They want to be assured they will get paid. I applied her for medicaid last August. Before that, we had a PRI done which concluded that she should be in a SNF. I submitted applications to 4 different NH's & she was put on waiting lists for all. She has dementia, has a serious balance problem, can only walk short distances with a walker, can no longer manage taking her medications correctly, & cannot take care of herself. Now she is getting more forgetful, most of the time can't follow a conversation, & isn't eating nutritious food. She is currently living in an over 55 apartment complex, not assisted living or any kind of help. The medicaid caseworker now tells me they can't approve her for NH medicaid unless she is currently in a NH, they tell me she should apply for community medicaid. The NH director of admissions tells me they can't admit her without medicaid 1st being approved. I feel like a ping pong ball getting bounced back & forth. She is falling through the cracks because nobody will go a little extra to steer me in the right direction. She needs to be in the care of a NH but, at the NH director of admissions urging, I told the medicaid caseworker to go ahead & change the application to community medicaid. I don't feel comfortable with that because she can't do so many things for herself. Since the NH won't work with medicaid pending, how can I get her admitted without waiting for something to happen to her? She is willing & ready to go, she knows she needs to be there.
In 1993, the U.S. Congress passed The Estate Recovery Act which demands that each state seeks repayment for Medicaid benefits from certain people and for certain services
People over the age of 55 who have received Medicaid payments in a specific time period
Payments for nursing homes and nursing care facilities, home and community-based services, related services at hospitals, and prescription drugs.
Most people's assets are is in their houses. Now this targeted groups will find that money is sought on death
While some states do have s homestead exemption or personal residence waiver your state amy still seek financial recovery after you die. In some states the house might be safe as long as your husband or wife is still alive.
Either way they will still come after the money
That way they can admit her knowing she will just switch her Medicaid from "Community" to "Institutional". Many people enter a NH following a hospital stay but in this case, Community Medicaid could provide her with in home services or go with her to an Assisted Living depending on what your state provides. In our state you must apply for Community Medicaid if you are living in your own home. The program provides, case management, meals, cleaning, transportation, laundry, medication management and administration and a Life Alert.
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