Difficult Decision Concerning Elderly Parent...Options?

[M.D. Holloway]

Originally Posted by craigster59

Advice from someone who has worked for over 14 years in helping families apply for Medicade/ nursing home benefits. (not me, a friend):

First, check with the Medicaid Long Term Care office in your father's town to see if Medicaid LTC offers in-home care (it varies from state to state. Some states, like Arizona, do. Others don't, like California).

If your father is approved for Medicaid LTC in a nursing home, the State will pay for the cost of his care. Your father will have to help pay for his care and that is called a share of cost. The State will look at his gross income to calculate his share of cost. He will be left with around $35 for spending money every month (for ice cream or hair cuts or whatever your father wants to spend it on). A patient's family is NOT responsible to help pay for his care, it will all be covered by Medicaid.

There is also a PACE program in Texas that covers long term care. You should find the office in your father's town and see what they cover and what the eligibiity criteria is,

The worst mistake you can make is listen to other people. Please let the Medicaid LTC office and PACE office staff tell you what's what and then make your deicision. People who don't work in this field can put you on the wrong path and possibly cost you thousands of dollars. It's best to get all the info "from the horse's mouth" so to speak.

Well, there you go Mike. PM me and I'll give you my cell and you can speak with her directly if you have any questions. Good luck!

Thanks - not sure if there is a PACE program in CT where he lives.

Anyone living in Connecticut know if such a program exists? I will dig around as well...

[M.D. Holloway]

1 min on-line...

DSS: CHCPE Alternate Care Unit