My Mom, who has alzheimer's, fell and broke her neck. I have been with her and my Dad for almost three years. A 'halo' was screwed into her head. After two weeks in a skill nursing hospital, they informed me she would not be covered with medicare since she wasn't 'progressing rapidly'...i.e., not following instructions consistently. Their house is being sold, since we all moved to a nearby city, to be closer to a hospital, but I don't want to use their life savings on her care, since my sister, who is brain-damaged from birth, lives with us also. (and SSI doesn't pay enough for anyone to live on). I want to get Mom on medicaid, but the sale of their home will definitely complicate that. The neurosurgeon says it will be another month with this contraption (at least), and I do plan to bring her home, (she and Dad have been hooked for 65 years)..does anyone know if I put the money from their house into our house, that we can be co-owners??? Any help would be great. Is

"Not making progress or able to understand and follow thru with instructions" was the insurance and financial problems that I had with my mom's hip. (At least that's what THEY told me), when the true problem is that ins. co's + Medicare and Medicaid have put deliberate restrictions on coverages to help curb their financial responsibility and outlay...It's criminal...HOW DO THEY EXPECT ANYONE WITH LONG TERM AND PERMANENT BRAIN DAMAGE TO UNDERSTAND AND PARTICIPATE IN THEIR OWN RECOVERY....IT'S DISCRIMINATION..!

Anyway, you have to find a way around it. I don't know the Medicaid laws in Texas; but, I imagine that they are similar to Wa. where I am. And, here you can't do what you are proposing for 5 years (maybe 7 now); as there is a "look back window" into your parents finances, and if they have given or loned money to anyone or tried to hide assets they will be inelagitable for aid. So, you have to see what Medicare WILL COVER. And if you can get "Medical coverage assistance only" thru Medicade and not full public assistance. 1st go to your local Public Assistance Office and fill out the forms. Note: you could not sell the house they own, (That's a deductable asset) or if you still plan to -- the monies could be deducted from the medical aid until the home funds are used up. And see if they will cover just medical expense for this and future medical problems for your mom (not full Public Assistance). Also, medicare's coverage is about the same (a little better) as Medicaid; so contact a representative at the local Medicare office and go over the same concerns.

IMPORTANT:
Also, before you get tied up with the official paperwork at both government agencys make sure you know your ultimate game plan for your mothers care. And that will take some talking to Doctors and nurses and the local Alzheimer's Acc. as well as local nursing homes and Adultcare Family homes in your community. You have 2 concerns, one is temp. (the borken neck) and the second is long term care. It would be a waist if you had to go thru a life's savings to care for your mom for a month when a nursing home may take medicare for 30 days to care for your mom. If the current requiorment is "improvement", could a nursing home provide physical theropy as an indusement for a 30 stay? (or not, and bill Medicare?). If that door doesn't open try the BACK DOOR. My mom couldn't get care for a bad hip or surgery to make it better because she wouldn't "cooperate" with physical theropy (after surgery). She wound up in a nursing home anyway for 6 months to take care of the ulcers on her feet from grinding them on the sheets from the pain and from the swelling from not being able to walk. Medicare ended up paying some 80,000 dollars for that little stay because they wanted to save some 25,000 on her hip replacement surgery !!!!
AIN'T GOVERNMENT GRAND !!!
Medicare, Medicaid, Private Ins. they are all about the same. So, keep trying doors until one opens for you. I got some good advise from the hospital administration and the nursing home and my family lawyer before my mom went into the nursing home, and it was a juggling act, but it was all covered. So, don't give up.
IF THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A WAY.

Good luck and God Bless You and your family,

Gizmo