What If the Nursing Home Has a Waiting List for a Medicaid Bed? Estate Planning and Elder Law Attorney St Louis Metro East and Effingham
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I hear from people in more populated areas than my community and they often have to travel quite far. But even in my own community, we sometimes have to choose a home that isn't our first choice. In this Elder Law Minute, Wes Coulson, Illinois and Missouri Elder Law attorney, discusses Medicaid eligibility and the planning opportunities available if the nursing home you are interested in has a waiting list for a Medicaid bed. At a time in life where many things feel outside your control, joining several waitlists offers invaluable peace of mind. The unfortunate reality is that many aging seniors remain stuck in inadequate or even dangerous living situations while waiting for nursing home beds.
You asked for a general overview of the nursing home waiting list law. S name on a waiting list must note the date on the list, indicate why that person was not admitted, and maintain and make available supportive documentation. Some nursing candidates are sitting on waitlists for multiple semesters. For some reason they’ve decided that the particular nursing program they are waiting eagerly for is special, holds magic powers or otherwise is important to their success as nurses.
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If you have reached age 65, there's about a 45% chance that you will eventually need long-term care. If you or a loved one needs immediate help with a planning matter or legal issue, please contact us, and we will get back to you promptly.
Keep in mind that the nursing facility must inform you of your loved one’s place on the wait list whenever you ask for the information. Seek out your preferred facilities now and inquire about placement on their waiting lists to ensure your loved one will be able to receive care in a facility you trust. Applying for a waitlist sooner, rather than later, helps individuals and families avoid sacrificing quality care because of an immediate need. Completing admission paperwork well before a loved one might actually transition to that care setting is especially vital in long-term care facilities that offer several levels of care. Let’s say you put your dad’s name in for an independent living apartment.
Wait Lists in Nursing Homes
First, they have to meet the financial requirements for eligibility, that’s something we can help with through planning. The second requirement is that they have to be in what’s known as a Medicaid bed. Now, that term doesn’t have anything to do with the quality of care, it’s a financial term that simply means that the facility will accept Medicaid as a form of payment for somebody occupying that bed.
I'd have to go across Lake Pontchartain to find a nice Medicaid accepting NH - which means hr drive. That may be the reality of what you need to do, which could mean going up to La Jolla . We often have to choose a home that is more difficult to access but will work at least for a time. Then you can place your mom's name on a list for one closer to you if you choose.
Wait Lists in Other Long-Term Care Settings
In the same way, plan ahead for your aging loved one when it comes to skilled nursing care. Here in RI.....the mother of a friend of mine was just put on a 6 month waiting list..... The facility knows or is betting that most family won't do this.
But then something happens—he’s diagnosed with a chronic illness—and now, instead of needing an independent living apartment, he needs to be in the assisted living portion of the facility. Many families don’t realize that the use of wait lists isn’t just limited to nursing homes. Many types of senior residences rely on them to manage demand. That’s why it’s very important for family caregivers to be proactive and complete admissions paperwork early, often months before the transition will take place. In all Connecticut nursing homes, once people are on the wait list, they stay there.
Hi, I’m Wes Coulson from Dent-Coulson Elder Law with offices in St. Louis Missouri and O’Fallon Illinois and serving people throughout Southwestern Missouri and Southern Illinois. In order for someone to be eligible for Medicaid benefits to pay for nursing home care, two things have to both be true. Whenever a home passes over the name of someone on a list, a dated notation must be made on the list indicating why that person was not admitted and supportive documentation must be maintained and available. Can prevent them getting placed into a skilled facility for even necessary rehab, unless that person can pay for all that out of pocket. You could argue that the emotionally charged news headlines about nursing school shut-outs contributes to the problem as well.
Certified Elder Law Attorney Franklin Drazen explains the basics. It’s hard to think about the ones we love getting older and losing their independence, but it’s a fact of life for millions of Americans. And while assisted living is a particularly sought-after means of aging in place, the transition to a nursing home, or skilled nursing facility, is sometimes an inevitable course of action to ensure the ongoing health and wellbeing of aging adults. Unfortunately, at the time of greatest need, securing a spot in a nursing home for your aging loved one may be harder than you think.
As mentioned in above post - you most likely will have to go outside your area. My mother lived in a resort area - where many elderly retired. Due to this fact, it appeared there were more NH available to provide care for the numerous elderly in the area. Join us for one of our highly informative and FREE workshops and find out how you can protect your family's hard-earned life savings. It’s very unlikely to receive an exact or even estimated timeframe, simply as it is so variable and changeable so even if you were given one it is likely to be inaccurate.
As a love one’s health changes, some of the most difficult decisions for caregivers involve residential care transitions. Families are often surprised when elderly loved ones end up on wait lists after applying for residence in long-term care facilities. What do families need to know about the effect wait lists have on nursing home admissions? Are wait lists used by other long-term care facilities like assisted living centers?
No matter what, it’s always best to know what’s available long before elderly loved ones start to need help. Remember, the earlier you start planning and the earlier you involve us in the process, the more options you will have, and the more affordable those options will be. When an application is requested, the nursing home must send you an application and dated receipt within two days. At this time, the nursing home will place your loved one’s name on the dated list of applicants. This list only shows that your loved one has requested an application and that it has been mailed to you.
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