• Home Delivered Meals
• Hospice
• Home and Community-based Services (HCBS) may also be provided in a supervised alternative residential setting, such as an Assisted Living Home or Assisted Living Community

What Is ALTCS?

The Arizona Longer Term Care System (ALTCS) program is the state of Arizona's medicaid system for aged (65 and over), blind, or disabled individuals who need ongoing services at a nursing facility level of care.

This doesn't mean you have to be living in a nursing home. Many people on ALTCS live in their own homes or at an assisted living facility and receive needed in-home services. ALTCS participants are also covered for medical care, including doctor's office visits, hospitalization, prescriptions, lab work and behavioral health services.

Up Next - Services

Why I Started This Blog

The short answer is I was pissed off by the multiple levels of bureaucracy involved when trying to get help for my spouse who recently passed away living her final days in a nursing home. The long answer is I don't want other hard working AMERICAN citizens like me to be inconvenienced by our states poor services and complicated application process.

Being a retired law advocate I have done extensive research over the past eight months and have talked in detail with several people both internally and externally with ALTCS and I'm going to give you all the information you need, all the secrets they won't tell you and if you need one-on-one help I can suggest a trustworthy planner who could help you save HUNDREDS of dollars and lots of time.

Until next time...