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I am on Medicaid and my assisted living facility is talking about having us share an apartment. What resources are available to me that would prevent them from doing that?

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In my home state (MN) being on Medicaid almost always means a shared room, unless they have a glut of Medicaid-designated rooms and not enough recipients. But I also agree that you should review your contract and make sure they aren't trying to cram 2 people into a room that was designed for 1. If you have problems and admin isn't responsive or trying to resolve the issue, contact an ombudsman.
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I'm surprised you have a private room now. Medicaid doesn't provide for private rooms to my knowledge.
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So sorry, but an AL doesn't even have to except Medicaid. They only get a fraction of what is paid privately plus your SS and pension, if any. That room you have they can make money on. I know it won't be easy sharing a room, a big adjustment but that is what happens when the State pays for care.
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Who is us? Is the room already shared by someone other than you?

If not, the standard for Medicaid is semi private. If there is family that will gift you, through the al if they allow it, the upgrade to a private room, that could be an option. A private room however is not so much a need as it is a privilege.
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You will have to discuss their rules with them. I would imagine if you are on Medicaid they can. Most ALF do not accept medicaid at all.
You need to know that rules that apply to nursing homes, et al, do not apply to ALF. They are seperate businesses, much like renting out apartments, and have their own rules. Ask your facility to show you the rules as printed in their printed materials.
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Yes they can. My father is in AL in NJ which allows for Medicaid in AL. He surprisingly was in a private room for about a year and a half and then got one roommate who lasted two days due to not liking sharing. Tomorrow another person is supposed to be moving in. The state is paying so they can dictate how it all works. It all comes down to cost.
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Medicaid gives you very little options. You are at their mercy for anything they cover. If you found a decent place for your father that takes Medicaid count your blessings. Maybe his new roommate will end up being his best friend. Plus I think most men are not as picky as women regarding privacy. Every man I’ve ever dated had no problem farting in front of me. 🙄😏
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Isthisrealyreal May 2022
Hahahaha!
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Yes, they can. If you are living on Medicaid, you have to take what they will give you. If you want to keep a private room, you will have to pay out of pocket. I do not know if you are allowed to pay just the difference between the Medicaid allotment and the fee for a private room. The facility would prefer to get their full price for that room from a Private Pay resident rather than accept a Medicaid subsidy. That is one of the drawbacks of relying on Medicaid.to pay your way.
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JoAnn29 May 2022
I don't think you can. By the time your on Medicaid you have no assets other than the spend down you are allowed of maybe 2k. I think a family member may be able to though.
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LouiseAM, are you in Assisted Living or in a Nursing Facility [both terms seem to get crossed-over]? Assisted Living, as others have mentioned, one has to pay from their own pocket. Or did you get in via a wavier?

You mentioned an apartment. How many rooms are in your apartment? Is there enough room for two people to share one bedroom or is there two bedrooms/one bath set-up?

When my Mom was in a nursing home, she had to share a room with a room-mate, and Mom was self-pay [paying $12k per month]. The facility had no private rooms.
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my2cents May 2022
Evidently, some states offer AL with Medicaid bed. Learned that info from reading the different comments on this site. In Texas, Medicaid bed usually means 2 beds per room in a NH facility - no AL. Recently, however, I became aware of a rehab center that lost too many patients during Covid. This facility was all private rooms and only had rehab patients. To generate income, they took on Medicaid beds and now operate some rooms as NH Medicaid beds. Fortunately, the private rooms for initial construction, as a rehab only center, are small enough that they shouldn't be able to put two beds in (per square ft allowed per patient), but just a tad larger for single bed use.

Perhaps there will be more facilities like this who lost patients and will take on Medicaid beds to improve their revenue.
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The problem with moving...I don't think you can do that.

In my State of NJ when living in an AL you need to pay privately for at least two years to apply for Medicaid. And of course the AL has to except medicaid. My impression is that you would stay at that AL because that is who you paid privately to. You can't then go to another AL and expect them to take your medicaid since you have not paid a penny to them privately. Applying for medicaid helps you stay in that AL.
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