Grandmother has been in a nursing home since July 2011 as a Medicaid applicant. She is pre-deceased by her husband and only child. Of her 3 grandchildren, I was the one she asked to be POA back when my grandfather passed away. My siblings have never had much interest in helping to settle her affairs with regards to getting her qualified for Medicaid, getting her home sold, etc. I've pretty much been on my own with my boyfriend helping me as much as he possibly can with all of the "process". The nursing home periodically calls me advising me that my grandmother has not yet qualified and that she's been there since July 2011 and they haven't been paid. They even mention that I may have to pay pricately for my grandmother's care while she is there.
I am faaaaaaaaar from wealthy. I am a renter and I lease the car I drive, I have my own bills to pay on the monthly basis on top of paying the utilities at my grandmother's home until it gets sold (its been on the market for months!). But I feel stressed about the potential of finding myself as being financially responsible for all of these expenses that have been incurred thus far. Aside from her home, which is on the market, she has no monies to pay for these expenses. The nursing home gets her social security so that's why I've since had to pay the utilities on her home but was not able to pay for a few credit card bills that she has so she actually has accrued additional debt since the NH started getting her social security cause I can't afford to pay all of her expenses as well as my own. I definitely cannot afford to pay her bill at the nursing home which by now is over 60K. I'd like to know if anyone else has found themselves in a similar situation where aid that you applied for for your loved one was not granted. Am I (along with my 2 siblings) legally required to pay for her NH care expenses? Will they garnish our wages? What happens when one doesn't qualify and the family just doesn't have the financial means?
Is Medicaid taking forever, or was she actually turned down? If she was turned down, does that mean she has some resources that disqualify her? If so, the solution is to spend down the resources. If this is over mistakes on the application that make her appear unqualified, then those mistakes have to be fixed. You need to know what disqualified her (if that happened) and then fix it.
I really, really feel for you. I don't know which was harder to deal with the first year -- my husband's dementia or the bleepin' paperwork. I had the assistance of an elder law attorney and I STILL had to spend down more than the lawyer advised and redo the application. Yikes! But there is light at the end of the tunnel. Do whatever it takes to bring the application to a successful conclusion, and your burden will get significantly lighter.
Try to ease your mind that all will work out and that she will be approved. This is a big job, I know and easy to say "don't worry", but honestly think it will be OK.
My mother didn't own property at the time, so it was easier for me; but I do have an elderly aunt in a nursing home and her POA got her approved by medicaid even though her house is not sold as of yet. Bless you and take care.
I don't think you'd be held responsible. Medicaid qualification takes time. The house being for sale may be slowing things down, but Medicaid can put a lean against that to use at the time of sale. Try contacting the long-term care ombudsman for your area on your state website or at www.ltcombudsman.org. Here, you'll type in the Zip code of the home. This person may be able to advise you or help point you in the right direction. Good luck.
Carol