My husband had double heart bypass surgery Feb 4th, then on March 2nd he had a stroke in his sleep. 8 days in the hospital for his heart surgery, and 16 days for his stroke. He was then placed in a nursing home for a month, then I had him moved to a different nursing home where he has been the last 22 days.
The nursing home has applied for long term care Medicaid for him. He and I applied for his disability Feb 20th before the stroke. Now I'm being told that the nursing home will take his check (if he is approved for disability) as well as being paid by Medicaid.
Is this legal? I don't have one dime to pay our bills and I need his check to keep our household going. :(
Do you have any type of pension of your own? Do not use any of your funds for his care to avoid gifting your money to him, even direct payments to his nursing home. Do you have a mortgage to pay and depend on your husband's fund to support your home? There's also property taxes and upkeep on the home, even if owned free and clear.
Have you gone to Social Services to see if you qualify for Supplimental Insurance called SSI. You may qualify for Medicaid for health and food stamps.
Now is the time to see an elder law attorney. If you and hubby lived together, you never worked, and you get no SS, then something may be worked out with the help of an attorney to afford you a partial amount of his SS for your own upkeep. But this is something that you will need to work out with professional help.
You say you need to keep your household going. But hubby is unlikely to be able to return to his home unless I am mistaken. He will need Federal Government help to pay for his care so long as he lives. If you have a home this may be a time to sell it for the care of you both; it may NOT be, but you need professional help and advice here now.
It's really important that you find a qualified Elder Law attorney or Medicaid planner in your state.
Medicaid is not allowed to impoverish the "community spouse" but the application is not a do it yourself project.