Are there any other caregivers on this forum who are caring for a recent immigrant to the US?

Yes, I just joined, too. It was only a few days ago that I realized that Medicaid may still not be an option for her even after the 5 year wait period is over because it is a means tested public benefit. As her sponsors, that would mean she would need to be assessed on our income and assets. Otherwise the government may ask us to pay back any benefits received. She can receive Medicare parts A and B but no help with premiums etc. So basically, my husband and I would need to cover around $10K a year for that, baseline. I have contacted DHS, an eldercare attorney, hospice medical social worker and am actually working with one social worker on another state administered program for which she would be eligible because it is a state grant and not Federally funded. I also have called for an immigration attorney referral. One organization that provides some legal advice on all this referred me to the body that organizes Marketplace health care in our state. I talked to them and they had to consult with their team about this. So I am waiting for responses from many different places, but experience on the ground from others who have gone through this can also be very helpful. Getting her back home would be enormously expensive, and there may be medical obstacles to that option. She may not even be alive by the time she has finished her 5 year wait period, but I am concerned she may lose health coverage if we can't figure this out.

I am - My Mom, you can connect with me, you can email me or send me a direct message, I just joined so I am not sure how that works

We have a member "wearynow" that brought her Mom over from India. Her Mom did visit the US regularly and weary went there. Her Mom was in some sort of Care home. The last couple of visits to the US weary realized that her Mom had some sort of Dementia. She did take Mom back to India and called her daily. But the Care home was not able to care for her Mom and her brother refused to. So she had no choice but to bring Mom to the States. Her Mom got a Greencard and now has to wait to get any help from Medicaid for 5 years. I think Weary has 2 or 3 years more before Mom can apply for Medicaid. Weary pays for her Mom to have health insurance here and financially supports her. Her Mom is now on Hospice, I think. She posts every so often to update.

I think we have some others who have posted they had to bring an elderly parent here, but Weary stands out for me. I sympathize for you. Hopefully you r getting Mom a Green card because I think thats when residency starts. You are sole supporter for Mom. She cannot collect Social Security or Medicare because she nor her spouse worked in the US. Medicaid takes 5 years. I am with Geaton about contacting Social Services or an immigration lawyer to see if there is anything you can get for Mom.

This is "wearynow's" first post. You can read her other posts by clicking on her name and then clicking on "following". The problem there though is her posts and relies to other posts are mixed together. Make be able to pick out her posts just from the subject line. As you see, she has been posting since 2018 when Mom was still in India.

https://www.agingcare.com/questions/anyone-care-for-their-parent-in-another-country-from-here-437260.htm

What "professionals" have you spoken with... an immigration attorney? Social services? That's where I would start.

Is it an option to take her back to her home country and situate her in a NH there, which would likely be less expensive than in the US?