My mother lives in NYS. Can I pay off loans and credit cards that she owes before going into a nursing home?

This is her debt, not yours. Do not use your funds to pay these debts. If she is bankrupt due to debt apply for Medicaid.

Still need to know if I can pay off her loan and credit cards before applying for Medicaid with the money she has in the bank.

Jackie, medicaid lookback is about checking to see if she has been giving away/hiding money in order to claim poverty. They know that people need to live and they don't expect people to live like monks, so any legitimate expenses she has are not going to be a concern. That said, many people manage to screw up the application, so it is probably better to consult an expert (eldercare lawyer?) first.

Yes, I think so but hopefully others will chime in who are more knowledgeable about Medicaid than me.

Jackie, the biggest question for Medicaid will be whether your mother's name is the one on the loan and credit cards. If you are a joint name on the accounts, be prepared to show that all the purchases paid for and the loan were for your mother's expenses and not shared by you. Medicaid is specifically looking for gifting during the spend-down period or look-back period (5 years). Payment of credit card or loan for anyone else's benefit would be a red flag.