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Jeanne Freeman
Jeanne Gowdy-Freeman, MA, BSA, BOML, is the coordinator of Admissions at Westview of Derby, a skilled nursing facility. She has been a health care professional for more than 10 years. Gowdy-Freeman has a Master of Arts in Human Resources Development from Webster University, a Bachelor of Criminal Justice from Friends University. Jeanne is married to Scotty Freeman and has 4 children. If you are interested in volunteering for our residents please contact Jeanne or Beth at 788-3739.
Hospice
2009-05-01 11:45:00
Paying for nursing homes, how do I?
Question: How do I pay for the nursing home?
Answer: First, a piece of good news! 94 percent of those over 65 are not in a nursing facility; and 92 percent will never be in a nursing facility. That is an “A” for the health of our senior citizens. This statistic has been constant since 1980. The question is still important and worth considering. Medicare will pay for Skilled Nursing Care during a limited period of time following hospitalization for the same illness or condition the resident was hospitalized to treat. Medicare is a limited program in providing care for elders. It is designed to rehabilitate people, get them out of the hospital and home. It is skilled nursing care, and most elders in nursing facilities only require custodial care. It is not a primary payment source for nursing home care across the country. So how do you pay for custodial care? Paying privately from one’s personal assets is a common way of paying for care. Everyone talks about saving for their old age, or for a rainy day. This is why many people are thrifty, so they may provide for their health care. Can everyone afford a nursing home? Some people do not have the savings, some people finance what they can and then still require care after they have exhausted their personal resources. If you meet the asset and income limitations, financial assistance is available for those without enough personal financial resources, through the Medicaid Program. Financial assistance is available to a single person. It is available to one spouse in a nursing facility, while the other spouse lives in their home or anywhere other than a nursing home. Obtaining this financial assistance does not require getting a divorce. Federal and State rules allowing this financial assistance are applied to the unique financial situation for each couple and allow the spouse not in the nursing home to maintain an independent lifestyle within their income. As with any government program there are rules to follow and records to be kept. Federal and State rules allowing this financial assistance disqualify and penalize people that dispose of assets, in gifts, or sales for less than fair market value, within 60 months of the application for medicaid. The Kennedy-Kassebaum Act also makes it a federal crime to dispose of assets in order to become eligible for medical assistance. The business office staff at Westview have worked with this program extensively and are available to answer your initial questions and direct you to the proper office for determinations. Personal assets and other resources may be preserved through the purchase of a long term care policy that covers custodial care. If you have or are considering the purchase of a long term care policy, you are welcome to bring it in to Westview for a free review. Recent legislation has made long term care insurance particularly attractive as a benefit to employees and employers. Insurance companies are offering discounted premiums for individual long term care policies when they are billed through a centralized billing center. In addition, the 1997 Kennedy-Kassebaum tax act allows these premiums to be tax deductible. The cost of delivering health care services continues to increase as medical advances are made; long term care is no exception. Affordable long term care insurance is a wise investment, preserving your personal assets should you need care in the future. Jeanne Gowdy-Freeman, MA, BSA, BOML, is the coordinator of Admissions at Westview of Derby, a skilled nursing facility. She has been a health care professional for more than 10 years. Gowdy-Freeman has a Master of Arts in Human Resources Development from Webster University, a Bachelor of Criminal Justice from Friends University. Jeanne is married to Scotty Freeman and has 4 children. If you are interested in volunteering for our residents please contact Jeanne or Beth at 788-3739.
 
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