Life gets expensive. It can be especially expensive if you or a loved one has a disability. Medical expenses can take everything you have, so you rely on government programs such as Medicaid to help cover the expenses. What if you saved for retirement your entire life and still only had enough to get by but not enough to cover medical expenses? What if you got a large settlement or inheritance?

Medicaid only allows you to have $2,000 monthly, in your account, in order to qualify for government assistance. Oftentimes, you will be told to do a Medicaid spenddown – to get down to $2000. You will have to ‘blow through’ your hard-earned savings. Up until 1993, that may have been the only recourse. Luckily, a federal law was passed that made it legal to establish special needs trusts, for individuals living with special needs.

In 2000, the founders of VistaPoints opened their nonprofit, to serve as a trustee for special needs trusts. Seven years later, they welcomed Darlene Kemp, MBA, MPH-HCM, as Executive Director. Darlene has a Master’s in Business with a focus in Health Care Administration and a Master’s in Public Health with a focus in gerontology. Kemp says that working for VistaPoints, the beneficiaries, families and many professionals has made a positive impact in her life.

VistaPoints serves as trustee for three types of Special Needs Trusts. The Pooled Special Needs Trust is established for individuals under a pooled trust umbrella. The money deposited into the trust can originate from personal savings, the sale of a home, retirement savings and other resources.

First-party Special Needs Trusts are established using the beneficiary’s assets. This may be from a lawsuit settlement, retirement, personal savings, a divorce settlement, or other sources. For this type of trust, the beneficiary must be under the age of 65 when it is established. Parents, grandparents, guardians, or the court may establish this type of trust. First party and Pooled Trusts both have a Medicaid Payback provision. Upon the death of the beneficiary, the State will be reimbursed any public benefits that were used on the beneficiary.

Third-party Supplemental Needs Trusts are funded by parents, family members, and friends. There is no limit to the amount of money that can be in the trust. No money belonging to the beneficiary can be added to the third-party trust. What stands out is that when the beneficiary dies, there is no Medicaid payback. Any money remaining in the trust can be disbursed to the remaining beneficiaries.

Trust money can be used for the beneficiary’s supplemental needs that Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will not cover. These include non-medical care, electronics, personal items, entertainment, vacations and pre-need burial expenses, to name a few needs. According to Federal law, trust money cannot be used to pay for shelter, food or for another person.

One of the first things that a beneficiary is encouraged to do with the trust is to set up pre-need funeral or cremation arrangements. VistaPoints cannot pay for any expenses after the beneficiary has passed. Kemp says that after the initial uneasy feeling, the beneficiary usually likes being able to pick out things such as the satin in the casket, the songs to be played during the service, even what the program is going to look like. It also reduces the stress on the family members.

The beneficiaries ask for a variety of things. Some love fresh flowers and have fresh flowers delivered to their nursing home room on a regular basis. This brightens their day. Some ask for easy slip-on, slip-off clothing. Trust service is not a cookie cutter system. Each beneficiary is managed on a case-by-case basis.

The goal of Vista Points is to provide each beneficiary a good quality of life and to give their loved ones’ peace of mind.

Kemp states the Vista Points employees enjoy being able to help in any capacity, to improve the beneficiaries’ quality of life. The beneficiaries will often get connected to one of the employees and want to talk to that person. The employees also get to know the beneficiaries.

A parent can be an advocate for their special needs child, who has a special needs trust. Someone, who establishes a third-party supplemental needs trust, can write a “letter of intent” listing and describing how they want the trust money to be used.

Kemp is available to give presentations throughout Tennessee. People can schedule meetings in the Vista Points office. The organization does not sell anything. The staff want to create awareness, help people living with a disability, work with professionals and provide valuable trustee services.

If you know someone who may benefit from these services, please visit www.VistaPoints.org for more information or call the office at 615-758-4660.