Nursing Home Medicaid

Nursing home care is far more comprehensive and prevalent than it has been in the past.

Nursing Home Medicaid, also known as Institutionalized Medicaid, covers room and board charges for a stay in a skilled nursing facility. Formerly, nursing home residents tended to be elderly and chronically ill. That is no longer the case. “Nursing Homes” have been renamed “Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers.” Due to financial concerns, hospitals are eager to discharge patients as soon as possible. Care that was once provided in a hospital is now performed in a nursing home. Even high risk care, including ventilator care, dialysis, traumatic brain injury, and other types of long term care, is now provided at long-term care facilities. Short term rehabilitation is now the number one reason for admittance in most nursing homes.

Medicare, insurance, and HMOs rarely cover the full costs of nursing home care.

Once a patient requires nursing home care, covering the costs becomes an overriding concern. Medicare, insurance, and most HMOs cover a maximum of 100 days in a nursing home; typically, a co-payment is required to pay for most or part of those days. Once the coverage ends, the private rate for typical nursing home care is $10,000 per month. For patients requiring a higher level of care, the monthly charge can be as high as $25,000 per month. At these rates, a person’s entire nest egg can be depleted in a very short period of time.

Approximately 65% of all nursing home care is paid for by Medicaid.

Even if proper planning for Medicaid eligibility was not done prior to entering a facility, it is never too late to start. Of course, the sooner one begins planning, the more assets can be sheltered. Considering the look-back period on transfers of assets, and the requirement to submit 3-5 years of statements for all assets, it is imperative that a reputable firm advises you in how to make transfers and properly submit the Medicaid application. The Medicaid application process is extremely complicated. Mistakes in the process can have severe ramifications, and can potentially cost thousands of dollars.

At SeniorCare, we file thousands of Medicaid applications each year.

We are at the forefront of all new Medicaid regulations and guidelines. Our professional and courteous staff is expert in the intricacies of dealing with the many complex issues and relevant rules that pertain to all different cases and scenarios. Many referrals to SeniorCare are made by professionals in the health care field. With our winning record of proven excellence, it is no wonder that SeniorCare is the address that health care professionals choose for their loved ones.

Put our years of experience to work, for you and your loved one.

Information contained on these pages is for educational and informational purposes only. Always consult a professional to receive the most comprehensive guidance before engaging in elder care planning.