Thanks, Pam.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Thank you, Ruth and everyone. It's so sad and even more "frosting on the cake": BIL was planning to work at least 7 more years since then he and his wife would both be old enough for Medi-Care because when he retires, if he wanted to keep the health ins. his employer provides, it would've cost about $2,000 a month. But the way the doctors are talking, he doesn't have anywhere near 7 more years. And his wife is 5 years too young to get survivors benefits from his Social Security. And forget about Medic-Aid (or any kind of welfare, I think): they own a small house. So we're hoping his retirement will be enough for her to live on; but it's so worrisome in addition to being heartbreaking.
Thanks.
Medicaid doesn't count your house or your cars, only your savings accounts, which can't exceed $2000. I moved my money when I had to get disability. It's all in my son's name.
Really, not houses? I could've sworn that they did; a SIL's mother was only able to get on Medic-Aid after letting the state put a lien on her house; they got the house after she had died. Which I guess BIL's wife could do if she chose; I'm just worried that BIL's retirement won't be enough for her to live on since he'll be so young when he dies. I guess she could sell the house, move into a tiny aptmt. and live off the proceeds for a while but the house is old and small and in an out-in-the-middle-of-nowhere place so might take forever to sell. And even if she does sell it; there's a 5-year lookback period here in Calif. before you can apply for Medic-Aid. I know someone who had her house foreclosed on--rather than selling it or giving it to a son/daughter--and there was a 4-year lookback period before she could apply.
It might vary from state to state. Do they have someone they can put on the deed? A son or daughter? I think that's how they could get around that problem. They could even transfer full ownership to a trusted person, someone they "want to leave the house to."
I'm just thinking about the medical costs, you know? Crap, they could lose their house in any case due to medical liens. If there's any way they can get on Medicaid, they should. Good luck to them, seriously.
Yes, they do have a son they could put on the deed but then you're still looking at that 5-year look-back period before they (or she) could apply for Medi-Cal. It used to be a 2-1/2 year look-back period but got increased to 5 years in 2004 or 2005, I think.
Ok, they need to look into how that would effect their medical costs. It might mean they have "share of cost" for a while, which could still save them tens of thousands before full benefits kick in. ...depending on his treatments and stuff.
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