Wow! What a shocker!

15 years ago

We have a friend who is trying desperately to find a place for her MIL, who needs more care than her assisted living facility can now offer. But she'll have to be on medicaid, because the family has no money to pay privately.

Suddenly, today, they were talking to someone who has a daughter in the medical field and were told, "But there won't be medicaid after July 1st". What? DD works in healthcare--no one in her office or in management knew a thing about this. There was a mad scramble there today to find out what was what. Sure enough, as of July 1st, the entire medicaid system in the state will be revamped and each family has to choose a provider (it's going to be administered by several healthcare insurance companies). But no one seems to be aware of this, certainly not the drs. who are seeing medicaid patients.

I imagine the dates and details could be different, but keep an eye and ear out in your state, if you have loved ones who need medicaid. Be sure they get the info they need and make the choice that's right for them, so they don't get shoved into the 'plan of last resort' as it were.

Anyone else going through this at the moment?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

ravencajun Zone 8b TX
15 years ago
what state is this? and is it be ending all madicaid or just certain types of care?
I just tried googling it and am not finding anything really about it.
janie_ga
15 years ago
"Medicaid health care payment system" and "Medicaid nursing home care" are not the same thing. No idea if both would be impacted by the changes you are talking about but they are very different and have different rules. Good luck!
Related Discussions
Wow wow! We finally made it! Now what?
Q
Comments (6)
Beth, Congrats on getting so-o-o-o close. Your PB should be able to let you know how many gallons you have. Water testing on a salt pool vs a non-salt pool is identical except that you need to do a salt test from time to time to be sure the amount of salt in your pool is correct...basically, you're double-checking your saltwater chlorine generator's (SWCG) read-out. Muriatic acid lowers your water's pH when it gets too high and that happens on a regular basis with a SWCG. MA can be purchased at a Lowe's or Home Depot-type store. It's generally cheaper purchased there rather than at a pool store. A drops-based test kit is the kind to look for, if your PB doesn't supply you with one. Poolforum.com is a great site to go to. Read everything you can there. Unfortunately, registrations have been closed there for some time, so you can't post at the present time. Another site that I've linked below, has many of the same members as PoolForum. You CAN register and post on that site, so it's the way to go. You'll still advice from some of the really knowledgeable people from PoolForum. They also are selling what looks to be a top-notch test kit (a very similar version of the excellent kit PoolForum used to sell - I have one of those and wouldn't have a pool without it!). Here is a link that might be useful: TroubleFreePool site
...See More
Inheritance tax shocker!
Q
Comments (4)
I don't know about the UK but in the USA federal estate tax only kicks in after the first 2 million, goes up to 2.5, in 2008, and increases up to if I remember correctly to 3 million in 2009. In 2010 there is no Federal estate tax. Non, zip, noda. If Congress doesn't do anything it goes back to 1 million in 2011. There is a way to increase the 2 million exemption. For example if a married couple has say 3 million in total assets and one spouse dies the other can disclaim up to one half of the estate and put it into what is called a bypass trust, sometimes called a AB trust, The surviving spouse still has control and can spend it all if they like, with some restrictions, or they can let it grow and it will never have to pay estate taxes. You can also reduce estate tax by using the gift tax option but only up to a point. This is very general information but if you even think your estate is close to the 2 million limit you should consult a really good estate planning attorney. And pay what ever it takes to get informed and hire yourself a CPA who specializes in estates. I know this is possible because this is what my parents did. When my mother passed my dad signed the disclaimer, put her half of there estate in a bypass trust for me, and saved me over a quarter million dollars that I would have had to pay when he passes. Thank you DAD! I still may have to pay estate tax on his half of the estate, hopefully he will live longer that 2010, but like I have told him I would rather have both of the than the money. He being of the depression mentality he would have a heart attack if he even thought I would have to give the government any of his hard earned money.
...See More
a shocker
Q
Comments (15)
Thanks folks for your messages and birthday wishes. 1. I've not gotten into counseling. Not yet. But I do plan on it. I'm still very angry and bitter about how I was treated for many years, how my wife supported my SD over me, and how I didn't confront the issues in the right way when I should have. There has to be a place to go and "deposit" that stuff, otherwise it will continue to eat at me and destroy my relationship with my wife. 2. My SD is not really a bad house guest, in terms of how people have been discussing it. She's very neat. She is quiet. She doesn't do a lot of the things that many stepparents are writing about. 3. I dread the holidays when she comes home for many reasons, but here's the top ten: -(1) the tension it creates in me; -(2) the tension it creates between my wife and I; - (3) the feeling that at any moment we could have an eruption over something she does that I find disrespectful or rude or uncaring; -(4) I love being "Dad" and "husband" with my wife and son, and I hate how that dynamic changes when she comes home; -(5) the inability to criticize her, or talk to my wife about it due to both of their defensive postures (the perfect child syndrome)--I feel like I have no voice, or if I speak out, I stand to lose my wife; -(6) I hate how she tries to play "little Mommy" with my son when he has two parents; -(7) I hate feeling disrespected in my own home--she feels like she doesn't have to answer me. -(8) I hate her phoniness and the way she manipulates her Mom to think she is the "dutiful daughter" -9) I hate the phoniness of pretending we're a big happy family when people visit, when underneath the surface, it is not that case. -(10) I hate her treating me like a sex offender (this is a grown woman now 30 who still acts afraid of men...not just me...no dates since prom night in high school...) and it makes me nervous around her. So I'm definitely scared...very scared. Thurman
...See More
CL Shocker- Slipcovered settee
Q
Comments (16)
I was so excited to find it. It's actually upholstered in a nubby golden tweed under the slipcover. The color is pretty perfect for our family room. That's where it is right now, in fact. I need to have it raised about 3' to be at comfortable dining height. I'll probably just add castors. The great reveal will have to wait (sigh). All that white fabric looks pretty scary, but the slipcover washes really well. It got grubby while being delivered and I just tossed it in the machine. It's a gorgeous 100% linen which must have been preshrunk. Here is a pic w/out the slip- Here it is in our family room (sorry for the cloudy image). I'm not normally a ruffles type of girl (as the oh-so-serious color palette in the above pic demonstrates), but this piece makes me so happy!
...See More
bee0hio
15 years ago
There is a huge difference between...
"But there won't be medicaid after July 1st" ~~vs~ "the entire medicaid system in the state will be revamped and each family has to choose a provider (it's going to be administered by several healthcare insurance companies)."

It doesn't sound at all like your friend's MIL will not be able to tap into Medicaid, assuming that the latter statement is the accurate one. So they should take their finger off the panic button. I'll bet the Medicaid nursing homes in the area are aware of the changes.

These changes (choosing providers, etc) have been in effect in Ohio for some time. Changes don't happen "overnight" nor "suddenly". Sounds like someone has been asleep @ the wheel, if your DD's office is only now aware of the pending changes in your State. The paperwork & the meager reimbursement associated with Medicaid are big reasons there are fewer healthcare providers who accept Medicaid patients.
lazypup
15 years ago
Azzalea,,, I live in Massachusetts and they have already done that here. You will not loose your medical insurance.

Rather than the state administrating health care through a state medicaid off they are privatizing through HMO's that are contracted to the state.

You will continue to get your medical bennefit but they will be sending you a letter asking you to choose which of the HMO's you prefer to sign on with. When you get that letter contact your doctor, local hospital and other medical providers you deal with and ask them which HMO they would prefer to deal with, then you select that one.

You make your selection and send the paper back in and in a couple weeks you will get a new health care card for the HMO.

When I got mine the only thing I noticed was that I now have no co-pay for doctor, hospital or optical, including both the exam and glasses and a maximum of $2 co-pay for prescriptions.

I just spent 11 days in intensive care and when I was released from the hospital I received an itemized invoice for all the services including ambulance, and it was stamped..paid in full.
Chi
15 years ago
No co-pay, $2 prescriptions and no deductible? I'm jealous!
azzalea
Original Author
15 years ago
Yes, I realize that the coverage is still going to be there. That's not the point. The point is that NO ONE IN THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY seems to know about this, nor is ready for the changes that will be taking effect in just 3 days. AND it has not be well-disseminated to those on Medicaid, apparently, because from what DD was finding today, no one knows about this.

The nursing homes also DO NOT KNOW THIS--this friend HAS been investigating, and until one friend clued her in, NO ONE ELSE has breathed a word. Even the letters from the state, apparently have different dates on them. We're looking at a real mess, in a state where a high percentage of people DO use the medicaid system, where there are going to be a lot of problems that are going to cause all sorts of issues in the next weeks.

Oh, and for whoever asked--New Jersey.

In all honesty? The first thing that crossed my mind when DD told me all that they've been through today, was that my aunt who died in January was going to run out of money right around now, had she lived, and we'd have not only had to deal with getting her qualified, but the fact that apparently the state has not properly prepared the medical community for the switchover.

Wow! What a shocker!

Comments (6)

ravencajun Zone 8b TX

janie_ga

Related Discussions

bee0hio

lazypup

Chi

azzalea
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Wow! What a shocker!

Comments (6)

ravencajun Zone 8b TX

janie_ga

Related Discussions

bee0hio

lazypup

Chi

azzaleaOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

azzalea
Original Author