My mom is in her 3rd nursing home. Anyone have experience transferring Medicaid to move her near me?

I don't think Medicaid is transferable state to state.  It is a federal program but each state has its own rules and regulations.  You would have to apply in Florida, I believe.  I don't know about the funeral payment.

Yes you don’t just “transfer” Medicaid. You have to apply in each state, because each state has their own Medicaid programs. Florida does require you to be a legal Florida resident in order to qualify for their Medicaid programs

Medicaid is not transferable from state to state, but being on it in one state can make it easier to get approved in new state. Your mother or you as power of attorney will have to apply for Medicaid in Florida. By the way, can she even travel? Medicaid and Medicare will not pay to transport her from NJ to FL. You could begin process by touring facilities near you to see if you like them and if they have open beds once Medicaid is approved. You can also contact the area agency on aging in your county/region to see about advocates to help with the process of locating an available bed and applying.

I found out that yes, I have to apply in FL and let NJ know. The process takes about 30 days (maybe in a perfect world) because she has an active status, and NJ did the background already. FL uses that information.
The funeral payment trust fund “CHOICES” can be used throughout the US even though it is CHOICES NJ.

I thought that you actually had to be already living in the state in order to apply which makes it hard for new application. If possible, maybe one month at a new facility would have to be paid up front (I know that's nearly impossible) so she can get her foot in the state while the new medicaid application is pending. Or stay at your home with 24 hour care while pending? Just thoughts. And I don't think the transport will be covered.

Hi! Best of luck to you & your mom. I’m disabled, & on SSI & Medicaid. Not sure if that makes a difference, but this is what I had to do. When I moved from 1 state to another state, I had to contact social security. It took 6 weeks of fighting with the operators on the phone (maybe you would have better luck just walking into a branch?) & asking for a supervisor to call me back (for some reason they wouldn’t put my phone request thru even though they told me they had, lost my request, or whatever it is they like to do) in order to get a phone call that took 30 seconds to get everything set up. The operators kept telling me I couldn’t do this, even though I was told that was what I needed to do. DON’T let them tell you that can’t be done till you speak to a supervisor. Also, ALWAYS get the name & number of the operators helping you so you have a reference to phone calls & file complaints if needed.

Talk to a social worker (your mom's nursing home should have one) about applying for Florida's Medicaid. All nursing homes are awful because it is institutionalized care and "comfort care" basically means keeping them doped up until they die. Sorry it's the truth. At least you will be able to visit and keep an eye on her which helps with the quality of her care. Getting her to Florida will be quite another ordeal. A nursing home transfer is not considered a medical emergency so chances are, the cost of transportation will not be covered. If she is on comfort care, how can she make the journey?

I live in Florida and my mom in GA. Medicaid does not transfer state to state. You'll have to get her requalified and she'll need to be living here to do that. I don't know where you live but the nursing homes have a person there that can help you do this. I would find 2/3 that you could move her to and talk to them about it. I don't know about new Jersey but Florida was much more expensive that GA so my mom is in an assisted living in GA. She just moved in the end of April and I'm still getting her Medicaid qualifed. It's different for nursing home. I believe it's much faster.
Good luck!!

Call your local Area Agency on Aging which should be a primary resource and they will share the websites that allow you to look at ratings of medicaid accepting NH's. I would also if possible try to engage (after researching/calling) a certified elder law attorney who works for a flat fee and has much experience in this. They should be able to also review the funeral pre payment, but the "irrevocable" part worries me. I fear unless there is a clause about moving, you might still be looking at having to ship her remains north for a NJ funeral...or losing the $10K and putting funds out again....

As already said in previous comments, you will need to apply for Medicaid in Florida once your mom is there. It will be a little easier since she already has it from another state. Each state has its own way of doing things though. Your situation as a whole is a very big undertaking and, for your sake, would best be handled by a professional. There are professionals out there called Geriatric Care Managers or more recently updated to being called Aging Life Care Specialists. They are certified in Care Management for seniors and would be very helpful in all aspects of your situation. From applying to Medicaid, to finding appropriate facilities in Florida, to making transportation arrangements to get your mom there safely. Once at the new facility, the Aging Life Care Specialist can also be an advocate for your mom. They may be especially helpful in making sure your mom is receiving the appropriate amount of meds while carefully balancing that with her quality of life. There is no doubt this is going to be a challenging and daunting undertaking but by hiring a professional it will ultimately save you time, money and a lot of frustration. These professionals have your mom's best interest at heart and are committed to assisting you in the best way possible too. Unfortunately, their services are not covered under insurance. To find an Aging Life Care professional in your area go to this website, www.Aginglifecare.com and search for a professional in your state. I hope this is helpful and I wish you all the best.

Speak to Social Services in your county, they can direct you on applying for Medicaid in Fl & they’ll do the footwork!! Your Mom will have to live in Fl for 30 days before you can apply for Medicaid.
I contacted a funeral home where I live & they took copies of Mom’s prepaid funeral from out of state, no problem, just call them when needed! Good luck to you!

Linmom, I appreciate the struggle you are going through to try to take the best care of your Mom. I am going to approach this from another angle. Your Mom is on comfort care. I know with my mom she graduated from hospice twice, and lived another 2 years relatively ok, so who knows. But your Mom sounds like she might be farther along the path? Have you spoken to her doctor about her current condition? Is she to the point that her decline is more predictable? Have they given you any idea how long she may continue on? My point is, if her future looks quite limited, perhaps it would be easier on her and you if you stayed in N.J. at hotel close to the NH, so you could be with her every day, watch and participate in her care and spend her last month (?) with her there. Just a thought.

You got good answers about applying for Medicaid in Florida. I wanted to respond to the funeral part of your question.

An irrevocable funeral trust cannot be canceled, refunded, changed, or transferred.

You said it was Choice NJ, so here is the link for that specifically: https://web.njsfda.org/public/preplanning/preplanning-a-funeral/irrevocable-vs-revocable

You can certainly choose to have a funeral and burial in Florida, but you'll need to pay for that by other means. You could also have your mom's body transported back to New Jersey to follow the terms of the trust for the final arrangements. If the money in the NJ funeral trust isn't used as arranged, then Medicaid will claim the amount in recovery.

She’s already in comfort care.. state organizations (yes in all states in the U.S.) will assist you in allowing her to pass away here, near you. As others have said and you’re already working on the transport is to focus on that to ensure it goes smoothly.. as smoothly as possible. Everything will work out, you’re already doing a great job! 😊

The nursing home she is at now should be able to contact a Florida nursing home for you.

Just saw this. Linmom, my mother recently moved in w me and also has an irrevocable trust. She's not on Medicaid but may be eventually. A funeral director here in Florida told me he doesn't use Choices....I'd have to pay up front. But I was told by Choices NJ that once the funeral director sends a death certificate, they would send me the Choices check. But do you know if that's the case if on Medicaid by that time? Since ur mom will die in Florida, will they take what's left over after arrangements? I'd appreciate knowing what you learned, too. Thanks

My dear friend first of all Medicare /Medicaid I feel should have been applied the first facility she had went to. But if you don’t know you don’t now another
I Know knowledge about transferring Medicaid from one state to the other but your best results is to call Medicaid in that state you wish to transfer her and inquire and if it’s a facility close to you call for appointment and go over there right have your questions down on the paper get your questions answered . also an air revocable funeral policy if I can understand I don’t know nothing about your choice but if it’s for a direct funeral parlor and you need to call them also you need to get Lots Of paperwork ,because apply for Medicaid is a five-year look back . Yes theses Community has Social Workers that’s what the do , assist you in applying and requirements documents. They file them for you . And if you don’t know here is a hidden secret if you sign anything for mother this is what you need to do you print her name first then you put by and then you sign your name. This alleviate you from any responsibilities funds or whatever that may accumulate for any additional payments, because you are the POA .

Example: (print)mother’s entire name
by (signature) your name
That goes on everything from now on bank statements Social Security documents anything always keep that in mind this is very very important. Because mother cannot sign or even put her X.

Comfort care is the next to hospice mother don’t know you she don’t know what’s going on and apparently you have a POA on based on her wishes so you need to review those again I’m not suggesting you move back to New Jersey and stay in a hotel I’m just doing strictly what’s safe and respectable for mother or is this your wish to move her how far along is her path . Telephone Geriatric Care Manager in New Jersey find out.

One last thing to all online caregivers and concerned parties it’s very difficult to have Incurable disease such as Alzheimers/Dementia.
Family members my mother has vascular dementia. And when looking for facilities and viewing all my options and library‘s and documents . I came across it was best to look for facilities /Community that has all the above as your family member declines they are moved in the same facility possibly on another floor within So today my mothers been in the nursing skilled nursing home community since April 10 , 2019 . She had declined and moved over into another section of the facility . ( Assessment given before moving and notified ) this facility has the whole entire living experience such as Senior Living, assisted living and skilled nursing , comfort care & Hospice Care once they’re there did not have to move her again from facility facility with another transition on them and you so when looking just a strong suggestion to find a facility a community that has it all I call that my One Stop Shop never have to move her again until the Lord comes for her . the funeral director will come respectfully & they will conduct duty upon here wishes .
God bless and sorry for the long winded text .
Respectfully

My best advice is to see or talk to an elder attorney in FL. It isn’t free to talk to them, but they know FL law. The good news is that FL is one of the easiest states in which to get onto Medicaid.

Linmom, I'd like to add a word of encouragement here. It sounds as if you are already doing everything you possibly can and my advice is to not to accept "no" for an answer. I truly think there is always a way. Your local Council on Aging is a GREAT resource. And your mother's current LTC care facility should be, and probably IS, able to be of great help in accomplishing whatever transfer is necessary. The pre-paid funeral contract has to be "irrevocable" for purposes of Medicaid because Medicaid -- PROPERLY, fellow taxpayers -- does not want to accept someone for public assistance who has "control" over money that they could give to relatives or sequester for themselves while their expenses are being paid by Medicaid. HOWEVER, that does not mean that the funeral director -- ANY funeral director -- would be unapproachable about transferring its rights under the irrevocable contract to another funeral home in another state where the covered individual now resides. IF YOU DON'T ASK THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS "NO"! Keep asking -- politely, to be sure -- but my own experience is that when an individual is really up against it without any private resources OF THEIR OWN (not yours!) to manage their last care and end-of-life expenses, one can find a way. From hospitals and doctors who "forgive" huge bills, to LTC facilities who assist in getting financial aid for their residents to funeral homes, there is a tremendous amount of compassion out there! Be professional and polite, but also persistent. And know that you have the best wishes of many in this caring community ! Angels watch over you and your Mom!

See an elder attorney in FL. Florida is probably the best place to have someone w dementia.