A lot of people wonder whether or not it is worth it to pursue having Medi-Cal or Medicaid pay for senior care. The answer will differ from family to family, but regardless of your situation, there are a few general things that are worth knowing about allowing a government sponsored insurance policy like Medicaid to cover a parent’s senior care expenses. While this might not be a comprehensive list, this is a breakdown of a few of the bigger and more frequently occurring issues that I have noticed people experience.
Choices are Limited
When you rely on any insurance to pay for your coverage, your choices for care become limited. When you rely on Medicaid, those choices are even more limited. Some places readily accept Medicaid, while others do not. Know what your choices are and what the payment plans are before you commit to anything.
Just because your choices are fewer in terms of care, this does not that they are not good choices. Many skilled nursing facilities that accept Medicaid are great places and fulfill all of the needs that your mom or dad might have. The issue is that this isn’t true for all places, and it takes some discernment on your part to know which nursing homes are ideal for the specific needs of your mom or dad, and which will not be as helpful.
Change Can be Slow
Unfortunately, change, if needed, can be slow when you rely on government sponsored insurance policies. This is an issue that extends beyond Medicare and Medicaid, to be fair. It’s why it’s important that you choose a great caregiver on your first try. Do your research, and start looking at care options long before they are going to be needed. However, remember that you and your family have protected rights, and if change is necessary, it can be made. The sooner the process is begun, the better.
Care Types Change
A big issue that those who rely on just Medicare face is that you only have access to certain types of care. For example, Medicare offers almost nothing in terms of long term care right now. It will pay for a limited amount of time in a nursing home, and will pay almost nothing when it comes to in-home care. There are exceptions, so it’s worth speaking to a specialist in this area before you make any decisions. If you are looking for more information here, you may speak to one of our staff members today or schedule a free consultation to learn more about paying for senior care.
Medicaid covers more when it comes to long term care, but in order to get this coverage, there are certain eligibility requirements that must be met. Again, speaking to a knowledgeable professional can give you more guidance.
Misconceptions
Many people believe that if they use Medicaid to fund their senior care that they will receive inferior care. Federal law has many safeguards in place to ensure that this does not happen. In fact, if you believe that this sort of discrimination is happening to someone that you love, you need to file a complaint with your county’s Social Services so that it can be investigated and corrected, if necessary. Those that use Medi-Cal have the same rights as those that use another type of insurance or pay out of pocket.
Leave a Reply