Should it be my sister who is Power of Attorney. Medicaid does not pay for bridgework, without it my mother cannot eat solid food and I can't understand her speaking.
Dental paid by medicare is pretty much private pay with the exception of dentures or work needed due to trauma. Anything preventative or restorative dental care will be private pay. Medicaid only covers preventative for kids. I'd suggest that you look into whether mom could be evaluated to have dentures paid for by Medicare.
Now if there is work done by an oral surgeon, this might be partially covered by Medicare or other health insurer as it relates to the anesthesia charges.
Otherwise perhaps you, sissy and other family can pool your own funds to pay for a dentist? Bridgework with posts is expensive. Probably 4-8K for each post alone. Dental care loans are available but someone with a current work & credit history will need to be the one getting the loan. Most dental practices have info on these which are not a part of the dentist or their practice.
If mom has dementia and cannot follow standard requests (bite, swish, keep mouth open, spit) or cannot deal with getting impressions pulled or having radiographs & xrays done, most dentists - whether private pay or at a dental school - will not work on this type of person. Also for dental school services, they usually require lots more visits, so a 2 visit procedure at a private practice dentist (like for a crown) may turn into 5 visits at a dental school. For a lot of folks, the increased time & appointments for dental school care just doesn't work.
If none this seems feasible, then sadly she will have to do soft, "mechanized" &/ or liquid food diet. good luck.
No, as POA all your sis is responsible for is paying Mom's bills with Mom's money. If mom has Medicaid, she must not have assets to speak of. Is there a dental school in mom's area? Or some dentists advertise free days for Medicaid recipients. Dental schools may also have free dental care.
POA does not mean that sis uses her own money to pay mom's bills.
Now if there is work done by an oral surgeon, this might be partially covered by Medicare or other health insurer as it relates to the anesthesia charges.
Otherwise perhaps you, sissy and other family can pool your own funds to pay for a dentist? Bridgework with posts is expensive. Probably 4-8K for each post alone. Dental care loans are available but someone with a current work & credit history will need to be the one getting the loan. Most dental practices have info on these which are not a part of the dentist or their practice.
If mom has dementia and cannot follow standard requests (bite, swish, keep mouth open, spit) or cannot deal with getting impressions pulled or having radiographs & xrays done, most dentists - whether private pay or at a dental school - will not work on this type of person. Also for dental school services, they usually require lots more visits, so a 2 visit procedure at a private practice dentist (like for a crown) may turn into 5 visits at a dental school. For a lot of folks, the increased time & appointments for dental school care just doesn't work.
If none this seems feasible, then sadly she will have to do soft, "mechanized" &/ or liquid food diet. good luck.
POA does not mean that sis uses her own money to pay mom's bills.