Applying for Medicaid: Is there a way to get assistance with the process that doesn't cost thousands?

I love--and SO agree with--mommabean's assertion: "If people had thousands of dollars to spend on help to apply for Medicaid, they WOULDN'T NEED Medicaid". Now THAT is a true statement! Many, many moderate-income retirees, including me, would be confronted by a similar dilemma if/when we need to apply for Medicaid. (Personally, I hope to make my Final Exit before or very shortly thereafter that day arrives.)

I also totally concur with AlvaDeer's observations about the American consumer economy and that everything is driven by money, money, money. The result is that we elders (and our carers) are often placed in the position of waving buh-bye to "care". Services rendered should be paid for--at a fair price. I don't have a problem with that. However, price gouging and unconscionable profiteering are quite a different scenario, IMO. While I certainly do not condone pulling a "Luigi", I'm not entirely unsympathetic to those who have been victimized by insurance companies, hospitals, LTC facilities and other institutions.

Does the AL have a social worker? That person might be able to help you with the form. I know the nursing home in NYC where my father resides has a Medicaid specialist who can help with this paperwork.

I feel for you. I am in my own Medicaid hell right now. We needed to use a lawyer because my parents' situation was complicated. Ridiculously overpriced I my opinion.

Just a PS postscript here, momma,

I hope you will continue to take us/include us in your journey here.
It serves as warning to others to get all paperwork for themselves and for their parents in place. I don't care HOW OLD or young they are.
Also it will inform so many here what they are looking forward to, what to try for help.
Trust me, our hearts go out to you in this, and I can just FEEL the anxiety.
I am so sorry.

YES, it is complicated. HORRIBLY so. And you have our utmost sympathy!!!

You say it is driven by money, money, money, but the fact is that care of an elder in in-facility care is very expensive. And EVERYTHING in this country is driven by money.

You are essentially asking the federal government to invest money in the ongoing life and care of one who no longer HAS enough money to pay the price.
You need care. And the cost of getting that care is investing the time and the trouble of answering these questions at the least, and spending money to do it.

The truth is that America is a country that's consumer driven for profit economy in which we make few things, anymore, and in which we pay to "service" one another and pay one another FOR services. Think about everything from your phone to your TV to your computer to your food and clothing and housing and insurance and deliveries of it all; it's service provided for a price.

I FEEL YOU and I think the worst part is feeling so helpless and "unknowing".
People come to all this with "WHERE'S the birth CERTIFICATE." When really, we all need to know that we all will need our birth certificate and that we must have it with our important papers and that our kids must know where those papers are. Your message here may trigger many to consider "WHAT ABOUT that birth certificate?".
I long got mine from Chicago, but the process is now outsourced in most states, and you have to PAY a company now to get that certificate from public records. Fun, huh? And on we go.

I feel your fury. There is a price tag dangling off everything and now it's dangling off your mom, and you are expected to pay it. I think the frustration of the public at large is just enormous.

I am afraid you'll have to slow down and take this a step at a time.

Not to add to your woe's, but you said something scary here. That mom's income is too high to qualify. You are then looking at further problems with a price tag attached to an elder law attorney, because you may be looking at a need for a Miller Trust or a Q.I.T (Qualified income trust) to put some of that monthly income into trust (which would go on her death to the Federal Government for care rendered) so she CAN qualify for Medicaid.

I feel for you. Igloo here on Forum. I do believe, DOES THIS WORK of helping people get qualified. And yes, for a price. Because Igloo has to eat, too, and this is her job.

I am so very sorry.
It's as I said, this should make everyone here reading begin their "death book" (mine has little skeletons collaged everywhere) with important information. About where everything is. Every account. Every certificate. Every pension with a phone number. Every MD. Every important friend.
That doesn't help YOU at all.

Ultimately you have to slow down, spend the money, take the time, and do this the way you are doing it. You are making the calls.
Call that social worker back and ask her THIS: "What happens when I tell you I am not POA and don't intend to be, haven't a clue where anything is, and tell you that I don't INTEND to do anything? How long will it take you to get state conservatorship/guardianship and get this done? Because you aren't throwing anyone out into the street without throwing your nursing home license to operate along with her!!!"

I would bet you there's not a single person here other than Igloo572 who would have a CLUE how to proceed.
And we would ALL be as frustrated as you are.
With outsourcing I have found my pension plan from my hospital is outsourced to someone who can't even speak English and it took me three hours on the phone to explain that my bank sold out to another and wasn't called Washington anymore but was called Coast. I shouldn't have bothered. The checks just kept going into the account anyway. When I am gone I wish my daughter good luck in cancelling it before they freeze every account I have for overpayment. But hey, it's all in the death book.

First of all, Mommabeans, I feel you! Second of all, I can confirm that your mother's rent is not considered in qualification for any Medicaid services, only income and assets. My mother's rent is higher than her social security check, and she literally has nothing else. She does qualify for Medicaid, and gets pretty good services from the program (and aide, some supplies, etc.), however if she didn't have children able to help her financially, she'd be homeless. I'm also not sure what, if any difference, there is between "Community Medicaid" and "Medicaid Long Term Managed Care."

That said, I got a LOT of help from this place:

Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP)
https://aging.ny.gov/health-insurance-information-counseling-and-assistance-program-hiicap
Toll-Free Hotline:1-800-701-0501

They were way more helpful than any of the other help lines, and steered me to a program that now covers her Medicare premium and co-pays, among other things.

As an aside, there are some social services programs that have programs for caregivers. I have my own social worker at a place in Brooklyn called Heights and Hills (I'm in their catchment area) who sent me the info on hiicap. Fingers crossed there's a similar place near you!

Good luck.

What state are you in?

I did not mention this in my previous post but I went to Social Services and sat with a Medicaid caseworker who filled out my application for me. No money involved.

My Question though, concerning Community Medicaid, is that the person receiving this is living in their own home. So Community Medicaid does not pay for room and board. How will that work at the AL. Will the care cost be the only thing covered? If your looking for her room to be paid for then you need LTC Medicaid.

I am very surprised this Social Worker cannot help you get started with the Medicaid application and have some knowledge how it works. I would wonder what her credentials are?

The social worker at the assisted living is not able to help. That's not in her job description except to refer me to all the people and offices I've already contacted.
The Medicaid would pay for her medical care, which this facility requires to be through a program called PACE.

Funny enough, some of these comments said, "Call the local Social Services office," and they did exactly the same thing, "Your mom doesn't qualify because her monthly income is too much (no consideration that 99% goes to her rent at the AL", but here's a number you can call to a person who will charge $3000 to fill out this application for Community Medicaid that we just said she doesn't qualify for."

The Social Worker at the assisted living should be able to help. Community based Medicaid is a different application than long-term care Medicaid. In NYS there are a Medicaid approved assisted living facilities but most are private pay. I am assuming your mother iis currently in a a Medicaid assisted living facility.

I’m in Tampa and I found a local resource center that caters to women in need(all areas of life) who blessed us with filling it out and submitting it as we sat in her office. I pray your city will have a like service

As suggested, a Social Worker can help but be on top of them. In my State you have 90days to spend down, get info needed to Caseworker and find a place. I emailed all my info directly to the Caseworker. Mom paid privately for May and June. Gave me time to get everything done. June she was spent down, proved it to the caseworker and verified he had all the info needed and Medicaid started July 1st.

Let the SW guide you but know the process.

Oh mommabeans, I hear you. Only someone who has tackled those impossible to understand Medicaid questions knows your frustration.

A social worker at the local hospital Will do this for you, also a social worker from the state elderly services department will as well. I’m surprised the AL facility doesn’t have a social worker on staff, that should be part of their job as well.

The local Dept. of Social Services won't help unless Mom is with me because she does not have a POA. I literally do not have TIME to make an appointment and sit down there in that office dealing with the chaos of it with my mom who will become highly agitated at all the noise and movement around her. And the Community Advocacy agency? Which? I've talked to them all. They either do the same "here's another number call" thing, or tell me Mom won't qualify for Community Medicaid. She OWNS NOTHING. All her income goes to her AL rent. I have so had it with this process. It makes no sense. At all.

Your local dept of social services agency or an community advocacy agency will help. It will mean reflection on your pride, patience and time in seeking help in this way but the pay off is worth it.

Excellent observation: "If people had thousands of dollars to spend on help to apply for Medicaid, they wouldn't need Medicaid." So true, so true! And you're also spot on about telephone trees of agencies and people who can't really help and keep referring us on to more agencies/people who can't help. I absolutely understand--and share--your frustration and disgust.

I'm 87 which probably (partially) explains why I agree that everything has gotten far too complicated and driven by MONEY. Welcome to America and Vulture Capitalism! BTW, weren't computers supposed to make life easier and LESS complicated? Well, in theory maybe. In practice, definitely not so much!

When we lived in NYS, and my husband worked for the county office for the aging, they had a staff member who helped with this.

You don't need to pay anyone to help you fill it out. Print out more than one copy and use one as a "scratch" sheet. Then fill in the "final" one and send it in. Medicaid will send it back to you if they have any questions. You will need to respond immediately as it is still time sensitive (and they will need your response within 7 days or else you'll have to reapply and therefore "go back to the end of the line" and the app clock resets. They will tell you what more "proofs" they need. The letter should have a number to contact them with questions. If not, contact a social worker for your Mom's county.

Typically Assisted Living facilities have a social worker on their payroll that should be able to walk you through the Medicaid process.
Otherwise like JoAnn said below, go to your local Social Service office and they will walk you through the process as well.

Call your Social Service office and make an appt with a Medicaid caseworker. The one Mom had took me thru everything. Actually plugged the info into the computer while asking me questions. Then gave me a list of info that was needed to complete the application which had to be done within 90 days of application.