Most families who are thinking about Medicaid aren’t doing it because everything is going well. Usually, a serious event or catastrophe has already happened. Dad fell; Mom’s dementia has gotten worse. A parent who was living independently suddenly needs help taking a bath. A child, sibling, or caregiver brings up the option of assisted living or a nursing home, and then the family sees what long-term care actually costs.
According to CareScout’s 2025 Cost of Care Survey, the median cost of a private nursing-home room in Illinois was $9,000 per month. This is a shocking number for most families. Naturally, it triggers subsequent questions: “Doesn’t Medicare pay for this?” “Can Mom just give us her money before she applies for Medicaid?”
Unfortunately, Medicaid planning has rules that are very different from ordinary estate planning or tax planning. Trying to plan retroactively for financial eligibility is very difficult and often prevents elderly loved ones from getting the care they need.