General Discussion

Igel

(37,552 posts)

2. Yes.

Fri Nov 8, 2019, 07:51 PM

Nov 2019

More in some states than in others.

Back in the '80s a friend's mother was basically told that she could go into a nursing home at state expense, but in the end they'd come for her resources to the extent necessary to cover her care. She objected, but her sons couldn't take care of her. They didn't want her to move in--it would be disruptive. They didn't want to sell her assets and hire somebody to help. No, they wanted the state to take care of her, socializing the costs and keeping the profits private. So to speak.

She was in a home that would have cost over $20k for over 10 years, and lost her $60k house. Her sons were irate that the care wasn't free and they wouldn't inherit anything as a result.

It makes sense. You become a ward of the state, you forfeit your assets.

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Do you know Medicade, Long Term Care, will take all you have? [View all] Miigwech Nov 2019 OP

Yes, I did know that. BigmanPigman Nov 2019 #1

Folks need to listen. Miigwech Nov 2019 #6

Yes. Igel Nov 2019 #2

Some people can't be caregivers for any number of good reasons including work commitments, Doremus Nov 2019 #18

Amen, Doremus Trailrider1951 Nov 2019 #20

Retirement accts. CountAllVotes Nov 2019 #77

But there is no reason that a person with plenty of assets pnwmom Nov 2019 #38

"Make the rest of us pay for their nursing home care." Doremus Nov 2019 #98

She should have shanti Nov 2019 #73

Which is why you transfer everything out of that person's name first. NightWatcher Nov 2019 #3

You have to do it in increments so plan ahead BigmanPigman Nov 2019 #8

Some people do that. Our family did not make that choice when a relative pnwmom Nov 2019 #39

That is true, but then you also have people who want Laura PourMeADrink Nov 2019 #52

If you want to leave an estate, you buy Long Term insurance Drahthaardogs Nov 2019 #54

Ya, think I read that the average stay in a nursing home is 18 mo. Laura PourMeADrink Nov 2019 #59

There used to be an estate tax that could take quite a bite, even if all you owned pnwmom Nov 2019 #62

Estate taxes vary widely from state to state yellowdogintexas Nov 2019 #89

True. But nursing home bills are not taxes, they're a combination of living costs and personal care. pnwmom Nov 2019 #94

You might want to check on the specifics of the law. Flaleftist Nov 2019 #66

I know someone who did that. kskiska Nov 2019 #97

Yes, and this is a very sad thing. I wasn't aware that they took all of the assets. Don't they ... SWBTATTReg Nov 2019 #4

Each state has its own rules for Medicaid. nt pnwmom Nov 2019 #40

I think that sometimes if an heir was a caregiver who kept the patient from needing Medicaid for a highplainsdem Nov 2019 #46

You can set up a funeral trust exboyfil Nov 2019 #57

Thank you. Good suggestion! I'll definitely look into, and see what rules the state of MO has ... SWBTATTReg Nov 2019 #71

This is Oklahoma's setup. yellowdogintexas Nov 2019 #91

Been that way for decades. In most states, you can keep your home Hoyt Nov 2019 #5

Amen. However the term "euthanasia" has been tinged inappropriately. (I hate word police!) erronis Nov 2019 #117

+1. "We need ability to take ourselves out of the woods . . . .without fanfare." Hoyt Nov 2019 #118

Thats not completely correct. Raftergirl Nov 2019 #7

Surely not $26K/monrh? Good grief! Frustratedlady Nov 2019 #14

That's for 2 people. It's not unusual to cost more than $100K a year. nt pnwmom Nov 2019 #33

Oh, my goodness. I thought $78K/year was bad enough. Frustratedlady Nov 2019 #50

Having a live in practical nurse would be cheaper than $100,000 per year. nt Blue_true Nov 2019 #110

$100k for two people or one? I am guessing one. Blue_true Nov 2019 #109

Average of $100K a year for one. pnwmom Nov 2019 #119

Those are big numbers. nt Blue_true Nov 2019 #120

Yep. Raftergirl Nov 2019 #34

What is the difference between "memory care" and assisted living? Blue_true Nov 2019 #111

Upstate NY Raftergirl Nov 2019 #127

Thanks. Blue_true Nov 2019 #129

They've been married Raftergirl Nov 2019 #131

It isn't unusual for memory care to cost $100,000/year or more. highplainsdem Nov 2019 #44

What is the difference between "memory care" and other care? nt Blue_true Nov 2019 #113

Alzheimer's units require more assistance, plus more security. highplainsdem Nov 2019 #114

Thanks. nt Blue_true Nov 2019 #116

Managed elder care here in my part of Florida starts at $1600 per person per month and Blue_true Nov 2019 #108

Yes claw back is worse than insurance airplaneman Nov 2019 #24

I'm dealing with that very thing right now TalenaGor Nov 2019 #9

We need to consider who/how these costs should be paid. enough Nov 2019 #10

You really do need to stop being so reasonable. A HERETIC I AM Nov 2019 #13

I agree. And when a relative of ours had to sell her house and spend down the rest of her pnwmom Nov 2019 #36

I agree. If a person has assets that can pay for his or her care, those should be used. nt Blue_true Nov 2019 #115

Yes Indeed Vivid Lizard Nov 2019 #11

welcome to DU, Vivid Lizard Skittles Nov 2019 #15

Just as an FYI, in NY state it goes back at least five years. dhol82 Nov 2019 #19

A nephew?!?! I hope he told them to stuff it!! Coventina Nov 2019 #43

Nope. She owed the money to the state. Tough luck to the nephew. dhol82 Nov 2019 #47

back in the day, there were "old folks homes" where they did it just like this. mopinko Nov 2019 #12

That basically describes the system of Masonic homes all across the country. A HERETIC I AM Nov 2019 #16

i think it was pretty common w all those groups. mopinko Nov 2019 #17

My sister was a social services eligibiltiy worker and told me this years ago. Gov't will iluvtennis Nov 2019 #21

Disgraceful! That woman had a god-given right to marybourg Nov 2019 #35

Keep posting please iluvtennis Nov 2019 #41

If the gov't paid for 18 years of care, PoindexterOglethorpe Nov 2019 #65

Sorry, but no one is entitled to an inheritance except a spouse TexasBushwhacker Nov 2019 #122

Exactly. StarfishSaver Nov 2019 #125

Yes, and states keep lengthening the look-back period. Ilsa Nov 2019 #22

I know a little about this jimmimac43 Nov 2019 #23

Sound advice - thanks klook Nov 2019 #69

Thanks for laying this out shanti Nov 2019 #74

It will take half of some of what you have. KentuckyWoman Nov 2019 #25

It is nice they cover the cost after you run out of money. nt USALiberal Nov 2019 #26

K n R JoeOtterbein Nov 2019 #27

I don't see a problem with this. The cost of a nursing home is AJT Nov 2019 #28

$10,000 a month shanti Nov 2019 #75

$14,000 here in the mid-Atlantic states iamateacher Nov 2019 #79

Seriously shanti Nov 2019 #82

They use up all their assets and go on medicaid iamateacher Nov 2019 #128

Glad my car's only worth $1000! elleng Nov 2019 #29

It is fair that people contribute to their health care costs KWR65 Nov 2019 #30

Not exactly. For a married couple they leave assets for the spouse. However, yes, pnwmom Nov 2019 #31

My friend's mother had a stroke at 96 mountain grammy Nov 2019 #32

I've been involved with this in Colorado. El Supremo Nov 2019 #106

It's an excellent nursing home and she does need round the clock care mountain grammy Nov 2019 #107

Good children would have used marybourg Nov 2019 #112

It is more nuanced than that sarisataka Nov 2019 #37

this is how we have been treating our sick and elderly for decades rampartc Nov 2019 #42

Yep. Known it for a long time. Liberal In Texas Nov 2019 #45

I don't have a problem with a system that expects people who can afford it StarfishSaver Nov 2019 #48

If you need Medicaid for long term care you're probably already broke from medical expenses. Vinca Nov 2019 #49

It is your final months/years...you don't need anything but care. cbdo2007 Nov 2019 #51

There's also a sense of entitlement operating StarfishSaver Nov 2019 #58

That's why people need to buy Long Term Care riders Drahthaardogs Nov 2019 #53

You need to think about the expense of long term care insurance vs. a facility. AARP studies show emmaverybo Nov 2019 #81

You get enough to cover 3 to 5 years Drahthaardogs Nov 2019 #87

My point being that with the premiums being so high, and the fact that elderly who end up using emmaverybo Nov 2019 #90

Everyone says "You're better off saving yourself for it" Drahthaardogs Nov 2019 #100

Oh that's not bad. And of course the cost will be going up. So I can see the point. emmaverybo Nov 2019 #105

It's Medicaid, please change your OP as it's confusing. lark Nov 2019 #55

It's a back-door inheritance tax (nt) Recursion Nov 2019 #56

No, it is not StarfishSaver Nov 2019 #60

I don't know why this is so hard for some here to understand. pnwmom Nov 2019 #64

The dilemma is when there is a surviving spouse Fiendish Thingy Nov 2019 #67

Medicaid has spousal protections StarfishSaver Nov 2019 #70

No, it's not. In a nursing home, in addition to the nursing care, you're paying pnwmom Nov 2019 #63

This message was self-deleted by its author raccoon Nov 2019 #102

Jesus, this whole thread is depressing as hell NickB79 Nov 2019 #61

I assume you also acquired assets in order to pay your expenses a d support yourself StarfishSaver Nov 2019 #68

We should have legal euthanasia available for people who decide they don't want their resources mr_lebowski Nov 2019 #85

I have mixed feelings about that StarfishSaver Nov 2019 #93

If your long-term plans involve assisted living, have a payment plan in mind, definitely NickB79 Nov 2019 #123

I'm sorry StarfishSaver Nov 2019 #124

Yes, they will Bayard Nov 2019 #72

I know that must have been painful, but the alternative without Medicaid would have been worse StarfishSaver Nov 2019 #78

Yep. My husband of 30 years & I almost had to get a divorce to protect our assets catbyte Nov 2019 #76

A friend of mine is taking care of her mom full time. liberalmuse Nov 2019 #80

So much crap, financial and emotional ruin to wade through. Miigwech Nov 2019 #130

Yes. It happened to my mom. She died 1 year ago today. We've basically just turned over Quackers Nov 2019 #83

The Aid and Attendance VA benefit can help Desert grandma Nov 2019 #84

The Little Sisters of the Poor have homes for moderate and indigent seniors Peregrine Took Nov 2019 #86

Yep you get a job save for retirement then doc03 Nov 2019 #88

Do you think nursing homes are supposed to provide free care so people don't have to spend StarfishSaver Nov 2019 #92

I don't know. What about countries that have national health care do they have to doc03 Nov 2019 #99

We're not a country that has national health care StarfishSaver Nov 2019 #104

Who should pay for the costs of nursing home care? Should the nursing home provide it for free? pnwmom Nov 2019 #95

read my post #99 doc03 Nov 2019 #101

If not all you have, a nice chunk. Scurrilous Nov 2019 #96

Every dime. liberal N proud Nov 2019 #103

This is nothing new. Texasgal Nov 2019 #121

That's how I feel. StarfishSaver Nov 2019 #126