Mother is in a SNF. We will be moving out of state and it will leave her with no family close by. Two siblings and a brother are all in Reno/Tahoe/NoCal, much closer. She’s almost immobile, so a SNF is the best place for her as opposed to the family home.
Since mom already has Cal-Med the No Ca. relative would be the easier move to as she is already approved for Cal-Med. In that case, state residency would be done and state Medicaid already approved. See what is available and speak with the admissions office where you want her to go and see if they can help you arrange the transfer of medical records, meds and mom. Does someone manage mom’s SS or does it go directly to the current NH? That can be an issue to work through.
Is someone her POA? Does she have dementia? Does she want to move?
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If she is on Medicaid you want to make sure that any decision is covered by her assistance and she doesn't lose coverage.
Then, once established in the new state of residence, apply for medicaid.
Be prepared to cover costs for 30 days or more. She can be admitted to a nursing home as private pay, pending the medicaid approval, which the nursing home may accept and wait for payment, even if it takes a while.
Let me tell you, moving across country with a non-mobile person with dementia is not for the faint of heart! I had two people help with the actual drive. We made many more stops than we had planned for. Mostly for bathroom breaks. My husband was in diapers, so we had to find a cheap motel room to get him changed and cleaned up, then back in the car and on the road. I had saved up enough money (it took me close to a year) not only for the moving expense, but to live on for a month, pending the new medicaid approval, which incidentally is also tied to my income, as I care for him at home. I didn't have to find a new care facility, but what I recall from when he was initially transferred to a skilled nursing facility from the hospital years ago, the nursing home waited for payment several months, then I had to pay the retroactive spend down amount, which was several thousand dollars.
I don't think OP was asking about transportation from one state to another. I believe OP is asking about transferring one one state's medicaid program to another state's medicaid program so mother can be closer to family. Of course, OP may also need to be concerned with transportation once everything else is arranged.