Taking the right steps to get Medicaid coverage

Medicaid is a healthcare program for families and older Americans with limited financial resources. It is designed for people of all ages who don’t have the necessary means to pay for health care. It is different from Medicare, which is a federal health care program for people 65 years and older and others who have certain disabilities.

Medicaid is funded jointly by state and federal governments, but it is the states that determine who is eligible and how Medicaid will be administered.

In San Antonio, and throughout the state of Texas, more than four million people are covered by Medicaid, which is delivered through managed health plans that are under contract with the state.

Because the state has leeway in how it determines and administers the Medicaid program, a person or family who may be eligible for benefits, could initially be turned down or put at financial risk even if they are approved. This is where an attorney who is well versed in applying for Medicaid benefits can make a big difference in securing them for a client.

For example, an attorney can help a family by protecting assets when a parent is admitted to a nursing home. In this type of situation, Medicare will stop paying a nursing home bill when it is determined a person needs custodial care instead of therapeutic care. This puts a financial burden directly on the parent’s assets until they can establish Medicaid eligibility, which should be done as soon as possible. An attorney can expedite this process and perhaps save thousands of dollars in nursing home fees.

There are also many other factors that need to be proven before Medicaid coverage can be approved. These can include income limitations, asset limits, or transferring assets from a Medicaid applicant to their spouse. There are specific strategies an attorney can assist you with to get around these roadblocks and make sure you receive the coverage you are entitled to, without breaking your bank.

The Voeller Law Firm proudly serves San Antonio, Bexar County, Schertz, Garden Ridge and nearby Texas communities.

Why you need a gun trust attorney

If you’re an avid gun enthusiast like many other people in San Antonio and throughout Texas, then you are also concerned about your gun rights and responsibilities, as you should be.

Although less common in other states, in Texas, many gun owners work with an attorney to set up a gun trust to address the unique issues associated with their firearms, which are the most heavily regulated type of personal property in the United States.

Gun trusts are especially useful for law-abiding citizens who want to own and use guns that have been regulated under the National Firearms Act. The NFA regulates fully automatic weapons, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns and sound suppressors. Under the act, a person, a gun trust or other legal entities can legally acquire firearms by obtaining prior approval from the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Gun trusts are high customized legal agreements that specifically spell out the use, possession and transfer of firearms that are in the trust. Most trusts explicitly spell out how guns will be managed if the grantor of the trust passes away or becomes incapacitated. While most people put their NFA guns into these trusts, because the transfer of gun ownership is easier inside of a trust, many people also put their non-NFA guns into a trust as well.

Gun trusts offer some unique advantages. While individual ATF applications require fingerprinting, photographs and chief law enforcement officer approval, guns in gun trusts do not require any of these when an ATF application is submitted.

NFA firearms in a trust can also be used and owned by more than one person. NFA guns owned by a single person can only be used and owned by that person.

Transferring ownership of guns in a gun trust is a much simpler process than if a transfer takes place as part of a probate process when a gun owner passes away.

The Voeller Law Firm proudly serves San Antonio, Bexar County, Schertz, Garden Ridge and nearby Texas communities.

If you’re in business, you need a good lawyer

As a business owner, you are juggling a million different things at any given time.

With many of those challenges you can deal with by yourself, but in other instances, you should have an expert handling matters for you. It just makes good sense to surround yourself with a great accountant, outstanding sales people, and above all else, an experienced business lawyer.

Savvy San Antonio business people understand that when it comes to legal matters, an ounce of prevention is far better than a pound of cure, which can be costly, time-consuming and could permanently damage a business. And the size of the business doesn’t matter, whether it’s a mom and pop storefront, or a large corporation with dozens or even hundreds of employees.

Business lawyers are especially valuable during a start-up phase. For example, if you’re going to incorporate your business, you’ll need an attorney to help you draft articles of incorporation, bylaws, issues related to the issuance of stock, partnership agreements, filings with the state of Texas, non-compete agreements for new employees, contract reviews for employees and key suppliers, and many more services.

There is a long list of legal issues for any business owner to be concerned with at most any juncture of their business life.

It’s also important to remember that with an experienced business lawyer on hand, it frees up an entrepreneur to do what they do best, which is to focus on their products and services, build customer relationships, market and sell to a worldwide audience and grow a dedicated staff that will ensure the long-term success of a business venture.

The Voeller Law Firm proudly serves San Antonio, Bexar County, Schertz, Garden Ridge and nearby Texas communities.

Do I need to have a power of attorney in place?

A power of attorney is a legal document that entitles a person to appoint an individual or an organization to manage their affairs if that person is unable to do so. A power of attorney can be created for many reasons, ranging from a person who is old with no close relatives to a person who has been diagnosed with a terminal disease or someone who will be traveling or otherwise unavailable for an extended period of time. Trust is the primary factor when considering who to choose as an agent for a power of attorney.

For residents of San Antonio, it’s important to note that there are also several kinds of power of attorneys, and each one has a different level of control.

General Power of Attorney. This is the most common form of power of attorney and gives an individual or an organization broad and sweeping powers to act on a person’s behalf. A general power of attorney is often a part of an estate plan, and can handle all things related to financial and business matters.

Special Power of Attorney. If a person is uncomfortable giving complete control to another under a general power of attorney, an option is to specify exactly what types of affairs a special power of attorney can handle. This may be limited to transactions within a business, managing personal assets or collecting debts, among others.

Health Care Power of Attorney. This gives a person the authority to make medical decisions if a person becomes incapacitated and is unable to care for themselves whether through physical or mental issues.

Durable Power of Attorney. This allows a person to keep a power of attorney agreement in place in case of illness or injury, only after a doctor certifies that a person is not mentally capable of taking care of their own affairs.

The Voeller Law Firm proudly serves San Antonio, Bexar County, Schertz, Garden Ridge and nearby Texas communities