Medicaid and Veterans Aid and Attendance

Recently I sat in on a continuing education training for my certification as a financial planner. The speaker unpacked strategies to get clients qualified for benefits like Veteran Aid and Attendance and Medicaid. Often assets and income are considered in qualifying for benefits and many benefits require that you have a degradation of capacity for self care. 

The speaker outlined what the eligibility parameters were, but then suggested ways to "repackage" the financial or medical condition so that their claim would be considered favorably. Nothing presented was not illegal. For instance, if family members are providing care to allow an unwell individual to remain in the home, it is acceptable if these family members get paid for services thus reducing the discretionary income considered when being evaluated for benefits. In fact even if the in well individual has no money to pay that family member, they can direct money their way and then have the family member use that funding to pay the utilities etc. a completely legal way to recharacterize living expenses to look like care giving expenses. 

People who are anticipating needing to  access Medicaid and similar benefits know that the value of their assets are considered and that there are rules in place to look back up to five years on any gifting done to move assets from their management to someone else.  By transferring assets they can make sure that they and their families have the benefits of the wealth while also tapping the resources of the taxpayers. 

I left the presentation impressed by the creativity of the speaker and my collegues actively practicing commented that the training gave them good strategies they could use. I am ashamed to admit that it took me about five minutes to reconsider the morality of the recommendations. 

Our Medicaid and Aid and Attendance for our veterans were programs designed to benefit older people who may have become disadvantaged. We Americans don't like to see people suffer and recognized that we do have a reaponsibility to care for our neighbor. Americans are incredibly paternalistic and the social programs that have been developed reflect those core values. 

As Christians we have an even higher authority and the principle to apply is that of honesty and integrity.  Our God calls us to be responsible stewards and that includes not taking money that is not rightfully ours. The programs were organized to assure the public that those who are able to pay for services pay their way and those who are unable get assistance to maintain essential needs. 

Exodus 20:15 tells us that we should not steal and Exodus 20:17 says that we should not covet what belongs to someone else. When we redirect assets and income to qualify for public benefits like this we are disobeying God's commands and we are effectively communication a message that we should not only be entitled to our resources but also someone else's. One of the deceptions prevalent is that legal benefits available whether it is public benefits, bankruptcy, or debt settlement don't harm anyone. In fact we are taking money from other people to have greater benefits for ourselves. These practices of using the system are the reason that our legal system and regulations have become increasingly complex. Every time  new legal strategies are embraced, new laws have to be erected to plug the hole in the program to keep the integrity in place. 

As people bearing the name of Christ, our mission should be for absolute honesty and integrity. We have to account to our Lord for our choices here. I pray you will choose the high road. 

May God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him. 

Abandonment of Marriage

Recently, our local news station posted an article on the reason that marriages no longer work. I will post the link for you to read for yourself, but the primary reasons given were related to intimacy and finances. People just don't connect with each other on a deeply personal basis; technology has changed the dynamic of our interactions. Financially, the cost of education has crippled many financially and they cannot make enough to support a family and pay their debts. 

I would like to address the intimacy part first. Marriage is organized for intimacy. I believe it is the closest thing we will ever come to knowing the love of God. Two imperfect people, different in so many ways are drawn together for life. A three cord strand not easily broken, we cling together through the trials and hardships of life. In marriage we have a companion to experience life with us and support us through the deep valleys and rejoice with us on the mountain-tops. 

I admit when I married, I was so naive. I had no idea what commitment I was making. I couldn't know. I was drawn to my husband by a deeper personal connection. He could seem to understand my drives, my goals in life, he accepted me warts and all. I was drawn to his creativity, loyalty and passion. No matter what he faced he would work at it until he saw solution. No problem unsolved. We had a connection and we acted on it. 

Marriage is important in God's eyes. In the Bible it is regarded in highest esteem and violations of that covenant are met with harsh judgement. It is the one relationship where you are completely exposed and vulnerable yet loved. I don't think the relationship can be duplicated without the marriage covenant because the partners have no commitment to remain together. When storms of life or bad behavior cause one partner to question the wisdom of staying together there is no obligation to stay. There is no sense of unconditional love that bears all things believes all things; the true love all of us crave. Without marriage we give up hoping for that kind of love. 

We now have more than 1/2 of our children being born in families of unmarried couples. These children often do not have a father present in their lives and do not know the security of having mom at home when they arrive home from school or the joy of going to a ballgame, fishing or hunting with dad. The one factor that seems to contribute to poverty the most is single parenthood. If people think they can't afford to be married, imagine the costs of single living. Far too many couples leave their marriages for financial reasons all to find themselves worse off after divorce. 

Security is greatest when there are two parents present. Even if there are no children, the cost of living separately is greater. The true condition that causes marriages to fail or never happen in the first place is that we are selfish by nature. We like things our way and we stubbornly refuse to accommodate someone else. God ordained marriage that we would learn how to really love. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to save a sinner like me. God has not required that level of sacrifice on my part, but he does allow conflict and hardship to whittle away at my hardness so that I can become more like my Lord. 

The greatest achievements do not come without commitment and sacrifice. If we choose to abandon these qualities and avoid marriage, we choose to settle for a life of little impact. A life of mediocrity. 

Just a final thought. At the very time when heterosexual young adults are abandoning marriage, homosexual couples are desperately fighting for their right to unite and legitimize their relationships. This unionizing of gay couples will further degrade the covenant of marriage. Marriage is a holy covenant made before God. To ask God to bless what He has clearly spoken against is blasphemy. God will be the one to judge our nation of we deface the marriage covenant. This month our courts will determine whether we will nationalize same sex marriages and force recognition of legitimacy in every state.  If marriage doesn't work, why bother with such dramatic actions?  

http://www.13newsnow.com/story/life/2015/04/07/5-reasons-we-cant-handle-marriage-anymore/25441065/

May God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him.