Mom's in a nursing home on Medicaid - should I cancel her health coverage?

I just assumed Medicaid was universal, but it appears States are different. My mothers health insurance CANCELLED HER when she went on medicaid. Currently what medicare doesn't cover, medicaid does. We purchased a burial trust so that when monies are gone at least that is covered (that is if Dad dies first). Also, my father receives my mothers social security for himself. I'm surprised that during your spend down application process that this wasn't addressed. The dept. of aging & disability is a great resource for Q & A.

I was told to keep the medical insurance, because I had applied for Medicaid for long-term care coverage only. Out of Mom's monthly social security, I was allowed to keep the amount of the insurance premiums plus $60 for her personal expenses. I paid the rest over to the nursing home. So as I understood it (in Michigan) Medicaid would not cover her medical costs. A lady at my county Dept. of Human Services office was very helpful with this.

Trish888: Was United Health Care considered an HMO? Do they pay for everything 100%? I have heard of them but I am not familiar with their payments and I am curious.

I think the reason most people wind up on Medicaid is because on Medicare they only cover 80% of the charges and they have recently made changes where there are many items that use to be covered that no longer are. The only reason I went to Medi Cal was because I needed a 2ndary insurance carrier but could not afford one and I needed help with the cost of medication....one prescription alone was $567 a MONTH!

In reality keeping Medicare would be great if you could afford a 2ndary to pick up the balance. I have never wanted to get off anything as bad as I would like to get off Medi Cal!!!

My sister just got Medicare and signed it over to Kaiser and her copays ON EVERYTHING are outrageous. As a senior she is paying more now in copays than she did prior to having Medicare and being on Kaiser through her employer.

If anyone knows of any great insurance available in California please let me know!

Keep the Insurance. Mom is on NH Medicaid for two years now. All of her small income is sent to the NH each month, minus the $50. she can keep for personal items. A monthly amount goes to her supplemental health insurance, which had become costly. However, in time the Medicaid Office will see this, and the Insurance payment will be reduced. Keep the Insurance to cover what Medicaid does not. People think that Medicaid covers everything...it does not. Nursing Home Medicaid is different.

There are 2 different "styles" of MediCare supplemental coverage plans - one is called "Medicare Advantage" - that is an HMO plan - you'll know that's what you have if you/your loved one pays co-pays for EVERYTHING, but the monthly premium is cheaper. The other is a "Medicare Supplement" plan - the premiums are higher, but there aren't many co-pays. Kaiser, of course, is HMO, as is Scan Health Plan, Secure Horizons, etc. The plans through AARP (via United Healthcare), Aetna, etc. are generally the supplement plans - higher premiums, but better coverage. In my mother's case, she started out with an HMO plan - the only thing she saw was the "cheap" premiums...turned out she was spending over $5,000. out of pocket every year on copays and services that were not covered. When I started checking into the difference, it was ridiculous to me that she stay on the HMO plan & I convinced her to switch to Plan F through Aetna. It covers virtually everything that Medicare doesn't cover. Of course the prescription plans are regulated by Part D medicare, and in California Medi-Cal picks up the majority of what Medicare doesn't cover, so that alone is a good reason to keep Medi-Cal if you are on crazy-expensive prescriptions.

My Mom is in long term care, under Medicaid, with dementia and also needs 24/7 care for basic care and several health problems. When all this started I was advised by several people from different points of view....ltc facilities, insurance companies, other people dealing with similar issues...to keep her supplemental insurance going and I did.

All of her income goes directly to the facility each month and the facility pays her insurance premium. I suspect this benefits the facility in that they can get reimbursed from the insurance company for certain procedures that Medicaid might not cover. In any case, there's nothing to be gained by cancelling the supplemantal insurance as the facility takes all income anyway.

This all started about a year ago and my Mom has had 2 hospitalizations and other extra procedures and there have been no extra charges. Mom is in NJ and a lot of these "rules" seem to vary among states so it's best to check the regs where you live.

When mom gets put on medicade, they take every thing. If there is a house and its in her name it has to sold. All banks acccounts they will look at, stocks, My mom had Blue cross blue Shield. it helped my out alot. I also set up a pre buriel funeral plan years beffore she got sick. In some states they can take everything. If dad is a veteran they can help. Some nursing homes and do know assisting living have programs that can help. Elder care needs to be called. Go through all paper work there may be some paid up inurance polices that can be claimed in if you are durable power of attorney or stocks. May be even bank accounts that were set up in your name. I found so much my mom had hidden. money was all over the house hidden in gloves, socks. mattress. She had dementia/altzimers. I saw it no one else.

Yes, please KEEP THE insurance coverage no matter what.