medicare doesn’t pay for assisted living

A lot of adult children believe that Medicare will pay for Assisted Living.  That is simply not the case.  Medicare is insurance.  I have had people insist that in “X” state, it was paid for.  They are wrong.  Medicare coverage is universal in all 50 states.  I believe them when they say the care was paid for, but they don’t understand the funding sources.  Medicaid, in many states, will assist with costs for Assisted Living.

Medicaid is a needs based program and each state determines the income and asset level required.  In Texas, the waiting list for a “Medicaid Bed” in an Assisted Living facility is sometimes 2 years or more.  Most Assisted Living Facilities in Collin County do not accept Medicaid; they are strictly private pay.

Medicaid will also cover Skilled Nursing in Texas, but again, there are income and asset levels.  You must apply for Medicaid, it’s not automatically granted.  The Medicaid Look Back period is 5 years for the transfer of assets.  My best advice is to contact an Elder Law Attorney.