Does social security help with assisted living?

Finally found the ultimate answer...first of all wanted to clarify to all that while Medicaid does not pay for AL, the Medicaid Waiver does. I keep getting replies that AL is not a covered benefit within the Medicaid system---and it is.

And 2nd......after asking the Medicaid Waiver department if there were any additional resources to help pay the difference between SS/Medicaid Waiver and the rent the AL was/is charging......we found out from FSSA that the AL facility IS NOT ALLOWED TO ASK FOR MORE RENT and....they ALSO MUST LEAVE THE RESIDENT WITH APPROX. $50 IN SPENDING MONEY. Therefore, FSSA and the Department of Disability/Aging is going after this AL facility and the facility will have to give back all the additional rent money to the families for overcharging. In addition, the AL facility was not allowed to charge for their COMMUNITY FEE and DEPOSIT from a person with a Medicaid Waiver. So, the family will be getting back all those fees as well!!! They will probably be receiving back over $10,000 in rent and fees. I should say too the investigation by the department is going to be anonymous. However, the resident is being moved to a nursing home as her health is deteriorating.

Regardless of what people say here,

You / friend needs to contact social security and Medicaid Office.
Look on-line, too. Although perhaps also go to the soc sec office.

No, social security does not pay for long term care of any type. They do pay for some home care, if it is medical in nature, but not for housekeeping, meal prep or personal care assistance.
If she has a Medicaid Waiver in place, that should pay for long term care of any type as long as the facility accepts it. Some do not. It sounds as though her facility does not, because other than her PPA (patient pay amount) the Medicaid Waiver (the amount the state pays) would pay the rest. Maybe you could petition Medicaid to recalculate her PPA. That would relieve some of her personal burden. I have never heard of the patient paying anything more than their Social Security each month. The family can't be required to pay anything. Having a Medicaid Waiver should pay all or the largest portion of the cost. If this is not the case, I might suggest speaking to the facility. They should not be charging you anything over & above what Medicaid or you mom pays.

Better to find a place that accepts SSI and Medicaid

imajwru12: The individual's social security dollar figure does not increase because they want stay in assisted living.

I don’t know of any provision with Social Security that will help pay the difference or increase the amount they pay in to the facility. Social Security payments are based on earnings. The Area Agency on Aging in Indiana directed me to Medicaid waiver when I needed to get my brother into AL. He only had social security and the waiver picked up the balance. He ended up in a nursing home where social security went to the facility and basic Medicaid paid the rest. It sounds like the financial resources will be changing so contacting the waiver office would be the next step to report a change in financial circumstances so the waiver payment can be adjusted. The Area Agency on Aging may know of other financial resources to assist but start with contacting the waiver program about adjusting that payment. An elder law attorney may be of great assistance.

As has been said, Social security will not increase payments because you want to stay in a certain locale. It's my understanding the HUD may make payments for the rental in some ALs (rental only, not services). Have your friend's family check out : https://www.hud.gov/ and search for the offices under Indiana. They can then check the website or give them a call to get more info and specifics.

There seems to be a lot of misconception concerning Medicare. Medicare is a health insurance. It pays nothing towards LTC. It pays for up to 100 days of rehab IF NEEDED. 20 days 100%, 21 to 100 days 50%. They will pay for "in home" but that too is not permanent and not f/t care. They pay for intermediate care, which is not f/t care. So when trying to get LTC paid Medicare is not even in the equation.

In my State Medicaid will not pay for an AL until you have paid privately for at least two years. Then the AL has to except Medicaid and if so, not meet their quota. My Moms AL only allowed 14% of residents to be on Medicaid.

There is a reason why family is paying extra. From my understanding, once a person is getting Medicaid family cannot be asked to contribute to a recipients care. The recipient gives up their SS payment and any pension they receive as their contribution.

There is a reason why this family is paying xtra. There is something they want their LO to have that Medicaid won't cover. Again, I think its having a single room. They need to find out what they are paying for and then determine if their LO needs that service.

There seems to be a lot of misconception concerning Medicare. Medicare is a health insurance. It pays nothing towards LTC. It pays for up to 100 days of rehab IF NEEDED. 20 days 100%, 21 to 100 days 50%. They will pay for "in home" but that too is not permanent and not f/t care. They pay for intermediate care, which is not f/t care. So when trying to get LTC paid Medicare is not even in the equation.

In my State Medicaid will not pay for an AL until you have paid privately for at least two years. Then the AL has to except Medicaid and if so, not meet their quota. My Moms AL only allowed 14% of residents to be on Medicaid.

There is a reason why family is paying extra. From my understanding, once a person is getting Medicaid family cannot be asked to contribute to a recipients care. The recipient gives up their SS payment and any pension they receive as their contribution.

There is a reason why this family is paying xtra. There is something they want their LO to have that Medicaid won't cover. Again, I think its having a single room. They need to find out what they are paying for and then determine if their LO needs that service.

As someone already mentioned, Social Security has nothing to do with long term care payment. It is a set amount based on wages earned during employment. Talking to an elder law attorney is the best way to get accurate advice. Also, talking to the case manager who handles the Medicaid waiver might be helpful. Don't try to deal with this alone or rely on others' advice. I did, and it was a mess until I got professional assistance. It can make all the difference.

SS income is solely based on how long your mother work when she was still able to work. You have to work at least 10 years to get SS check. The more years you work, the more SS money you get. So, there’s no way SS will increase her SS check. Hope this help. Try Adult Family Home. They’re more affordable than assisted living, is what my friends are telling me. Good luck.

I'm sorry to see your friend in this situation that appears to be single room AL. May require a transfer to a shared room facility with a Medicaid license.

I imagine you are talking about SSI, which is supplemental income for the poor. I am assuming her social security benefit is small and she has no assets. There are requirements one must meet, make an appointment for her with Social Security to find out what the application process is.

Your state law probably has it set up that they confiscate. Both medicare and medicaid, and all your income they call it medicaid Waiver, and then the state gives the facility everything but 50 bucks.

The family should leave their mother where she is and pony up the difference. PERIOD! She likely made many sacrifices for her children. Certainly between them they can afford a few hundred $ a month. Tell them to get extra part time job. Don't put her in a worse place.

If it's waver In Ohio, you get on waiver and they take everything but 50 bucks. And it's in the Ohio revised code. State law you're out of luck like me. I've contacted my national congressional senate representative Brown. And Landsman (aide Jason) and they told me I'm out of Luck you just gotta suffer and it's like a camp in a war. In the facilities There's no appeals. You'll succeed the first couple of times complaining. Then they won't pay attention to you. It's a racket. Mine went to chapter 11 and the owner had one in Dayton, Ohio, Florida and Tennesse they ripped you off. And the government's empowering enabling them. There's no hope that's why people used to keep us at home until we died. Because this kind of thing will happen. Their turnover is worst than fast food places. Different people each week. In fact, the assignments are each shift has a different nurse and nurses aid, and they rotate, and they act like road runners. Cause they want to be detached. They don't want to be attached to you and they're trained and. Tutorialized like that I never knew about this kind of stuff until they threw me in it because of my LAFEDEMIA. There's a senior's committee in Congress in the senate that just started. I communicated with them and every other regulatory agency. And staff laugh and joke constantly because they can't deal. And they don't pay attention to you. Wonder why this country is in the shape its in. . And you know the message going on in DC. And they laugh and joke constantly. Because they can't deal with the bed. Ridden, people that they have to change a couple of times a day. And they let those poor people just lay there and suffer. Don't see any visitors come in to see em. It's a crime. It's crime against humanity against Americans domestic crime.

SS payment is based solely on what the person worked their whole life for and paid into the trust fund. Medicaid is run at the state level, if she's on Medicaid already speak with either the facility or a representative of Medicaid to make up the difference.
This is where limitations on her assets comes into play.

No. Social Security will not pay AL or any other care facility. There may be some state programs and grants that can help with it though. Speak to the administrator at the AL. They can help put you in touch if there are such programs in your state.

She may have to be moved to somewhere more affordable. Too bad. Social Security isn't paying for that.

If Medicaid is paying for her care, then the AL has to except what is paid to them. Her SS is her contribution. Family should not be paying out of pocket unless its to help keep her in a single room. Medicaid does not pay for single rooms. Maybe the option would be, she needs to double up. They need to talk to the Administrator. She is only allowed so much SS which is based on her's or her husband's earnings. Maybe Medicaid could pay more?

I also have a friend with a medicaid waiver in Indiana. She is moving from one assisted living place to a different one.
I know the new place has them file for section 8 too.
I don't know any details but maybe something to look into.

Your mom is in Indiana? If so, try to apply for the Residential Care Assistance if she receives SSI.


Other then this, sadly, no. Whatever her benefits don't cover falls on another payment to make up the difference.

You dont mention the cost of the facility, so it is over $4k a month?

Has she applied for a Voucher and/or on the list?

It is up to the facility whether or not they will accept MediCAID or not if it is applied for. The family, unless quite wealthy, should not in my humble opinion be tapping into their own savings which they need for their kid's education, their own recreation if retired, and their OWN aging care. I think this is always a mistake.

If mother has lived so long that her resources are gone, and SS isn't enough for her care, then she spends down all her assets and applies for Medicaid. See an Elder Law Attorney and give them a list of assets and options.