McAllen Senior AdvisorWhat should we do when savings for care will run out within a year?
Count the months left, then start the Medicaid path now: ask whether the current provider accepts Medicaid, gather financial records, and get advice from the Area Agency on Aging or an elder law attorney before assets fall to the $2,000 limit.
Texas Medicaid looks back five years at gifts and sales below value. Spending on care, debts, home repairs and a prepaid funeral is generally allowed; giving money to relatives generally is not. Advice before the money is gone gives the most choices.
What happens if a parent in McAllen assisted living runs out of money?
Because none of Hidalgo County's licensed assisted living facilities reports accepting Medicaid in TULIP, a resident who runs out of savings usually has to move, most often to a Medicaid-certified nursing home or back home with STAR+PLUS attendants and adult day care.
Ask about this before admission, not after. A family that knows the end point can choose an assisted living building near a nursing home it likes, or plan a move home while the parent can still adjust.
Which programs can help when money is short?
Texas Medicaid for nursing home care, STAR+PLUS for attendants and adult day care at home, the VA pension with Aid and Attendance for eligible veterans and surviving spouses, the Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help for Medicare costs, and Area Agency on Aging services.
In CMS's data, 22 of Hidalgo County's 23 licensed nursing homes are certified for Medicaid, so a long-term resident who qualifies can stay on Medicaid in almost any of them; the exception is the medical center at John Knox Village in Weslaco, which is state-licensed but not certified. HICAP (1-800-252-9240) can screen for Medicare cost help, and the Area Agency on Aging of the Lower Rio Grande Valley ((956) 682-3481) offers benefits counseling and legal assistance for people 60 and older.
Can adult children be required to pay for a parent's care in Texas?
Texas Medicaid does not count adult children's income or assets, and a Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home may not require a third party to guarantee payment as a condition of admission, but an adult child who signs any admission agreement as a responsible party may take on obligations.
Read the agreement carefully and sign as the parent's agent under a power of attorney rather than personally, unless you mean to guarantee payment. An elder law attorney can review the agreement before you sign.
Sources: Texas Health and Safety Code ch. 247 and 242; 26 TAC chapters 553, 554, 558 and 559; HHSC directories, TULIP and handbooks; CMS; CareScout; VA rate tables, as cited above. See our editorial standards.
