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mchi73 Asked September 2015

How to move Mom from Florida to Kansas nursing home?

My mom is a medicaid long term resident in a skilled nursing facility. The family can't afford to cover the cost of moving from her current Florida nursing home to one in Kansas while waiting for Medicaid to kick in. How can we move her closer to family? I don't know where to begin. I've read that she'd have to stop medicaid coverage 1st in Florida, then apply for it in Kansas. But how can she be taken care of until Kansas medicaid can pay nursing home? We don't have the money to cover this nor can she live with anyone in the interim move. She needs to be in a skilled nursing facility. So, how do you transfer to a nursing home in another state? What states have medicaid pending openings?

mchi73 Sep 2015
Thank you, all. I will start with contacting the NH in the new state I want to move her to, as well as the Ombudsman of the state. Hopefully they can give me correct information to get the process started.

vstefans Sep 2015
Talk to the NH in the NEW state primarily. They may accept Medicaid pending patients or maybe she is within Medicaid coverage.

I moved my mom by having her qualify for an acute rehab stay, using her Parkinson's diagnosis. She was mobile and well enough at the time to go by Southwest Airlines as a special needs pre-board assist passenger and they even had someone to stay with her while I returned the rental car. There were no extra fees. I was her companion and caregiver for it. I did NOT think we could have managed a 15 hour auto trip though.

The long distance medical transport services are a few thousand dollars depending on distance. You may get medical advice on how she could travel, private vehicle versus air versus that though. It may be hard to arrange, but it may also be the best thing you ever do for her if it means being near family, especially grandkids!

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Guestshopadmin Sep 2015
One thing to keep in mind is that neither Medicare nor Medicaid will pay for the transport from state to state, NH to NH.

Sunnygirl1 Sep 2015
Gladimhere is right. I've never done it, but I think I might discuss it with the admissions rep of the NH you wish to transfer her to. Maybe they have dealt with it before. Or you might discuss with the one where she is now.

Find out who processes the application for Medicaid in the new county where she going to and see what instructions they give. FIRST, I would go online and find out what requirements they have, so that you have your ducks in a row before you talk to them.

gladimhere Sep 2015
Mch, moving an elder on Medicaid from one state to another is tricky. I suggest you speak with an elder law attorney that specializes in Medicaid planning. You sure wouldn't want to move her and then have a problem with her eligibility for Medicaid. The move will be very hard on her as well. Or, another idea is that nursing homes that accept Medicaid may be able to help in that regard so contact them. They could probably help get the transport figured out too.

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