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Linda1947 Asked November 2009

Will someone take my father's home if he has to go to a nursing home?

My father is in ICU.  I fear that they will insist on putting him in a nursing home.  My sister and I live in Florida and he lives in Georgia. He is 83 and sick. He refuses to come live with either of us.
He has private insurance but they dont cover nursing homes. Can anyone take his home away from him if he goes in a nursing home?His mind is sharp and I think it would kill him if that happened. Our families are here so there is no question about us moving to another state. I dont know what to do.

EXPERT Carol Bradley Bursack, CDSGF Nov 2009
Not everyone stays in a nursing home forever. It would depend on his finances and how long he stays. Generally, Medicare pays for a number of days if a person goes directly from the hospital (it was 20 days, but that may have changed). Then, he will have to pay if he stays.

Only if he goes on Medicaid after spending down all of his assets will he lose the house, and even that depends on whether your mother is living there. It's hard to tell from your question.

If she is, she can stay there, but a lien would be placed on it if his finances got to that point. If no one lives there, then he'd keep it until it was decided that his other assets were gone, but eventually, if he lives long enough, he'd have to sell.

States vary with their Medicaid laws, and he may have enough assets so that he won't go on Medicaid. Then the house remains his. There are a lot of variables, starting with whether his wife is alive or if he is a widower or divorced.

First thing to remember - if he goes to a nursing home right from the hospital, check with Medicare and see how long they will pay the bill. Go from there.

Take care,
Carol

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