My mom — who has early stages of dementia — lives with us. Since she has Humana, her doctor wrote a referral to AccentCare. We got an in-home assessment, and she started therapy. However, when I asked one of the therapists about extended care (helping her with her breakfast or lunch, working her through her exercises, etc.), she informed me that because I work from home, the assessor filed that Mom didn’t need extended care.
That really infuriated me, because I’m upstairs in my home office 9-10 hours a day keeping our bills paid. Neither Mom nor my wife and I can afford to pay for private care, so we depend on what Humana will cover.
Does anyone work from home and also get Medicare/Humana-covered care for their loved one that lives with you?
Call the assessor and go through an exhaustive list of tasks and cares needed for your mom, and argue to get more covered! I was eventually successful in arguing for more time as my husband's paid caregiver, because he requires 24 hour supervision, as well as extremely difficult cares!
You are also facing a limit on what Medicare will cover, typically only medical, and short term rehab therapy. If she is low income, she may be eligible for Medicaid assistance. As your mother's disease advances, Medicaid provides coverage for things Medicare doesn't, such as assistance with activities of daily living, which means help with breakfast, lunch and working through exercises, as well as personal cares, bathing, dressing, incontinence care, and mobility.
If she has too much income or assets to qualify for Medicaid, then use her money to pay for home care assistants.
It may not be feasible for her to continue living with you long term. As her care needs become more complicated, it will come time to transition her to a nursing home. This is something else for which Medicare offers limited coverage, but would be covered by Medicaid if she does not have the funds. It is only her income and assets that are considered for eligibility, not yours. If her housing cost is -0- because she lives with you, that will be taken into consideration of her overall ability to pay. She may have a share of cost, which will be calculated based on her ability to pay.
See All Answers