I'm just trying to gather information to make informed decisions as what I thought would've been a simple process due to the lack of assets, keeps looking more and more complicated. Things keep popping up. It's crazy.
My father has had Masshealth for years due to low income and no assets. He was admitted to a nursing home in February thru may under Medicare because he needed rehab. Mid may he switched over to Masshealth paying because the stay was no longer for rehab purposes, but rather for his dementia and other physical ailments.
We get a call from the nursing home with a message saying his monthly bill is due for 674$.
Now, I did find out that nursing homes can go after the children to pay for parents care ( which is crazy to me, but it doesn't matter what I think because "lawfull" and "right" aren't always the same), but from what I saw not when Medicaid is paying for the stay.
Am I incorrect in this?
We're waiting to hear back from the nursing home and hopefully see some of this in writing so we can understand the breakdown, but any light that could be shed would be appreciated.
I’m guessing that the NH is calling about his monthly income - like his SS or retirement income - due to the NH to be paid. Under LTC Medicaid rules once they apply for LTC Medicaid (not low income living in the community Medicaid) then from that date on allmost all their monthly income MUST be paid to the NH as his copay or SoC (share of cost). This is what JoAnn & GuestShoppe are getting at.
All they get to keep is a smallish personal needs allowance - most states have this at $50. But that’s it for extra $.
For my mom the first month was prorated. If he went off Medicare / MassHealth mid May, that $675 could be his prorated income due. Avg SS is about $1200, so $675 could be abt 1/2. Look at his “awards letters” from SS, retirements to see what it divides out to per month to see if the $675 makes sense.
Like GuestShoppe wrote often family is unaware of the SOC requirement. But the SOC must be paid like clockwork to the NH. If they have debts, once on LTC Medicaid they either default on all or family pays their folks debts if they choose to.