Medicaid denial for senior citizens?

Question

Has anyone had an elderly family member or friend who has been denied Medicaid for nursing homes, and if so, why? What has been done to remedy this?

Answer 1

Medicaid/Medicare looks at the income/assets of the elderly person. Whatever they have before going into the nursing home goes to paying these programs back. The elderly person gets about 40 bucks a month for "living expenses" while in the nursing home..to go toward toothpaste and other things like that. Elderly people get the shaft. They are the ones who have paid into this system the most and they are the ones who get screwed.
There are programs for the elderly and disabled that enables them to stay at home. If eligible, they will have a nurse come several times a week to run errands, give medicine, help with baths, cooking, etc..so they don't have to be placed in the nursing home. You can appeal the denial of Medicaid for sure. You have to have all your paper work together and right. It is a real headache for elderly people to deal with the system. They need someone who cares about them to really do their homework and figure out how to fill out all the paperwork and so on.
As far as anyone doing anything about this...you should contact your congressman and see if there are any advocacy groups for the elderly in your area.

Answer 2

Medicaid and Medicare are totally not related to each other. The only thing Medicare looks at is age and the amount of money you earned over a certain number of years.

Medicaid is for the people under poverty level and covers the elderly and anyone else that fits the criteria.

The person in the nursing home has to account for any assets disposed of in the last 24 months. You cannot "give" away a house, stocks, bank accounts, anything of value and qualify for help. Whatever assets the person has are used up by the nursing home for the care given. After the assets are used, then the person can apply for Medicaid. The nursing home does all the paper work.

If your person has been turned down by Medicaid the nursing home should be able to tell you why. They would have been notified also.

Answer 3

I don't think the U.S. debt can be significantly reduced until we raise revenue and reduce some costs across the board. The programs you mention that should be cut do have value, but the share of the budget spent on the post office, air shows and NASA is so small that further cuts to these programs wouldn't put a dent in the federal debt. Federal Budget Expenditures 2010 Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP 21% Defense and Security %20 Social Security %20 Safety Net Programs 14% (child tax credits, SSI, unemployment insurance, food stamps, etc.) Interest on national debt 6% Benefits for Veterans and Federal Retirees 7% Transportation Infrastructure 3% Education 3% Scientific and Medical Research% Non-security international (State dept programs, disaster relief, etc.) 1% All other 2% NASA's budget is less than 0.5 percent of the overall federal budget The post office does not have a line in the federal budget for operations. It is supposed to be self-funding. However; it is in debt and has borrowed money from the U.S. Treasury. Added in edit: Most of the postal service debt is related to a law that requires the postal service to pre-fund 75 years worth of the health insurance costs for future retirees. Also; the postal service doesn't have a budget from the federal government, but it is not free to make cuts like a private business can. I wonder where you are getting your information; because it is not accurate. The U.S. postal service has borrowed a total of $15 billion; that is total over a few years and not a yearly amount. The postal service can not borrow any more from the treasury. So, this is what I see: A one time total of $15 billion for the postal service; and selling it may not recoup that borrowed money. NASA's budget this year is $18.7 billion The federal deficit is about $15 trillion. 1 trillion is equivalent to a million million, or one thousand times one billion. Even if we added in the Department of Education funding, including college grants, of $69 billion; it would still take more than 500 years to pay off the dept by cutting these programs. One solution is an improved economy; tax revenues go up in a good economy. However; I believe that people who believe that the debt can be reduced with little pain to anyone by cutting a few programs that the don't see the value of are dreaming. The debt won't go down without a vastly improved economy, and likely cuts to programs some people count on.

Answer 4

The person may not have been poor enough to get Medicaid, it is a welfare program for low income people without assets except maybe a home. Even if they were poor enough you have to need nursing home care not just want to go or have the family want to dump you.
There are 5 things that if you can do them you can live alone so they won't let you go to the nursing home. I don't know all of them but it is things like getting out of a chair, getting to a bathroom alone. Just because you are tired of cooking and cleaning doesn't mean you get to go rest.

Answer 5

Yes, an elderly friend, because he had too many assets. The remedy for him was to sell his home (instead of willing it to his daughter) and use the funds to pay for home health care and other services while living in a far less expensive home.

I'd have to look up the exact wording, but I believe Medicaid rules say that assets moved to a relative less than a couple years prior to applying will still count against being declared below the poverty line.

My parents have long term care insurance; and I am looking at buying some for myself. However, I do not expect my parents to leave me an inheritence, the money should provide for them. If I need to use my assets I'm fine with that. Once my assets are gone, I'm thankful there is a system in place to help with my care.

Answer 6

Why was she denied?
Verification in several areas is necessary. The physician's approval, a physical or mental test (how long it takes the person to reach the elevator) and the income ceiling.
If he person makes about 1800 a month a Millers trust must be set up and a POA or executor must manage it but not spend any money except to pay NH bills.
The social worker at the NH should be informed but is not always up up date. A hospital patient has firsst preference for NH admittance.
DHS senior services can assign a caseworker (you are already assigned) . Become well acquainted with him/her because she determines much of the outcome.
Email me for more info.
Blessings-Juju

Answer 7

In order to qualify for Medicaid, you have to be below the poverty level. My grandmother had to give away nearly everything before she went into a nursing home. Medicare is for the elderly. I don't know if it will cover nursing homes or not.

Answer 8

First of all, you CAN own your own home, the contents of the home, and your car. To be eligible, you can't have more than $1999 in the bank or intangible assets (stocks, bonds,etc.).
When your estate is liquidated after your death, your heirs are required to "pay back" Medicaid for all monies spent on nursing home care.

Answer 9

Usually it is owning a home and having a bank account that will cause denial. I know many people who had to put the house in a childs name and wipe out the bank account. Even if the account is small they expect you to be destitute before medicaid kicks into play. Plus if the house and money vanish you have to show where it went.

Answer 10

SouthernComfort: In Cal.
it is a crime to sell anything
of value ie home/land/stocks/
jewelry/turn money over to
relatives/have a hidden bank
account, etc. within 2 years
prior to applying for medi-cal
coverage for a nursing home.
It's the same for any
Medi-Cal benefits but they
are not as harsh on the punishment as on the
nursing home business.