Luxury Retirement/Continuing Care Facility -- Costs and Other Options

[Anonymous]

OP here. MIL's income at 93 is about $5K a month from pension and SS (through her husband).

Can one qualify for Medicaid with a monthly income of $5K? Anybody know or can take a guess?

[Anonymous]

Income limits for Medicaid depend on the state and the size of the household (as well as assets).

Generally speaking around $25k/year - so unlikely. But the best way to find out is to look on the state (or if DC, DC's) Medicaid website.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: OP here. MIL's income at 93 is about $5K a month from pension and SS (through her husband).

Can one qualify for Medicaid with a monthly income of $5K? Anybody know or can take a guess?

How much is the facility in total per month?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: OP here. MIL's income at 93 is about $5K a month from pension and SS (through her husband).

Can one qualify for Medicaid with a monthly income of $5K? Anybody know or can take a guess?

What state is she in? Does she have a spouse in the community?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: OP here. MIL's income at 93 is about $5K a month from pension and SS (through her husband).

Can one qualify for Medicaid with a monthly income of $5K? Anybody know or can take a guess?

Medicaid is a different program than what you are asking about. You need long term medicaid and yes, she can qualify as the cost of the facility has to be more than her income, which it is. The problem is most only pay for nursing homes but it varies by state as some pay for assisted living.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Income limits for Medicaid depend on the state and the size of the household (as well as assets).

Generally speaking around $25k/year - so unlikely. But the best way to find out is to look on the state (or if DC, DC's) Medicaid website.

Medicaid is a different program. OP is asking about long term care medicaid and its different criteria.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If she has run out of her own money, your DH should transfer her to a Medicaid nursing home and have Medicaid pay for it. The one my parent is in is decent and staff deliver meds, 3 meals, a snack, bathe, laundry, and social activities. The facility is a little dated (think Hilton Garden Inn) but the service and care is pretty good. I would not contribute a dime to care because I have my own kids and retirement to worry about.

That does not fly in every state. I think Virginia is one where the state will come after adult children to pay for the parents care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My parents pay $9,000 a month in Arlington. Va and the facility isn't that great. You're only paying 2 grand a month. Be thankful.

Be thankful for $2000/month? She should be paying 0 per month. There are perfectly decent places that take Medicaid. The application process is labor intensive and adult children can help the parent by assisting in the application. Visit the parent often and take them to medical appointments. These are the things I do to support my parent, but I’m not coughing up a cent of my own family’s money when the government can pay.

Jeez, you sound like a peach. Medicaid nursing homes have long waits and generally are full of indigent patients. They are not the kind of place anyone would want to wind up in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My parents pay $9,000 a month in Arlington. Va and the facility isn't that great. You're only paying 2 grand a month. Be thankful.

Be thankful for $2000/month? She should be paying 0 per month. There are perfectly decent places that take Medicaid. The application process is labor intensive and adult children can help the parent by assisting in the application. Visit the parent often and take them to medical appointments. These are the things I do to support my parent, but I’m not coughing up a cent of my own family’s money when the government can pay.

Jeez, you sound like a peach. Medicaid nursing homes have long waits and generally are full of indigent patients. They are not the kind of place anyone would want to wind up in.

Not in my experience. My state has a list of Medicaid nursing homes and regularly inspects and gives a star rating out of 5. They also publish all complaints made and actions taken. The hospital social worker got my parent into a nice facility close to my home after a stroke. I visit daily, bring food sometimes, and ferry them to appointments and outings. Being there all the time helps to advocate for the patient too. It’s not the Four Seasons, but akin to a Best Western. The other residents are nice—I don’t know if they are indigent too. What difference does that make?

[Anonymous]

"Mom, it sounds like Happy Acres isn't meeting your needs any longer. Can you make up a list of must-haves/nice-to-haves and we'll look for a place that provides all of that within the budget? We want you to be comfortable!"

[Anonymous]

At 5K/month, it sounds like she is in a more independent care facility.

Someone needs to be doing research on what options there in nearby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If she has run out of her own money, your DH should transfer her to a Medicaid nursing home and have Medicaid pay for it. The one my parent is in is decent and staff deliver meds, 3 meals, a snack, bathe, laundry, and social activities. The facility is a little dated (think Hilton Garden Inn) but the service and care is pretty good. I would not contribute a dime to care because I have my own kids and retirement to worry about.

That does not fly in every state. I think Virginia is one where the state will come after adult children to pay for the parents care.

No one will come after adult kids except if they stole the money or were gifted a lot. Even then, they don't as someone stole my MIL money, it was clear, and we reported it to the police, social security and medicaid and they did nothing but help us get the medicaid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My parents pay $9,000 a month in Arlington. Va and the facility isn't that great. You're only paying 2 grand a month. Be thankful.

Be thankful for $2000/month? She should be paying 0 per month. There are perfectly decent places that take Medicaid. The application process is labor intensive and adult children can help the parent by assisting in the application. Visit the parent often and take them to medical appointments. These are the things I do to support my parent, but I’m not coughing up a cent of my own family’s money when the government can pay.

Jeez, you sound like a peach. Medicaid nursing homes have long waits and generally are full of indigent patients. They are not the kind of place anyone would want to wind up in.

Not in my experience. My state has a list of Medicaid nursing homes and regularly inspects and gives a star rating out of 5. They also publish all complaints made and actions taken. The hospital social worker got my parent into a nice facility close to my home after a stroke. I visit daily, bring food sometimes, and ferry them to appointments and outings. Being there all the time helps to advocate for the patient too. It’s not the Four Seasons, but akin to a Best Western. The other residents are nice—I don’t know if they are indigent too. What difference does that make?

You were lucky. It took me 9 months to get a bed. What you aren't saying is that medicare paid for 90 days or so until they could get the medicaid in place and that's how you got in so quickly. The place we were at was ok at best. Lots of neglect, possible abuse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If she has run out of her own money, your DH should transfer her to a Medicaid nursing home and have Medicaid pay for it. The one my parent is in is decent and staff deliver meds, 3 meals, a snack, bathe, laundry, and social activities. The facility is a little dated (think Hilton Garden Inn) but the service and care is pretty good. I would not contribute a dime to care because I have my own kids and retirement to worry about.

That does not fly in every state. I think Virginia is one where the state will come after adult children to pay for the parents care.

No one will come after adult kids except if they stole the money or were gifted a lot. Even then, they don't as someone stole my MIL money, it was clear, and we reported it to the police, social security and medicaid and they did nothing but help us get the medicaid.

Right, they are not going to come after adult children if the parent qualifies for Medicaid. My MIL is in a nursing home in Virginia paid for by Medicaid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Mom, it sounds like Happy Acres isn't meeting your needs any longer. Can you make up a list of must-haves/nice-to-haves and we'll look for a place that provides all of that within the budget? We want you to be comfortable!"

Not going to find anything for $5k a month. Full time aides cost upwards of $200k a year.