My MIL is in a nursing home and acquiring $ from SSI after paying her bill from home. How do we get the money down legally?

Judi, you really need to speak with her Medicaid social worker, you don't want to get this wrong

I don't understand why she is over every year. When applying for Medicaid if she was over the monthly cap she had to get a Qualified Income Trust. Any overage goes into the trust. So, if ur State allows income of 2300 then Mom should be paying that plus any pension to the NH. That 250 a month xtra she seems to have would go into the trust.

If above is not the problem and Mom is under the cap her full SS should be going to offset her care. Was the wrong amount of her SS put in at time of applying? A small amount will be taken out for Personal needs.

Does she get Aid and Attendance? If so she is getting 90 from them a month? Do you pay each month with her SS to the NH? How much does the State allow for personal needs that you can deduct before paying the NH.

I just can't understand if the correct info was given at time of application about SS how Mom has xtra money every month.

Any stimulus money she has can be gifted.

sounds like she has already spent on dental, eyeglasses, clothing, right?
& she’s $1000.00 over maximum allowed for LTC Medicaid, right?

i think the easiest way to get a $1200.00 spend is to buy a (1) piece of DME aka durable medical equipment. Like a better quality walker, or wheelchair or a “geri” chair of some sort. I’d ask the SW at the facility as to how to get an RX for this from either the medical director (MD) of the place or the DON / NP at the facility. Then you buy one….. DME if private pay tends to be way way overpriced. Like a walker that you could buy at Costco for $300 will be $765.00 if bought and done totally private pay (so with no insurance).

I’d find something that $1200-$1500 so that she is absolutely under the 2K asset maximum. If you are in a bigger city with a health science center and multiple hospitals, there will be a speciality business that sells DME. If the $ is sitting in her Personal Needs account at the NH, I’d ask the DME store to write up an estimate and this you take to the business office at the NH to get the $ to the penny out of her PNA. So it’s all copacetic for how $ spent. Then you go back and buy it, cash with the PNA $. Now whether or not she actually uses it or it sits in your garage or in the closet at her NH, sadly doesn’t matter. What matters is that she does a legit spend to get her below the 2K asset maximum.

Then every month you absolutely make it a point to replenish stuff for her and spend her $……. shoes, clothings, toiletries, large print books or subscriptions, get her on twice a week beauty shoppe if need be.
Good luck & enjoy shopping!

Does she have a pre-paid funeral? Does she need dental work?

You are right, she can't gift any money.