Verlene, Hospital to nursing home, etc.

[Guest guest]

Big bucks and possibly misunderstanding about care. Four years ago,

Parkinsons Plus was interpreted by admitting personnel of a local nursing

home/rehab division for a fall injury as custodial care. The local

clinic/ hospital doctor requested an understandable term for admission

instead of MSA/SDS. This cost us full price

for his brief stay but was a valuable learning what -not -to-do for Jan

experience. In LA a hospital stay must immediately precede nursing

home/rehab addmission AND you must have precertification from your insurance

company or proof of ability to pay extra if you have Medicare. The

facilities are profit making and understandably refuse admission to bad

credit risk people. If you are indigent and have no insurance or have a

valid Medicaid low income, disability card nothing is required but an

available bed and ambulance or transport service is also available. Some

marginal income co payments are required, I think.

The spend down limit for surviving spouses has new federal and state changes

but if you have savings or a paid for house they will be applied to

custodial care until little is left and there is a 3 year retroactive spend

down requirementso you cannot give anything away illegally.

The forum needs a lawyer/tax man to explain all this. Took an expensive

AL guardianship hearing to bring Jan here then confusion for two years and

a big fine to find out what state considered us residents. Now I am told

to get 12 death certificates! Why is not explained yet.

LA Louise caught in a series of tangled webs and too weary to care very

much.