[jeanb]

Here are things I learned while applying for Medicaid for my dad, who has alzheimer's:

-- hire an elder-care lawyer - I never could have navigated the requirements on my own

-- if there is a surving spouse, hiring a lawyer will allow you to protect as much as you can for him/her. elder care attorneys know about transferring & protecting money - how much is legal and how to do it

-- be ready for family discord - when there is money involved (the lawyers were thrilled to learn i am an only child - so they wouldn't have other children fighting about the money)

-- Medicaid providers in your state - if you have more than one to choose from, don't sign up until you do thorough research on what is most important to you. The attorney office told me that the providers are all the same. They aren't - I needed to focus on the provider with long term care (LTC) alzheimer's facilities in the southeast valley where I live. Not every provider had facilities in my area.

-- be ready for family members to be angry with something/everything in the process. the govt is very intrusive and they will watch the applicant's finances forever - to make sure s/he isn't hiding anything ...

-- do your own research. My medicaid case manager was new and fairly uninformed - the list he gave me of allowed facilities was very limited. I found many more on my own.... (see next tip)

--in the case of alzheimer's care, not all facilities will show up on a search. Many assisted care facilities have a "memory care" wing (alzheimers & dementia). These facilities probably will not show up on a search of alzheimer's care facilities in your area. Best to contact every assisted care facility in your vicinity and ask them if they have a memory care wing. I found 6 within 10 miles of my home that way (and they had not shown up on other searches!)

-- visit every facility - not all facilities are created equal

-- see if there is a rating of facilities on the web - find it and review every facility under consideration


And having said all of the above, I found a very nice place for my dad - 6 miles from my home. It is in an assisted care facility - they have a "memory care" wing with 17 rooms (34 patients). Dad moved in last week. If i can do it, anyone can - but it isn't easy.

[indigogo]

Jean - doesn't your father already have Medicare just because of his age? Just wondering about the difference between Medicaid and Medicare? Can you draw on both at the same time?

Inquiring minds want to know! Thanks!

[jeanb]

Carey,

From a gov't website: "Medicare generally doesn’t pay for long-term care. Medicare also doesn’t pay for help with activities of daily living or other care that most people can do themselves. Some examples of activities of daily living include eating, bathing, dressing, and using the bathroom. Medicare will help pay for skilled nursing or home health care if you meet certain conditions."

Ok, well I know the difference between SSI and SSDI is that SSI is based on financial need. SSDI is based on your past earnings - so conceivably a spouse on SSDI disability could be approved even if the household income were $100K, assuming that that spouse had worked the requisite amount of time to be eligible. But total family income is considered for SSI. So no family with an income of $100K would be eligible for SSI That's true for medicaid as well.

At a certain age, everyone is eligible for Medicare. But Medicaid is for low-income people only. You have to apply and be approved to get it. Because years ago so many people gave their assets to their kids & then went on medicaid to pay for their long term care, the govt has really cracked down and is VERY thorough in reviewing all the assets of the applicants prior to accepting them for Medicaid.

ALSO if the people applying for medicaid have too much money - the govt requires them to 'spend down' their assets before they can become eligible for medicaid. So it's common for the family to buy a new car to spend down to be eligible for medicaid .

Can you draw them both at the same time? I only know my mom is on medicare and now my dad is on medicaid.

Interestingly at one very nice facility, the only medicaid patients they accepted for their facility were one who had previously been "paying full price" but when they ran out of money, and went on medicaid, this particular facility allowed them to stay.

I hope this helps.

Others are welcome to chime in and make additions / corrections on the subject!

Medicaid info site.

Originally Posted by indigogo

Jean - doesn't your father already have Medicare just because of his age? Just wondering about the difference between Medicaid and Medicare? Can you draw on both at the same time?

Inquiring minds want to know! Thanks!