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Need help with finances - mom needs to be moved to nursing home but has no money left except 1400.00 / mo from SS.

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How is she paying for independent living?

If she qualifies for Medicaid, you should go ahead and start the application process.

Here's a list of articles and threads on this site about applying for Medicaid. I hope this helps.

https://www.agingcare.com/search.aspx?searchterm=applying+for+medicaid
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Apply for Medicaid ASAP I am not sure what state you are in but there is usually a backlog. Many nursing homes will help you fill out the paperwork. Some may take her while waiting for the process of course taking the back pay when it is avail.. Please check out the Nursing Homes through personal inspections and AHCA website it will show you any violations etc...
Is/was your mom and or dad a vet? She may have spousal benefits available to
her through the VA?This might give you other options with the finances..
Good luck!
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There is an asset test, usually around 2000 to 25000.00, I would apply for long term care Medicaid now, don't wait. You can also contact your local area agency on aging, they will have staff there that can go over the options you have regarding placement and programs for your mother.
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If mom is at the point where the IL has given her a "30 Day Notice" that she is no longer able to meet the requirements for IL you have to get moving on all this asap.

My first suggestion is to speak with admissions @ the IL to see if they have a sister facility that is a NH; if so and this NH takes Medicaid, ask them to place a call to have mom either moved there or placed on an expedited spot on the waiting list. If not, ask admissions again, if they have a short list of NH - they probably do.

Then I'd suggest you call each of them and ask if there are any open beds and if they take residents as "Medicaid Pending". Whichever do, you go an see asap. There many not be many choices. While on this visit ask for the list of items this NH wants to see to accept a resident "Medicaid Pending". Some facilities will essentially do the Medicaid application for the elder from the documents that you provide to them - this is for the NH to themselves determine IF they will take the resident as "pending". An experienced admissions person @ a NH will know how to look at what you provide as to whether or not there is going to be a future issue.

Each NH may do its review slightly different and so the list that they want to see may be slightly differently worded. The key documents are your parents "awards letters" this is the annual letter that states how much monthly income your parent gets from SS, retirement or an annuity - this lets the NH know just how much of a co-pay or an SOC (share of cost) that mom will be paying them. If all your mom gets is $ 1,400 from SS, then that is her co-pay less a small needs allowance (ranges from $ 35 - 90 a month). Often a NH (although they will deny this) will look less favorably on a future resident who has a super low copay as some really elderly get maybe only $ 600 a mo in SS. $ 1400 is a nice amount and you should fully expect to pay them $ 1400 on day 1 of month 1 of her admission. Other key documents are their insurance policies as if this have any cash value, that will be a spend-down. ANother is their funeral policy as that need to have No Cash Value otherwise that too is a spend-down. Your mom will have to provide for several months bank statements -if she has been private paying for the IL now for a while, she will have a pretty clear "pattern of spending" and an easy review by the Medicaid caseworker - they know where mom spent her money. No worries.

If the NH are just not what you'd like ideally, keep this in mind…..once mom is in a NH and fully eligible for Medicaid, she can move to another facility. Medicaid allows for this to be done and without any penalty or contract issues with the old NH. Medicaid pays by day rate to the NH, she can transfer to another nicer one. I moved my mom at about month # 10 to a much much better NH.

Check the admissions contract with the IL to see how much notice they need for her to move. It may be a 30 day requirement or they will bill her or you if you signed the admissions or resident agreement. I moved my mom about 2 days after the 30 day notice, and so her deposit paid for those 2 additional days. SPoke with admissions on this beforehand too so all ok. If you don't, expect the IL to turn it over to collections as per the contract. Remember the NH will expect to be paid at day 1 of admission mom's required by Medicaid co-pay for the balance of the days of that month. If she's gone and spent it to pay for days she won't be at the IL anymore, someone (you) will have to cover the NH copay. Timing is critical to make this all work if you are limited on finances. Good luck and get on calling those NH this week.
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