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I have been preparing for six months to apply for Medicaid for my MIL. At first, I talked to the people in the business office for details. I wasn't real sure of their answers, so I talked to an attorney, who wanted $350 up front. He told me a little more than what the NH was telling me but wanted $6500 more to continue on. So, I decided to google it and found out more. Then I spent months gathering information, bank statements, documents, moving mountains, and finally got down to taking care of final expenses. Went back to the NH to make double sure that we were on the right track. And was told something else that threw me for a loop. Their story changed concerning final expenses from what they initially told me. I pondered and stewed for a few days and then made the decision to just call the state Medicaid office myself and get the answers straight from them. Of course I had to be on hold for quite a while, but it was worth it. Come to find out, the NH was not being honest with me. All I can figure is they want as much of her money as they can get their hands on before Medicaid kicked in, because when that happens, they won't make as much off of her! I have always given people the benefit of the doubt, but this time I did not!! Frustrating!

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Were they wanting your mom to spend down her money on her care so that she would qualify for medicaid?
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Yes, and we had two small term life insurance policies that we were told that we could keep as long as we paid the premiums. Initially when they told us this, they also said that we could pay for all of her final expenses out of her bank account now, while she still had the money. That is, of course breaking it down by what is allowable per Medicaid. But, when I went back this last time just to affirm everything at the NH business office, I was told that since we opted to keep the two policies, that we had to set those aside as her "allowable $5000" for funeral expenses under Medicaid guidelines. They said that I could go ahead and pay for the casket, vault and opening and closing now with my MIL's funds, but would have to pay the rest ourselves and wait to be reimbursed by the life insurance policies. I had a hard time with that, so I called Medicaid and they said we could keep the policies because they were not whole life and had no cash out value, AND we could go ahead and pay for ALL of her final expenses out of her account now.
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It was good that you called medicaid directly yourself. Your MIL is blessed to have such a caring and capable daughter in law as yourself. I hope things will proceed with more clarity now. Tell the NH what you have heard directly from Medicaid and tell them that is what you are going to do.
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