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I am currently in the transition of taking my grandmother out of a nursing home so she can live with me in Florida. I have Medical for her. When it comes to financial, they are responsible for her financial and insurance access. I called them and they’re not willing to help me on this matter. I was told by Medicaid that I can’t make phone call to transfer it because I have no power of attorney. I don’t know what to do.

We will need more information and clarifications from you:

Does your Grandma have cognitive/memory impairment? I'm assuming she must have cognitive and/or health problems that require her to be in a NH because she can no longer live on her own and safely take care of herself...?

If this is the case, then who has legal authority to make decisions on her behalf? It apparently isn't you, but is the NH her legal guardian? Or does she have one assigned by the court? If so, you don't have any power to remove her or make decisions for her. The NH and her medical staff have no legal ability to talk to you about her personal affairs -- it doesn't matter that you are a blood relative. The courts don't see it like that.

What state is your Grandma currently residing in (where is her NH located)?

How old is your Grandma? How old are you? Are you married and/or do you have young children?

IMO if your Grandma requires NH level of care, you have no idea what it means to be her 24/7 on-call caregiver and life manager. You yourself will have no life. Would she even be able to pay you? Caring for her in your home would mean you won't be able to work an outside job. Please read the many posts on this forum under Caregiver Burnout and what happens when loving and well-meaning family members take in an impaired (and impoverished) elder only to become stuck in a personal and financial quagmire that is very difficult to solve.

Medicare is medical insurance that all people 65 and over get from the government. But it doesn't pay for caregiving or "custodial" care, in-home or anywhere else.

Medicaid is financial aid for medical care when an elder needs LTC for medical reasons, and then their SS income pays for their custodial care (room and board, meals, etc). Sometimes a family caregiver can get paid through Medicaid for in-home care but it is minimum wage and never full-time hours.

Please carefully think through your plan after you read the comments that will be posted here, since you have wisely asked for advice.
Helpful Answer (3)
Reply to Geaton777
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Is your grandmother capable of assigning you as Power of Attorney for financial decisions for her? Who is acting in this role now? Someone is currently in charge of her finances, and apparently either unaware of your desire or unwilling to have you involved for whatever reason. Without resolving this, you cannot move her. As Geaton stated, consider carefully the conditions that brought your grandmother into nursing home level care. My mom was in a nursing home, if her care could have been accomplished in a home setting it would have been, but there was simply no way. One person caring for a senior with ever increasing health issues is a hard road. I wish you well
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Reply to Daughterof1930
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Medicaid doesn’t cross state lines, so they can’t help you with that.

Best leave Grandma in the nursing home where she belongs.
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Reply to ZippyZee
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This is not a responsibility of the NH staff to do for you. Medicare has nothing to do with Medicaid. Medicare is federally run and Medicaid is State run. Medicare being federal will go over State lines. Medicaid does not. Its your responsibility to find out from Florida Medicaid if they will accept Mom. Is there a residency requirement? You pick out the NH in Fla.

Do you send a check for Moms SS to the NH or are they Moms payee? If Mom is competent to assign u Financial POA, I would get it done. How did you get Mom placed without it?

Sorry, this transition is all on you.
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Reply to JoAnn29
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If you have no POA I don't see how you even imagine that you can withdraw her from care?
Who put her INTO care? That is the person responsible.
I am afraid there is a lot here that you don't understand. If your grandmother is in LTC (long term care facility) then she was put there by someone responsible for her. That clearly is not you.
If you withdraw your grandmother from care and move her to another state then you are ALSO withdrawing her from Medicaid if she receives it. She will still get her federal medicare, but not the funds to pay for her in facility care.

Igloo, on this Forum, is very informed at the the problems involved in moving a relative to another state. Medicaid is administered differently in every state. Your grandmother would have to give up Medicaid in her own state, get residency and apply in FL. From what you indicate she isn't capable of that and you are not LEGALLY allowed to do that.

It is not the job of nursing homes to call Medicaid and to transfer patients to other states. If grandmother is withdrawn from care then their job is to aid in discharge, and I do not believe in present circumstances that they will discharge her to you.

Who IS POA, guardian, conservator or next of kin here?
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Reply to AlvaDeer
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