I care for my mom now but I've been thinking of putting her into a nursing home, I was told that they take all of her social security along with medicaid and medicare to have it paid for, is that true?
Couch - for mom to go on Medicaid she is going to have to show to be "at need" both financially & medically for whatever medicaid prgram she is applying to. For financials it's basically impoverished or low income with her income (SS, retirements) within the limits set by your state and her assets under 2k. If she's like most elderly, her SS should be under the income limit.
Now for medically "at need" it's stickier. For NH they have to have doctors orders that skilled nursing care is needed. Often for those living at home or with family, they don't have the fat medical chart showing all sorts of medical conditions. I would have a clear talk with moms MD as to what her health status is like.
The vast majority of NH admissions -like 70-80%- come from the elder being in the hospital and they get discharged to rehab in a NH. As this is post hospitalization discharge for rehab, Medicare (Medicare not Medicaid) pays for the first 21days. And within those 3 weeks, the usual situation is that it is determined that mom can't go back home and becomes a residential stay at the NH. For residential stay - or long term care - they then apply for medicaid. Medicare does not pay for residential but Medicaid does. Again, for those having elders at home or in IL, family is going to have to do whatever to show in moms health history that a NH is needed.
Now for AL, it's different. They don't need to show the same level of "need". But many states medicaid do not ever pay at all for AL; or it's on a medicaid waiver program that usually requires 2 years of private pay first. Right now alot of states are turning to PACE programs for those still lving in the community. If your city has PACE, mom may need to be evaluated for it first & foremost before she could even qualify for a NH. You need to find out what the options are in your state.
? for you......mom is living with you, right? if so, please please review how living expenses are being done. If any of moms SS check and $ is being commingled with yours, it's going to be an issue with getting her on Medicaid. Like say mom wrote you a check for $ 75 for her share of the electric bill, well that looks like "gifting" of $ 75 from mom to you. Based on many posts on this site, families do this all the time. It's a penalty issue for medicaid. If mom is doing this, she needs to stop and start writing checks out to vendors and not ever to you or other family anymore. Maybe get her a debit card on her bank account that has you as a co-signer and POD, so that when you buy groceries, you can run 50 % as your $ on your own personal debit card and 50 % as hers on her debit card. If your commingling $$$, it needs to stop. Medicaid doesn't expect mom to live with you for free but they have to determine if any $$$ of hers was gifted. It's a total PIA if you have to recreate what $ was used for and get this info to medicaid in a few days to get her eligible......so think if you / mom do this and change it. Good luck in getting her into a facility and onto Medicaid.
Discuss this with her doctor and ask for someone to come yo your home for an assessment of her needs. There's a difference between needing a nursing home and wanting to be in one.
She is getting to the point where it is really hard on me to take care of her. I think it would be best for her but she does not think so that is why I'm so torn on what to do.
she has not owned anything in over 20 years, but does have a few bills that she pays. I thank all of you for responding to me, Guess I'll find out once I put her in and we shall see what happens.
Has your Mother applied for Medicaid? If she can qualify, Medicaid will pay for your Mother's nursing home out of her social security check, and if the bill is higher Medicaid will make up the difference.
Now for medically "at need" it's stickier. For NH they have to have doctors orders that skilled nursing care is needed. Often for those living at home or with family, they don't have the fat medical chart showing all sorts of medical conditions. I would have a clear talk with moms MD as to what her health status is like.
The vast majority of NH admissions -like 70-80%- come from the elder being in the hospital and they get discharged to rehab in a NH. As this is post hospitalization discharge for rehab, Medicare (Medicare not Medicaid) pays for the first 21days. And within those 3 weeks, the usual situation is that it is determined that mom can't go back home and becomes a residential stay at the NH. For residential stay - or long term care - they then apply for medicaid. Medicare does not pay for residential but Medicaid does. Again, for those having elders at home or in IL, family is going to have to do whatever to show in moms health history that a NH is needed.
Now for AL, it's different. They don't need to show the same level of "need". But many states medicaid do not ever pay at all for AL; or it's on a medicaid waiver program that usually requires 2 years of private pay first. Right now alot of states are turning to PACE programs for those still lving in the community. If your city has PACE, mom may need to be evaluated for it first & foremost before she could even qualify for a NH. You need to find out what the options are in your state.
? for you......mom is living with you, right? if so, please please review how living expenses are being done. If any of moms SS check and $ is being commingled with yours, it's going to be an issue with getting her on Medicaid. Like say mom wrote you a check for $ 75 for her share of the electric bill, well that looks like "gifting" of $ 75 from mom to you. Based on many posts on this site, families do this all the time. It's a penalty issue for medicaid. If mom is doing this, she needs to stop and start writing checks out to vendors and not ever to you or other family anymore. Maybe get her a debit card on her bank account that has you as a co-signer and POD, so that when you buy groceries, you can run 50 % as your $ on your own personal debit card and 50 % as hers on her debit card. If your commingling $$$, it needs to stop. Medicaid doesn't expect mom to live with you for free but they have to determine if any $$$ of hers was gifted. It's a total PIA if you have to recreate what $ was used for and get this info to medicaid in a few days to get her eligible......so think if you / mom do this and change it.
Good luck in getting her into a facility and onto Medicaid.