Longer than we'd like, but it depends on the state where you live and their backlog. Expect at least a month and maybe as long as three months. You can call for updates, however, and to make sure no more documentation is needed. Take care, Carol
You are working with the government, so brace yourself. Hopefully your loved one's care is medicaid approval pending. Be patient. If everything is in order you will be approved.
With Mom I did Medicaid in 2000 when she was diagnosed with colon cancer. It did not take more than a month. It could be different now, longer wait due to health care changes. Be sure to sign OMB on Medicaid, it is for the Elderly for medical expenses. Still with health care now the way it is it could be a month or month and half. I think it should just go through for the Elderly. they only have themselves and us family that care for them but they should always be first no questions. My opinion, I get on the soap box on elder care, sorry.
It depends on each state. Most have a 45 day review cycle from the day the NH or LTC submitted the paperwork to get an approval.
One real sticky is not getting in all the items requested (on the list the NH provided to you) at the same time. This makes a huge differerence for the NH to turn in the paperwork to the state caseworker. Little things like the front and back of each of the bank statements - even if the back is only a reconciliation form.Each & every page of the insurance, funeral and burial policies. So if say the life insurance policy has 30 pages but 17 of those are all kinda generic BS, it doesn't matter, you need to copy all 30 pages and include it. Not doing it causes the caseworker (this is usually a low wage state employee or contract labor) to check "none compliant" then it goes back to another department for a letter to be sent to you requesting that information. You have just a short period of time to respond and fax over the document(s).
The NH should be able to give you the date they submitted and the name and phone number of the caseworker assigned to their NH. You call them to see what they need clarification on. For my mom, they couldn't figure out whether her insurance was term or whole-life. The policy was old, and the old-school ones run dozens of pages without stating TERM - they state payable on death as per face value. The caseworker doesn;t have time or expertise to evaluate the policy. He has 3 boxes to check: term, whole, no insurance & until one of those is checked off the application is in limbo.
Hopefully when you submitted your paperwork you had guidance to review before turning it in. I live in Indiana and my county did not have a back log and my mother was approved ONE week. To be honest, I had my paperwork completed correctly the first time because I had gone to an attorney several months before to get mom's finances in order and she gave me a check list of what was needed and a sample application. So, I was very organized. Unfortunately mother was killed in a rehab facility the day after she was approved but the State did take the application back 6 months for me so I was able to get 6 months back of the cash I had personally paid the facility..!!!!!! I understand as long as paperwork is in order, and back log is not bad it can move pretty fast, but each state and county and office is different. Maybe keep calling? Blessings, Bridget
I worked for the welfare dept in ny city, if there is a way to put in an application online do so but make sure you make copies of everything that can help your 45 day case worker expidite the application. I.e., social security verification letters, bank assets, etc. mortage payments or rental payments. The faster the better, because when the interview comes through, n=based on the fact that you have all these documents covered, you should be apporved immediately. Always if it is an emergency situation, apply for emergency medicaid
For the NH application with my mom & MIL, the application HAD to go thru the NH/LTC facility as they are the one being reinbursed directly by the state under the Medicaid program. Same with my aunts years back.
If you're applying for food stamps or other welfare programs, like AFDC, those you can apply for online as the food stamp debit card and other welfare payments go to the person who applied for them to use. For the elderly once they go into a NH all the other "welfare" like food stamps stop as there should be no need for it.
My goodness, something must be wrong cause I went through an elder care attorney back at the end of October 2010 to submit medicade paperwork for my Mom who is in a nursing home. I have yet to hear from either Medicade or the attorney. I have called the attorney every couple of months to see what is happening and they just say it can take a long time but when it it finally approved the money will be retroactive. I am slowly running out of ways to pay for her care and her social security and pension cover only a small portion of the monthly cost. I am going to make another phone call, does anyone have any suggestions for my next step. Thanks, Joyce PS the attorney was highly recommended and seems very competent as she drew up my Mom's trust and other important legal docs with no problem.
JRW: If you are using your mothers assets to pat for her care, you could be in the "spend down" period and once you run out of funds you will be approved. I have heard of it going back 3 months but not a year. I would call and DEMAND a meeting. Something is fishy here. Blessings, Bridget
Bridget, Thanks for your input. My mother's assests were put into a trust in 2010. I was told that I would not have to delve into the trust but I am now having to use some of that money to cover costs. Have done the " "spend down" with regard to what she had in the bank, home & auto were sold. Very inexpensive manufactured home which I didn't get much for. Used that money to pay NH costs and also what I got for the car put to NH also. I have e-mailed the lawyer and will follow up once again with a phone call. I live 3000 miles away from where Mom lives....big pain in the you know what!
Take care,
Carol
One real sticky is not getting in all the items requested (on the list the NH provided to you) at the same time. This makes a huge differerence for the NH to turn in the paperwork to the state caseworker. Little things like the front and back of each of the bank statements - even if the back is only a reconciliation form.Each & every page of the insurance, funeral and burial policies. So if say the life insurance policy has 30 pages but 17 of those are all kinda generic BS, it doesn't matter, you need to copy all 30 pages and include it. Not doing it causes the caseworker (this is usually a low wage state employee or contract labor) to check "none compliant" then it goes back to another department for a letter to be sent to you requesting that information. You have just a short period of time to respond and fax over the document(s).
The NH should be able to give you the date they submitted and the name and phone number of the caseworker assigned to their NH. You call them to see what they need clarification on. For my mom, they couldn't figure out whether her insurance was term or whole-life. The policy was old, and the old-school ones
run dozens of pages without stating TERM - they state payable on death as per face value. The caseworker doesn;t have time or expertise to evaluate the policy. He has 3 boxes to check: term, whole, no insurance & until one of those is checked off the application is in limbo.
Good luck.
I understand as long as paperwork is in order, and back log is not bad it can move pretty fast, but each state and county and office is different. Maybe keep calling?
Blessings,
Bridget
If you're applying for food stamps or other welfare programs, like AFDC, those you can apply for online as the food stamp debit card and other welfare payments go to the person who applied for them to use. For the elderly once they go into a NH all the other "welfare" like food stamps stop as there should be no need for it.
PS the attorney was highly recommended and seems very competent as she drew up my Mom's trust and other important legal docs with no problem.
Blessings,
Bridget
Thanks for your input. My mother's assests were put into a trust in 2010. I was told that I would not have to delve into the trust but I am now having to use some of that money to cover costs. Have done the "
"spend down" with regard to what she had in the bank, home & auto were sold. Very inexpensive manufactured home which I didn't get much for. Used that money to pay NH costs and also what I got for the car put to NH also. I have e-mailed the lawyer and will follow up once again with a phone call. I live 3000 miles away from where Mom lives....big pain in the you know what!
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