By clicking
Talk to a Specialist, you agree to our
Privacy Policy. You also consent to receive calls and texts, which may be autodialed, from us and our customer communities. Your consent is not a condition to using our service. Please visit our
Terms of Use. for information about our privacy practices.
The nursing home needs monthly payments either by your Mom out-of-pocket, or from Medicaid [which is different from Medicare]. Did Medicaid tell you why your Mom is having trouble being accepted by Medicare?
The nursing home automatically will send out rent-due notices. Just curious is the nursing home a Hospice Nursing Home? Did anyone explain how the expenses work? That your Mom is responsible for the monthly rent?
I know, all of this can be complex at a time when it hard to think straight when a love one needs such care.
If they are billing for services she received while on Hospice (services covered by Hospice) they are double billing.
Ask the Hospice for a breakdown of what they did on what days and what supplies and equipment they covered.
Deduct any of that from the facility bill.
(You could even ask the Social Worker from Hospice to help you out with this, it would be very easy with the EMR (electronic medical record) that they have to cross reference each day that you are being billed for.
And
This is your mothers bill to pay not yours.
Bill collectors use scare tactics. The minute you pay, you become responsible and they use that knowledge against you.
It is not your bill. It is not your responsibility.
Many people have their lawyers or bankers or trustee as POA. Those parties pay bills and make decisions on behalf of the elder, but they are not PERSONALLY liable for the bills. Bills are paid from the elder's resources. On the contrary, if you live in a "filial responsibility" state, children of the elder can be held personally responsible for things like nursing home bills, even if they don't hold POA. These laws exist since those states with filial responsibility laws feel that the state taxpayers should not food bills for individual elder care. Google if your state is a "filial responsibility" state to see what your obligations are.
If the NH is helping you, then you need to find out what they have been doing. The bill is sent to you because ur the person of record. You need to sit down with the finance person and explain the situation. Moms SS and any pension should at least go to offset the cost. They will have to once she is on Medicaid.
Medicare pays for Hospice care. The Nurse, aide, Depends, wipes, medicine and other supplies. It does not pay for the facility.
Really need more info on how you applied for Medicaid. There is an income cap. In NJ it has to be under 2300. If Mom is over the cap then you need to find a way to put the xtra money into something like a Miller Trust. (Its called something different in different states)
You need to keep on top of the Medicaid caseworker. I did everything by email requesting he verify receipt of the info. When I did what needed to be done, I contacted him by phone. Told him money was spent down, Mom was in LTC under private pay and he had all the paperwork needed. I started the application in May and Medicaid started July 1. Mom was able to pay 2 months up front.
It's alarming that you are getting any bill at all for hospice care; Medicare pays all hospice care. If she is in a SNF as a private-pay resident she might still be responsible for that, but she might not even be responsible for that bill. If she has her own funds she would have to pay these down before Medicaid kicks in. Check with your state agency and with Medicare re any hospice bill.
Please let us know what information you get about this as it can be quite confusing. Hugs and prayers to you
Get someone to help you with the Medicaid paperwork or call the #numbers too see if there is anything they can do. Tell them your situation.
Can you get her out of hospice if she is in the wing of the hospital? They have hospice folk come out to you, or a efficiency somewhere that would be cheaper than a hospital room. Those costs are outrageous. Good luck.