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My mom receives both ssi and a government pension that make her income higher than our state medicaid limits (NC). She is 64, confined to a wheel chair, requires regular care by a CNA, receives medicare, and has BCBS medical insurance. Unfortunately, Medicare will not cover her diapering supplies or the cost of the CNA and these costs plus her living expenses have her barely getting by. I do not have the means to subsidize her living expenses. Is there anything we can do?

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Worry - to me there are 2 different issues for your mom: having her financially qualify for Medicaid & ALSO meeting whatever your state has a the criteria for Medically needing Medicaid's many benefits.

For the financial, I'd suggest you gather together moms 2015 awards letters from SS & federal pension- these got mailed back in December; her 2014 tax forms on these - sent out in January; her last tax assessor on the house ( probably sent in October for January payment); last 6 ms bank statements & any other asset details (like a CD) that sent her a 1099 for 2014 taxes and see an elder law attorney. What may be able to be done is to have your moms excess monthly income brought to within Medicaid limits by doing a Miller Trust or Qualified Income Trust. Most states Medicaid programs allow for a miller to be done.

For the medical, she may not meet the criteria for a MD to write orders that she needs skilled nursing services which is NH provided care that Medicaid will pay for. Now some states have Medicaid diversion programs which fund in home care services, or AL, or PACE programs. The elder law attorney should have info on what's what for your state within Medicaid. Also you can get info from your Area on Aging as to what is available. This site has a drop down on AoA from the top bar.

. Just being old, or needing assistance, or finding that supplies are expensive are not enough to qualify for programs. You may have to work with her MD over several months to create a health history that will pass Medicaid's medical review. It may be that it will be easier to get her into a NH and onto Medicaid than to stay living in the community on various Medicaid waiver programs.

The medicaid & Medicare maze is maddening but with your mom so young at just 64, whatever you spend the time & $ to do correctly now could have decades of benefits for mom and decades of less worry & time for you. See an EL attorney.
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