How do I transfer Mom to another nursing home if she is already on Medicaid?

I would suggest go to one or both of closer NHs and talk to them.And while your there tour their faculity so it will help with choosing the right one. They would know first hand how that would work and what you need to do.They should be aware of how to transfer a patient with medicaid. Patients come and go from NH's all the time so thats who I would talk to.

That's an excellent idea! I will go to the one that's within five minutes from me. My mother was put on their waiting list last April so I don't know why it's taking too long, I wonder if since she has already been approved by Medicaid and is on it now they will open up a space for her sooner? The one Mom's in, yes you're right, I see residents going and coming all the time. Different faces. A few of them are still there.

Bryn - please post what you find. We're thinking of moving my mom to another NH - she is on Medicaid - to one that has 3 residents from her old neighborhood at. They are spring chickens compared to her but all go back 30 - 40 yrs together.

I believe Medicaid is a daily reimbursement in most states, so that shouldn't be an issue. But so much of Medicaid has whatever particular spin each state wants to do - quite maddening.

will be interested in all answers,my mom is in a nh in a different state because thats the only place we could find after a stay in the hospital,had to apply for medicaid in that state for her but would like to move her closer,everthing has been so difficult,hope to get some support from this site & some much needed advice...

I found the answer: Ombudsman! Locate Ombudsman in your area. I spoke to one this morning. She was very helpful. She is going to get in touch with one that lives in my area! Type in Google "locate ombudsman in ...." where you live (state) and it will locate one for you then you call.

What is the process of transfering someone from a NH in NY to a NH in CT?

Independence - you know your ? may get lost as it is tagged to one from 2011. So you may want to post your ? as a totally new post.

My update from oct, 2011 is that I did move my mom in Dec 2011 from 1 NH to another. She is on Medicaid & in TX. It can be done but you will have to co-ordinate with the new NH on all this, as they will have to do a review of her care plan to see if they can provide the level of care that she needs first & foremost & also review the financials to accept them (as some places have a limit on active Medicaid beds). If your elder is private pay, the new NH & the move will not be an issue just as long as you can shell out the substantial $$$$ to do all this.

But if they are on Medicaid, it is a whole different game plan. We did my mom's move to a set specific day in planning so that her co-pay was the exact amount each NH had to be paid under Medicaid rules. If you don't do this, you or other family will have to private pay the difference. Medicaid (for TX) is a daily reimbursement so the NH only gets paid by the # of days they are their, so their co-pay (the "SOC") is also paid by the # of days. You have to get all their medications - this is another critical thing. Most med's @ the NH are in a 90 day dispensation pack and Medicare, Medicaid & insurance will only pay for their med's once. So if you don't get ALL their med's, you will have to private pay for them. I went with zip loc's to put them in and the old NH staff was totally less than helpful on all this but I was not leaving with out mom's med's.

Now my mom was in the same city & state so that was relatively straightforward and my mom was totally good on her ADL's so was a good fit for the new NH. BUT you are looking at 2 states and it will be challenging. If they have significant health issues, you may have to get a copy made (at your expense) of their medical records for the new NH to evaluate if they are a good fit for the new NH. Really if they are still OK on their ADL's, it may be easier to take them with you to CT to make the rounds of the limited list of NH you are looking at for them.

If your elder is on Medicaid, they will need to become a resident of CT and then apply for CT Medicaid. Each state administers their Medicaid program under their own rules and requirements too. It is not automatic either and really this can be quite the hurdle to go through unless there is someone in NY & also someone in CT to do all that is necessary for them. If they own any property (home or auto's) in NH, they are exempt for NY Medicaid but not for CT Medicaid. So the car will need to be legally transferred to them in CT along with CT insurance. The house will have to be sold and then the proceeds from the sale used for their spend-down for CT Medicaid. Good luck.

Just a quick note on the "meds"... When my family member (also on Medicaid) was transferred (mid-month) from one nursing home to a non-affiliated NH facility located about 2 hours away, we weren't sure how her medication arrangements would be handled. As we had been recently billed almost $600 (for just part of one month's worth of pills), we definitely did not want to wind up getting double-charged at the new facility if they had to dispense all new ones.

So we had the transferring facility round up what remained of all her existing medications. Everything was boxed up, clearly labeled, and placed in a clear plastic bag, but the staff had also stuck large, bright red stickers reading "DISCONTINUED" on everything. Once we arrived, however, the new facility, much to our confusion and dismay refused to accept them.

If we had it to do over, we would've contacted the new facility before transporting our loved one, and asked them to confirm (preferably in writing, so as to avoid any miscommunication) their policies regarding medications for newly-transferred residents. While they assured us that our family would not be double-charged, and that Medicaid would be covering any medication costs, it was an unsettling experience that we would not want to repeat.

One unfortunate reality with residential facility medications is that each facility has their own outside contract pharmacy, which is often different from that of other facilities (particularly if they're located in different geographical areas); and they are not interchangeable. These pharmacies ensure that the medications are available and delivered in a timely manner, and supply them in individual packaging along with proprietary record-keeping systems and med dispensation carts, etc. (supposedly to make things more convenient for the facility staff). But the result is that those medications cost MANY times more than the same exact medications purchased at a licensed pharmacy in the local community -- in our personal experience/observations, up to almost *twenty times* more! :( At the same time, most group residential facilities either disallow or make it extremely inconvenient for their residents and families to purchase and use their own meds. It is absolutely outrageous, what these pharmaceutical companies are charging; and our elderly and government (i.e., we, the taxpayers) are getting fleeced, IMO.

My mom is in a NH in North Carolina and has Medicaid. If I move her to a NH in Maryland to be closer to me will I have to pay for the transport, expenses involved in the move or will medicaid ? She's on 24 hour oxygen,in a wheelchair, etc.

Needmore - if you would read my post on this thread from back on 4/29. The biggest hurdle will be having her approved & eligible for Medicaid in the new state (Maryland). Medicaid although a joint state & federal program is managed by each state uniquely. So each state has it's own application process, eligibility standards etc and is limited to residents of it's state. So you are going to have to do whatever to have mom become a legal resident of the new state and this will take time to do and flat out will just not be simple. I would say allow for 3 to 4 months to get this all done and you likely will have to front private pay @ a NH for part of that time. You may find that most NH will shy away from accepting her as "Medicaid Pending" due to her being a resident of another state too, so that's why they will have to consider her to be private pay to allow her to move in.

Her Medicare - which is totally federal - works in whatever state, so she is good on that but Medicare will not pay for her long term care stay @ the NH.

I'm currently in the process of moving my mentally and physically incapacitated sister w/o any advanced care directive or guardianship from a long term nursing center in NY to Michigan. I contacted the facility near me that will start by looking at my sister's medical records. I contacted the family services in charge of her finances in Yonkers who will work with me. And I contacted her social worker in her current NH in New Rochelle. That NY NH is a little afraid of me because of quite a bit of screw ups I openly complained about that could get them in trouble. I made it specific that I DO NOT want that NH to proceed for state guardianship of my sister because I want her moved. I'm also sending that in writing and email. I contacted an Ombudsman there days ago and never heard back. I will call the Ombudsman again, but my faith in them is diminished as are atty's. in NY. I believe this type of thing can be done without courts, without guardianship, and between two nursing homes in states where they know the laws. Next of kin still holds muster. If for example her NY NH proceeded toward guardianship and I took them to court, I would win. I'm moving my sister because I truly believe she is in her last days and want her near so I can be with her all the time to see she is treated properly. Meanwhile, when I told MI NH that my sister has a NY state pension, some medicare still and is on medicaid also, they quickly said that it will be the pension and whatever medicare. After reading these comments, I see that the MI NH will try to rely on my sister's pension/medicare to pay for the interim at the facility until she is officially on medicaid in MI. That is good news for me. I'm trying to save the $5-7k an atty. quoted me for NY guardianship. Then do that again in MI? Then pay to move her? Out of the question when she has income and I am still next of kin even though she has no agent and guardianship proceedings for her otherwise. I wanted to move her 3 years ago, and it was just a matter of getting her SS established in my state per her old social worker. But at that time, she might have been relegated to a group home here and those are terrible. I've located a decent NH now. Where there is a will and a way around atty's. because of money matters, try that first. I've read that laws are a mess in these situations anyway, put together piecemeal so far. It's too bad we don't have overriding Federal laws for the mentally ill to make this process easier. I will comment again as I advance. It looks like there are plenty of people in this situation that need advice without expense.

Here is a site with information about Medicaid State-to-State Transfer Rules.

payingforseniorcare/medicaid/state-transfer-rules.html

The Table of Contents includes.

1. Medicaid State Transfer Rules Overview.

2. Recommended Process for Transferring Medicaid.

Oh, the good old medicaid you SHOULD be able to transfer no problem BUT they will always take a self pay over medicaid-more $$$ for them. So they will wait list you up to 3 years here or they only have a cetain number of "beds" for Medicaid...in Florida there are only 2 acceptions of SNF that don't take Medicaid-of course the nicest ones.....in our area. but you still can't get in.You might try a place that has an ALF/rehab as well, it would be self pay but as they told me here then when a bed opened up they would bump up on the waiting list to get a SNF bed...other wise you may end up in the worse place in town.I had to transfer mine from the mid west self pay medical transport lear jet at $11,000...must have nurse on board as well....non emergency medical van transport if you are close and you can't do the drive ....what a crazy country we live in yes? I'm just gonna jump!...lol....

Long question sorry, but my brother wants to move to NC. His wife is very bad, has MS and completely bedridden. My brother loves his wife and wants her to move too into another NH., near him in NC. She is on title19 in CT.
Can she move? How? Please help. Thanks

I am in Tx my mother is in a NH which is not taking care of her. I have found her another NH close to me ibnstead of 20 mi away. I would like to know is there help to help transport her 20 mi. My care is too small.

I am in Tx my mother is in a NH which is not taking care of her. I have found her another NH close to me ibnstead of 20 mi away. I would like to know is there help to help transport her 20 mi. My care is too small.

my parents are in a nursing home in florida, it takes me over an hour to get to them , there is a nursing home about 10 mins from me in the same state, what or who or how can I get them transfered closer to me, I am the only child that lives with 60 miles the rest of the kids live at least 6 to 8 hours away , where do I start please help thank you.... Deb

I want to move my wife from one nh to one closer with better care. She is on medicare and medicaid. She had been in this same nh home before. The care is better and she knows the staff and it would be closer for me to travel. I am her home care giver and 2 weeks ago I had a minor stroke so it would help her and me to move her to the nh closer.

Moving: at your own expense, not covered since it is not "medically necessary"
Crossing state lines: Do Not Attempt. Medicaid stops as soon as you leave the state. Again, no transport coverage.
Moving within the state: If you cross a county line, services must be coordinated with two different social service agencies. There must be an available bed. Transport is not covered, you pay.

I have a brother at Kindred Transitional Rehabilitation in Durham, NC. My brother wants to transfer to MD. to be close to his family even though he will have to be housed in a similar VA approved site. How do I satisfy his (brother's request?

My brother had a stroke about 10 months ago which rendered him immobile. It's very difficult for me to travel to Durham when I need to see him to take care of personal business. My brother the patient (Daniel ) has been under Dr. care for about three or four yrs, being transferred from one facility to another, because they are not equipped to solve his condition. He was scheduled to have a
neck operation on the 23rd of May, however, it has been determined that he may not be strong enough. Instead he will have an MRI and blood work to determine the fate of suggested service. I feel he will be able to get more proper treatment if he had some family member to make decisions in my brothers behalf. I am his POA in reference to his health care. An expedient reply will be greatly appreciated.

in 2016 Medicaid has NO legal resident time required but I still don't know who pays for the ambulance to move her from one state to another

If this is indeed your desire which I imagine it is, you inform the Social Worker at the facility where your mother currently resides and ask her to send your mothers referral and clinical information to both of the facilities in your area. It is their responsibility to assist you with this transfer.