Medicare running out, who can I contact to get continued care?

Barb, thank you for your response. An elder law attorney initial cost would be 5-10K and can't justify spending that this early on when the results may/may not be helpful/useful. My Mom owns her home outright, so no mortgage, just normal monthly costs which is covered by her monthly income received. I know that may change if additional/uncovered medical situations come up. Unfortunately, at this juncture, we don't know if she'll be able to go back into her home to live independently, will need to have home health assistance or have to be in skilled facility for the rest of her life. She still needs continued rehab/care for several more months, will have to reassess the situation after that and may, which I hoping is not the case, have to sell her home and belongings to pay the medical bills. I do know according to Medicare guidelines, she can re-apply for that assistance after 60-days in a self-pay status. I will check on free consultations w/elder law attorneys if things start to get tight as far as her finances go.

Place, the reason to talk to a lawyer who specializes in Medicaid is this:

If there is a chance that she is going to be able to live independently after her rehab, does she need to preserve her assets to live on? Or does she have adequate INCOME to do that?

See, if I were in this situation, I would seek legal advice, because I would need to convert my ASSETS into a Medicaid compliant annuity, so that I have resources to pay my living expenses, as my pension would not cover that. If I were to do private pay for a NH for many months, spend down my assets (which for me, is planned to create an income stream) then I wouldn't be able to afford to live where I do any longer.

If you are confident that after rehab, mom will need and be eligible for Medicaid paid assisted living or long term care, then you're fine spending down to to the Medicaid limit for assets.

We haven't spoken w/Medicaid yet, doesn't make sense to even try knowing she'll be turned down as anyone applying for UT state medicaid can have a car, a house, their monthly pension but only $2,000.00 total in additional assets. Have checked on a rehab/care center in Richfield, UT (if we can move her closer to home @ 2/24 provided the trach is removed) and the monthly cost for out-of-pocket (no medicare/medicaid benefits applied) will be @ $6,300.00 and includes transport to Dr. visits, tests, labs and the associated costs for these tests. At this rate, she would be able to continue her rehabilitation in this care facility for about another 8 months or so if it takes that long before she can return home.

I think you need a lawyer since she has already been turned down. You do realize that Medicaid does not pay 10O% aft the first 20days and only 50% FROM 21st to 100Days.  Her supplimental may pick up the rest.  Moms didn't and she paid $150 a day.
If all ur Mom has is 50k she can spend that down with the NH.  I paid two months with Mom and she went right into Medicaid.  Her rehab and LTC werevin the same facility.  Not: Medicaid has a timeline for getting into a NH.  Here in NJ its 60days.  If u go beyond the 60 you have to reapply.

Note that an approved Medicaid spend-down cost is a prepaid burial policy (within certain limits). If you don't use her money for this now, you will have to pay out of your own pocket.

2/1-Want to thank everyone for the suggestions. Auto ins. (PIP) was exhausted last Sept. 17 and found out yesterday that my Mom won't qualify for UT state medicaid so will have to be self-pay for at least 60 days. Trying to get her closer to home (Richfield, UT area) as she's currently in Riverton (by SLC). This won't happen by 2/24 if we can't get the tracheal tube out of her throat and she learns how to talk/eat/breath normally again. Facilities in central UT don't take respiratory (trached) patients. Also checked on elder law attorneys, initial cost would be 5-10K and would rather use that money towards Mom's continued care with her currents funds and possibility of being self-pay for 60 days minimum.

The social worker at Mom's rehab got me started with her Medicaid process. In fact the rehab would fill out the application for me if I had wanted, but I opted to go to the Medicaid office directly. She was classified as Medicaid Pending as soon as the application was submitted and the nursing home accepted her in that status. You have more assets than she did, so I would have started with an attorney if that was the case. Good luck. This is a long process but the rehab told me they wouldn’t discharge her until I found a nursing home which was 3 months later.

See an elder care a attorney. She will likely need to use her savings (spend down) and have a lien put on her house by Medicaid when they pick up coverage. Don't wait. Start now.

The rehab should have a social worker, I would assume. If you haven't already, I would see what he or she suggests.

So sorry about your mom. :(

Sorry for your mom’s condition.
See a certified elder attorney to determine Medicaid eligibility.
Is the auto insurance involved?