Does anyone know the best place to get information on nursing homes that accept Medicaid patients? Also, when should I apply for Medicaid? My mom is in an AL home that accepts state subsidy in addition to her SS check as total payment for her rent. She has not yet applied for Medicaid, as they don't require it, but I know, at 87, she may need a NH in the near future--but also could continue as she's doing for more years. So, I am not sure when I should apply for Medicaid. And, am not sure if it does any good to check out NH's at this point, or how to go about it, without sifting through info on hundreds of facilities. Are there companies that will do the leg work? Five years ago, now, she turned her home completely over to my brother--using a deed of no consideration. I hope I am right in assuming that five years means the look back period has passed and she should qualify for Medicaid. Please tell me if I'm wrong. I guess I'm asking more than one question. All help is appreciated. :)
What seems to often happen is that the paperwork is done via a QCD (Quit Claim Deed) between the parent & child but the property isn’t actually recorded as changed because they want to keep it in mom’s name as she gets whatever senior exemptions (like no school taxes, taxes frozen, etc..)..... so there’s an issue as to they view it as owned property when she applies for Medicaid later on.
If paperwork isn’t dated, witnessed and notarized back in 2013, Medicaid may dig in an view it as invalid (so still mom’s).
As far as when to apply, for both my mom(TX) & mil (hers was in 2 different states at 2 different times), LTC medicaid could only be applied for IF now living in a NH or AL (if your state has an medicaid waiver program for AL with an open bed). I had my mom already done with spend down as of the date entering a NH. For MIL, she had a spend down as over the 2k in assets and caseworker told hubs he wasn’t dealing with an application till spend down done and he returned the application and other details hubs had gotten xeroxed. Basically caseworker said if he took application now, it would show ineligible as she was over - just slightly- the 2k max in assets. & He wasnt dealing with the ineligible paperwork, come back next mo or month after when her bank statements showed clearly starting & ending the month within Medicaid limits. Mils NH was ok on this.
I’d suggest you clearly speak with billing office where she is now as if it’s feasible for her to stay once she’s out of $ and that they take her “Medicaid Pending”. Pending is pretty important cause if a facility won’t take then Pending - that is ok to just pay their SS or other monthly income alone to the NH till they get approved for Medicaid and Medicaid starts to pays their room & board - then someone in the family will have to sign off on a financial responsibility contract in cause Medicaid won’t pay.
Where she is now, there are no Medicaid issues, but if she requires nursing care at some point then she'll need to go to a nursing home. Her current AL is not an age in place facility. I appreciate the info about the need for it to be a place that accepts patients as "Medicaid pending." That's really good to know.
Now I just need to know how to find the homes that accept that.
Thanks.