my mom is in nursing home in california with dementia. I had to fill out a re determination packet from medi cal. Nursing home is not saying much about the bill She has been in nursing home for almost 3 months it was the hardest thing I have ever had to do Mom has medicare and medi cal for now. I am trying to keep moms assets below 2000 dollars for the medi cal approval. She draws 1096 dollars a month from SS survivor benifits and that is all she has, Mom owes me money from years past that I never expected to receive back. Until her check starts going directly to nursing home for her care. She has no other assets thank you in advance for any advice given.
If mom hasn't paid the co-pay for the three months at the NH, please, please speak with billing at the NH as to the status on when her co-pay / SOC needs to start. It sounds like mom is there "Medicaid/MediCal Pending". If so, she needs to still do her co-pay while the application gets processed.
Realistically the PNA is to cover their beauty shop costs and toiletries and some clothing replacement. Some facilities charge for phone and cable (not covered by Medicaid) and the cost will be the entire PNA. Once they go into a facility and onto Medicaid any old debts mom had, well, the $ is not there to pay on them. They default on old debt.
She is allowed to have up to 2K in assets. But what seems to be the best use of that $ is for items that are not covered by Medicaid. Like dental work. Often use it to prepay for funeral or cremation costs. Or to pay on an insurance policy. That 2K in assets is pretty precious as she will not have any more ability to really save $ anymore.
Mom paying you for $ you loaned her, well, it will look like gifting if Medicaid does any future review of her eligibility. You'd have to have done some sort of formal notarized promissory note between mom & you from ages ago on those loans to her to get around this, would be my guess.
Again please speak with billing office to see what's required for mom's copay to be current.