Her SS check is 1263.00 and I think the maximum income for Medicaid recipients in MS is 1047.00? So she doesn't qualify? What the heck? But if I stick her in a nursing home, she qualifies for it. At least that's what happened after her stroke when she was discharged to the rehab/nursing home for 9 weeks. Does anyone know if the Medicaid spend down applies to the SS check too? I spent the last 14 hours on and off the computer looking for programs and agencies to give us some relief. Please advise. Seems like a joke that she works her entire life and makes 150.00 too much to qualify for benefits that she has paid her entire life to. So unfair.
the advice from posters below is good - there is a difference between Medicaid health insurance and NH Medicaid, which is what I immediately thought of. Frankly I'd consider moving out of that state.
Did you speak with anyone at the Area Agency on Aging in Jackson?
601/981-1516. AoA provides info on MS FFM. So..... as MS did NOT take Medicaid expansion (aka ACA/Obamacare), normal way to find out options on low income Medicaid doesn’t really exist for MS like most states. MS has community navigators under FFM program. Federally facilitated marketplace = FFM, although you will want to use lots more colorful words for those acronyms. Trump administration cut FFM by half & narrowed the enrollment period by 2 weeks. Open enrollment closed in Dec. But AoA should be able to tell you how you might be able to come in under change of status category to get FFM Medicaid.
The AoA are very underfunded, so be patient.
But I see possible other issues, it sounds like 4 in your household (HH): elderly parent, your sister, yourself AND your 20something son.
MS has a work requirement & it’s tied into eligibility for all resource based programs. Your mom as elderly & disabled will have a waiver. But you & Sissy may not, so your expected to be working and bringing in income to HH. The overall HH Income is used to determine eligibility for community based programs in MS but you are not allowed to be not working unless there is a waiver. Sissy would have to clearly establish disabled under state standards. There is a caregiver waiver but you’d have to clearly establish that this is what you are to get that waiver. Sissy & you can’t both be this. Your son is expected to work. That he has drug issues, multiple failed rehab stays & cannot maintain a job or can’t be employed at most jobs due to his past is of no importance. If he lives at the house, he’s factored in. He's supposed to be working. MS has reduced SNAP by over 1/3 due to work requirements and I’m sure the goal is to go even higher.
As an aside MS very rural state and no mass transit, so good luck finding a well paying job you can walk or catch a bus to unless your in some parts of Jackson, Ridgeland, Flowood or are youngish & up in Oxford or Starkvegas. It’s bleak.
Work requirement is pretty big problem as lots of Grans carrying for grandkids as parents are MIA. If grans are over 65 & kids under 18, they are ok for income & household size as kids don’t work. But if errant parent comes back, or reports that as their address for anything that state database links into, they all get kicked out of or decreased benefit from income based programs as HH now has errant parent who isn’t meeting work requirements.
Could you be ok with having mom move into MS LTC in a facility? then you All move back to FL?
Or that all of you possibly move to FL? I’m not being cute, I’m saying this in all seriousness. FL has real safety nets for elderly and disabled. There are a wider variety of jobs. Yes still will have eligibility requirements and paperwork but there are services. If your boy (& I know you love him deeply as you wouldn’t have done all you’ve done so far if you didn’t) should find himself going to Parchman, it will be beyond horrific both for him & you.
No spend down does not include the SS check on any pensions. Those will go towards her care. Medicaid picking up their share. In my state the spend down cap is 2k. All Moms assets will need to be used for her care. That means any stocks, bonds, IRAs...insurance policies with cash in value. You can prepay her funeral. All money has to be spent for her.
You really need to sit down with a Medicaid caseworker. The 1047.00 just doesn't seem right to me. Take the info you received here as a basis for asking questions. I like to sit down in front of a person when needing to ask questions. I received a lot of good info from this site but always called Moms caseworker to confirm it.
Don't guess what to do. Call your local Medicaid office. Here in Cleveland, Ohio, our office is part of the Department of Health and Human Services. You will need to provide tons of financial paperwork to them. Make copies before you turn the paperwork over because they’ll probably want MORE copies. It’s not easy and it’s frustrating, but they can advise you. Also, if you don’t already have Power of Attorney for her, get it now. This will give you the authority to be able to make financial and health decisions for her.
It looks to me like the income cap is $2205. per month.
Have you spoken to the Social Worker at the Nursing Home? They are usually pretty expert in this area.
My mom did rehab but it was paid for with Medicare, not Medicaid.
Best wishes to you.