Missouri medicare Q?

[gabriel9766]

so we had to put my GMA in a nursing home because she could not take care of herself and walk anymore. we had 2 apply for medicare to help pay for her being there.

now i kno she can not have more than 999.99 in her bank account. we got a letter in the mail today saying her monthly spendown is 350 a month. so say she gets 1200 a month, so she pays the nursing home 350 a month? she does not leave the nursing home except to get her hair done once in a while. im trying to figure out how we pay this.

so again says she gets 1200 a month. does she pay the home 350 a month and has to spend the rest or does she pay 1150 a month ( shes allowed a 50 allowance a month) plus need 2 pay 350?

 

[zvm77us]

I think she already has medicare and you applied for long term medicaid.
The best investment is to get in contact with an elder car lawyer perhaps he can divert some of the pension coming in to a trust. I can't be more specific because I don't know the laws of your state. But definitely seek guidance of an eldercare lawyer, it will be a great investment in your situation

 

[JayhawkRoy]

Do a search on Missouri Medicaid spend down. There is a fact sheet that explains and gives an example of the required spend down. It appears there are basically two choices: provide all or some portion of the spend down as valid medical bills (as outlined in th fact sheet) she must pay out of pocket, or "pay in" the total spend down. Oddly enough the fact sheet doesn't say to whom she pays the spend down. I would assume it would be to Family Support Services, Missouri DSS. Suggest you clarify that by talking to a case worker.

Here is the link (if it works) to the fact sheet where I got the above info. I wouldn't engage a lawyer until I read the fact sheet and talked in detail with the case worker.

You may be able to develop a monthly strategy to pay monthly medical bills (prescriptions, eyeglasses, doctor services) to use up the required spend down. This approach would require her to submit monthly accountings and valid medical bills to the State.

Link I used: https://dss.mo.gov/fsd/formsmanual/pdf/im-4spenddown_032006.pdf

 

[Donald]

I would get with the application process. I think you will find its a lengthy process.