At Brumbaugh Law Firm, we help Elyria and Lorain County families plan for nursing home costs under Ohio Medicaid rules.
Since 2002, we have guided Ohio families with clear steps and plans that are fully carried out. We are members of Ohio NAELA (National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys) and a BBB Accredited Business with an A+ rating.
Medicaid planning means arranging a person’s income, assets, and paperwork within the law so they may qualify for Medicaid, the federal and state program that can pay for long-term nursing home care.
Ohio reviews five years of financial history, called the look-back period, so gifts and transfers made in that window can affect eligibility. This work follows the rules openly and is one part of broader elder law planning.
We know how the Lorain County Department of Job and Family Services handles verification requests, and your family’s situation deserves an individual review.
What Our Clients Say About Us
“Turning what felt like an overwhelming process into something we could actually understand.” Terra U.
“A huge burden off of our shoulders and our children’s plates.” James & Linda T.
“My husband and I both found Michael Brumbaugh very informative and personable.” Susan M.
“Even today, I know if I should ever need further assistance, I can call and be treated wonderfully well.” Karen B
“After getting the Brumbaugh Law Firm on the job, we were able to keep our house and cars.” John W
Get Trusted Legal Support Today
For straightforward legal advice and representation, contact Brumbaugh Law. Call (419) 504-4674 to schedule your consultation.
Why Clients Come To Brumbaugh Law Firm In Elyria
Steady Medicaid crisis guidance
Options often still exist after a nursing home or rehab stay has started, depending on the facts. We help you sort out what to do this week, what to hold off on, and how the Lorain County Department of Job and Family Services reviews an application.
Education before any decision
You learn how Medicaid, the look-back, and estate recovery work before you commit to anything. Our ‘3 Secrets of Estate Planning and Asset Protection’ workshop covers these topics in plain language.
Planning that fits real life
Plans account for your parent’s health, a spouse still at home, and your family’s situation, not just paperwork.
Plans that are finished and funded
Deeds, accounts, and trusts are retitled and funded so the plan works when it is needed, not left half-done.
A clear, no-drama scope
We stay out of litigation and high-conflict cases, so the focus stays on your parent’s care.
Trusted since 2002
We bring 20-plus years in practice, membership in Ohio NAELA, a BBB A+ rating, and a 5.0-star client rating. Elyria and Lorain County families can meet by phone, by video, at home, or at the facility.
What Happens If My Ohio Medicaid Application Is Denied Or My Loved One Is Told To Pay A Penalty Period?
A denial or penalty is often not the final word. Ohio gives applicants the right to a state hearing, and the notice from the Lorain County Department of Job and Family Services lists the deadline to request one. Those deadlines are short, so read the notice the day it arrives.
Under Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 5160:1-6, Ohio reviews asset transfers made in the 60 months before a long-term care Medicaid application. Transfers for less than fair market value can trigger a penalty period during which Medicaid will not pay for nursing home care.
Complete bank records and a written reason for each past transfer, such as paying your parent’s bills, can help on appeal or in a new application. Results depend on your family’s facts.
However, the best way to handle these situations is to work with an elder law attorney who can spot potential issues before a Medicaid application is ever filed. There are more options available to fix potential issues before the application is filed. Once the application is filed and Medicaid has made its decision, it may be too late to correct any issues caused by the family not following Medicaid’s rules; rules the family was often unaware of in the first place.
What Medicaid Planning In Elyria Includes
We handle each stage of Medicaid planning for families in Elyria and across Lorain County.
- Medicaid eligibility review
- Look-back period analysis
- Asset protection trusts
- Spend-down strategy
- Crisis Medicaid applications
- Spousal asset protection
- Qualified income trusts
- Estate recovery protection
- Financial durable power of attorney and health care durable power of attorney
How Much Can My Parent Keep And Still Qualify For Medicaid Nursing Home Coverage In Ohio?
A single applicant in Ohio can generally keep only about $2,000 in countable resources, such as bank accounts and investments. Several assets usually do not count toward that limit:
- Personal belongings and household goods
- One vehicle
- The home, in many cases, subject to an equity cap and other conditions
- A burial fund or prepaid funeral contract
However, even if a single person is already in the nursing home, Medicaid’s rules do not require that all the countable assets be spent at the nursing home. There generally are still ways to legally preserve assets without waiting five years to apply for Medicaid.
If your parent’s monthly income is above Ohio’s cap, a Qualified Income Trust may be needed to qualify. Under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ 2025 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards, a spouse still living at home may keep a resource allowance of between $31,584 and $157,920.
Planning years ahead lets the five-year look-back run before care starts, leaving more room for lawful steps to protect a home and savings. After a fall or nursing home admission, options are fewer and deadlines move faster, though some often remain.
The Team Behind Brumbaugh Law Firm In Elyria
Michael Brumbaugh founded Brumbaugh Law Firm in 2002 and has spent more than two decades helping Ohio families plan ahead with confidence and compassion. The practice began as a general law office and grew into a trusted elder law and estate planning firm built on education, openness, and community.
Pam Brumbaugh, who is not a lawyer, brings a social work background and decades of community service, and she guides families through hard conversations with care.
Michael is a teacher at heart and believes clear information is the key to protection and peace of mind. Together, he and Pam built an education-first approach that includes workshops, webinars, and personal planning to help families protect their independence and preserve assets.
Our Medicaid Planning Process in Elyria
1. Workshop or initial consultation
Start at our educational workshop or with a consultation by phone, video, at home, or at the hospital or nursing home.
2. Information gathering
We collect details on your parent’s assets, income, health and family, along with bank statements, deeds and account histories.
3. Eligibility and look-back review
We check Ohio Medicaid rules and review the 5-year look-back (past gifts and transfers) in context, before anyone moves money or retitles the house.
4. Plan design and options
You get plain-language options, which may include protecting a spouse’s share or the home, depending on the facts.
5. Document drafting and signing
We prepare the needed documents, such as a financial durable power of attorney, a health care durable power of attorney, or trusts, and arrange signing where it works for your family.
6. Funding and implementation
We can assist with complete retitling and account changes so the plan is actually in place, not left half-done.
7. Medicaid application support
We help prepare the application and respond to verification requests from the Lorain County Department of Job and Family Services.
8. Ongoing review
We revisit the plan as your parent’s health, your family’s finances or Ohio rules change.
Frequently Asked Questions About Medicaid Planning
What Should We Do First If Mom Or Dad Is Moving From Rehab Into A Nursing Home In Elyria Right Now?
Start gathering five years of bank statements, the deed, and insurance and income records. Hold off on moving money, retitling the house, or signing facility financial forms until someone has reviewed the facts.
How Does Ohio’s 5-Year Medicaid Look-Back Work, And Do Gifts To Grandkids Or Help With Bills Count Against My Parent?
Medicaid reviews every transfer made in the 60 months before applying, known as the look-back period. Transfers made for less than fair market value can result in Medicaid applying penalty periods during which Medicaid will not pay the nursing home bill.
If One Parent Needs Nursing Home Care, How Much Can The Spouse Still Living At Home Keep In Ohio?
Ohio lets the at-home spouse keep a protected share of the couple’s assets, plus the home and one car. That spouse may also keep part of the other spouse’s income to cover living costs if the at home spouse’s income is low.
Doesn’t Medicare Pay For My Mom’s Nursing Home Stay After She Leaves The Hospital?
Only briefly. Medicare may cover up to 100 days of skilled rehab after a qualifying hospital stay, with full coverage for just the first 20 days.
How Does Ohio Estate Recovery Work After A Parent On Medicaid Passes Away?
Estate recovery means the Ohio Department of Medicaid may seek repayment from the estate of a recipient age 55 or older. Recovery is generally delayed while a surviving spouse is living or a child is under 21 or disabled.
Does Ohio Medicaid Cover Assisted Living Or Memory Care, Or Only Nursing Homes?
Ohio’s Assisted Living Waiver can help pay for care services in approved facilities, including some memory care units. Applications go through the Lorain County Department of Job and Family Services, the county office that processes Medicaid.
Local Resources In Elyria For Medicaid Planning
- Lorain County Probate Court
Handles guardianship proceedings, estate administration, and related filings for county residents.
- Lorain County Department of Job and Family Services
Administers public assistance programs and processes long-term care benefit applications for eligible individuals.
- Lorain County Recorder’s Office
Maintains official real property records, deeds, and transfers used in asset documentation.
- Lorain County Auditor’s Office
Assesses property values and maintains ownership records relevant to estate and asset planning.
- Elyria Municipal Court
A local court handling civil matters and certain legal proceedings affecting city residents.
- Lorain County Board of Developmental Disabilities
Provides support services and coordinates care for adults with developmental disabilities in the county.
- Lorain County Veterans Service Commission
Assists veterans and their dependents in accessing benefits and financial assistance programs.
- Elyria Memorial Hospital
A regional acute-care facility whose social workers often coordinate discharge planning and long-term care referrals.
- Lorain County Clerk of Courts
Maintains court filings, case records, and official legal documents for county court proceedings.
Talk With Brumbaugh Law Firm About Medicaid Planning For Your Elyria Family
Call us to talk through where things stand with your parent’s care and the Medicaid application. We work with families from Elyria, Amherst, North Ridgeville, Oberlin, and across Lorain County. Calling before you move money or retitle the house often keeps more options open.
The first conversation is about understanding your parent’s situation and the documents you have. You won’t be asked to sign anything or make a decision on that call. If you aren’t ready to talk yet, request a call back, ask which papers to start gathering, or join our ‘3 Secrets of Estate Planning and Asset Protection’ workshop on Medicaid strategies.
We can generally help you protect a lot more than you thought was possible.
