Paying For Nursing Home Care

Making the decision to place yourself or a loved one in a nursing home can be a difficult choice. In addition to the emotional decision, paying for nursing home care can be a financial drain. Fortunately, there are both Medicaid and Medicare programs available that can help pay for nursing home care.

Medicaid will pay most nursing home costs if you have limited income and assets. Medicaid eligibility varies by each individual state. You will need to check with your State's Medicaid office to learn if you or your family member are eligible. Medicaid will only pay for nursing home care that is in a government certified facility that is authorized to provide service to Medicaid recipients.

If you are eligible, Medicaid will pay for most of your nursing home care. In most cases, Medicaid will pay for your room and meals, the staff of the nursing home, your nurses, doctor's visits, therapists, dental care, and some prescription drugs. Most medical equipment such as hearing aids, glasses, and wheel chairs are also covered.

Medicaid will not usually pay for a single room, phones, and televisions. In addition Medicaid does not pay for chiropractors, naturopaths, podiatrists, and independent therapists, pathologists, and psychologists.

Federal law requires that when you are admitted to a facility and are entitled to Medicaid benefits, that you are given in writing the terms and services that are included in nursing care services under Medicaid.

You must also be informed of the services that are not covered by Medicaid and the cost of those services for which you will be charged. This information must be provided to you whenever changes in the Medicaid charges take effect.

Finally, any resident of a nursing home that qualifies for Medicaid coverage must be allowed to stay in the nursing care facility. It is unlawful for a nursing care facility to transfer or discharge you because you are covered by Medicaid.

Medicare will pay for some nursing home costs for Medicare beneficiaries who need skilled nursing or rehabilitation services. In order to be covered, you have to get the services from a Medicare certified skilled nursing home after a qualifying hospital stay. Essentially, you must be in a hospital for at least three days prior to entering a nursing home.

Personal Finances are used by about half of the nursing home residents to pay for their nursing home costs. These financial resources are usually savings accounts. After savings and other resources are spent, most patients that stay in nursing homes for extended periods of time eventually become eligible for Medicaid.

Managed Care Plans will not pay for nursing home care unless the nursing home has a contract with the plan. If the nursing home is approved by your plan, also make sure that the plan monitors the quality of the nursing care.

Medicare Supplemental Insurance is private insurance that is also called Medigap because it helps pay for gaps in Medicare coverage. Most of the Medigap plans will pay for skilled nursing care, if the care is covered by Medicare. There are some people that are able to use employer group health plans or long-term care insurance to help pay for nursing homes.

Long-Term Care Insurance is a private insurance policy. The costs and benefits of these plans can vary greatly. Make sure you spend time researching the different Long-Term Care Insurance companies, plans, options, and costs.

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The official U.S. Government Medicare Web site is cms.gov.