Q: Hello, my mother has Alzheimer's disease. Does any part of title 19 pertain to her?
A:
You’ve not really given enough information to tell. Title 19, as you probably know is commonly called “Medicaid.” This program is intended to pay for medical care for people who don't have enough money to pay their medical bills. While your mother is not “entitled” to Medicaid because of the Alzheimer’s per se, she may otherwise qualify as a Medicaid recipient.
Nursing home care is only one type of care paid by Medicaid. If your mother qualifies, Medicaid will pay for her nursing home care and most of her costs while she is in a nursing home, including doctor visits, medication, meals, diagnostic tests and equipment.
The rules are complex, however, and they vary by state somewhat. When your mother applies, Medicaid will look at her assets. If her assets are too high, she may not qualify. She may qualify for Medicaid if she has less than $1,600 in countable assets (cash, bank accounts, stocks, and bonds), a pre-paid burial plot, a pre-paid funeral contract, term life insurance with no cash surrender value, or cash value life insurance up to $1,500.
Her income is also limited. You can keep a small amount of income to spend on personal needs. This amount changes every year and, again, it varies by state, so best advice is to check with an elder law attorney in your state.
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