I can't sign my Mom up for Medicaid until her account I'd infer $2,000. Any advice?

If your state' Medicaid allows her money be used for her care, above suggestions are very good. I'll add that you can use some of her money for an elder care attorney to help you get through the Medicaid process.

Deb, is your mom in her home, or your home? Are you going to try to keep her at home? Does she have a Medicaid compliant burial policy (if nit, she should get one). Does she need any dental work done? Does she need a new winter ciat, shoes, nighties? Once she goes on Medicaid, there won't be ant money for those things, so take care of them now.

How much do home health aides cost where you are? Where I live, they get 25.00 an hour. Speak with someone from Medicaid about when to apply.

Your mom has $500 a week to pay for her care. That's what her money is for.. her care.

you use her money for her care until she spends down

My father past Sept 2 2015.. she blamed him for everything that she forgot where she had put it..he had cancer his self. So I went to the lawyer got POA so we had my name added to her checking acct.so the only thing I write a check for is her medication..I just paid her homeowners ins yesterday from it.I only do things for her with her money..she does not want to leave the house we just live about 3 minutes from her. I had told her we were going out of town this week the Dr was having a home nurse come in that Medicare was going to pay for but no one never called to meet me so at the last minute I had to find someone to make sure she would take her medication I will call that Dr ti see what happened..I'm going to pay the girl from her account.. she has told me I don't want you spending my money on things like that I don't want to upset her and trust me is he will give me one big cussing for it..the person she is now is not the mother I knew.but I knew these behaviors would come..thk you

Deb - so once mom gets to having under 2K in assets & applies for Medicaid what do you envision that her being on Medicaid is going to provide for her.

Medicaid - if they are going to be in a NH - is ideal as between Medicare & Medicaid, the costs of the NH will be paid. Medicaid covers the room & board fees and then whatever medical services that medicare doesnt pay & covers any medicare co-pay.

But going onto Medicaid and wanting to remain at home means being on whatever community based Medicaid programs your state has. If your state has PACE (or another medical/social day program) then mom would need to enroll in that system. Some states (like CA) have IHHS - which the state pays for a live in family member to provide care for the elder. Whatever the situation, mom will be evaluated for the level & type of care needed. Above a certain level of care & time, community based Medicaid will not pay for as the cost/benefit for the state is not there. The tipping point seems to be 35/36 hrs or 60% of the costs of NH room & board Medicaid reinbursement rate. So if mom could stay in her home and have in home care maybe 3 times a week for 4 hrs, that would work. But if mom really needs 18/7 oversight, it won't. The community based programs really are best used when there is either family living with or nearby the elder to assist in their day-2-day needs OR the elder is good on their own outside of the time & services that the program provides. understand?

I mention this because you & hubs still are working and have your own full time responsibilities & a home outside of whatever mom requires. I would suggest that you clearly find out just what Medicaid can do & what moms needs realistically are BEFORE you do the entire spend down. Cause once that 12k is gone, it's gone.....

.If its looking like mom would be best in skilled nursing care in a NH, or if your state has an AL medicaid waiver program that she can get on immediately, realize that all her monthly income less a small personal needs allowance, will be required to be her copay to the NH or the AL. Mom will have no-none-nada-ziltch of her $ to pay on anything on the house anymore. Family will need to pay on all things on moms house from day 1 of admission to her death and then through probate. The house is an exempt asset for Medicaid during her lifetime but will be subject to estate recovery by MERP after her death. MERP is required to be done for NH Medicaid participants and other Medicaid paid programs as well. Most families sell the elders home and use the $ to private pay for care either in an AL or a NH and then when funds run out apply for NH Medicaid. If this could be your situation & moms house needs to go onto the market, you may need some of that 12k to get the house market-ready. What seems to often happen is that the elder stays in the home and then falls & ends up in rehab in the NH, they cannot live solo anymore so stay in the NH. Family is faced with total panic situation to get house cleaned, dejunked, and put up for sale with increased costs to have it on the market (yard, 24/7 utilities, insurance rider) plus all regular costs (insurance) which family pay as what $ she does have must be paid to the facility. If there is still a mortgage (horrors!!!) this is a critical situation. Some states do allow for a short period of time for some copay $ for some house costs but it is on a case by case exemption w/Realtor MLS listing agreement.

But if mom wants the empty house kept & family can afford the costs from now till whenever they die and plan on dealing with MERP & doing probate, then the house can be kept. It could be rented out at FMV as well, although just how that works within Medicaid rules, I'm not familiar with.

My point is that Medicaid has all sorts of compliance required which often the elder & their family are blindsided by. Good luck in whatever path is taken.

Thank you...