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jdfamilyinc Asked September 2017

What's the best method of paying a nursing home for long-term care?

Mom is staying in NH long term. She has 2 bills that need to be paid monthly, her supplement insurance bill and life ins. bill. The NH said as a courtesy they will pay the bills when her S.S. starts going to the NH. I would have to change the addresses. Has anyone ever done this? Would it be easier to just send a check with the specified amount to the NH and I just keep paying the 2 bills? The NH said I could do that but every 6 months I would have to renew her Medicaid, and it would be just easier to let them have the SS and pay the residents bills.

lizzywho61 Sep 2017
I chose to leave Mothers SS direct deposited to her personal checking account. To get her qualified for Medicaid each month I had to write a check for her county retiree medical supplemental insurance premium ,her Medicare RX plan, and some drug charges. Then minus the $60.00 she was allowed to keep each month. Left that in her checking account. Then what was left of SS check I wrote a check to the Nursing home.

Mother's County retirement check was direct deposited to her personal checking account. I wrote a check for that amount and deposited to the Miller Trust Account. Then wrote a check for that total amount to the Nursing Home.

That is the way Medicaid wanted it done so that's what I did.

A year later Mother qualified for "Extra Help" or some Medicaid program and her monthly drug charges disappeared. So at that point I was able to drop the Medicare RX plan.

This crazy process went on from 2012-2015. Medicaid renewal was once a year.

I never had Mother's SS check turned over to the Nursing Home.

JoAnn29 Sep 2017
Is your Mom on Medicaid? If so, why the supplimental? Medicaid pays what Medicare doesn't. Like said on Medicaid insurance policies need to be cashed in. If not on Medicaid and on private pay then why turn over SS to them now?

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JessieBelle Sep 2017
Maybe it is term life, but still Mother wouldn't be allowed to pay it. Someone else would have to keep up payments on the policy.

jeannegibbs Sep 2017
Are these two bills within her personal allowance? Will there be enough left of her allowance for her personal needs?

I'm surprised about the life insurance policy. Isn't that usually considered a countable asset? Or does she have a spouse?

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