Legal Updates RSS
Reports: TennCare Medicaid Program Adding Requirements for Seniors to Qualify for Nursing Home Care
Aug. 7, 2012
It is becoming more difficult for low-income seniors to qualify for nursing home care. As of July 1, TennCare, the state Medicaid program, began overall assessments of an individual's level of need before allocating the highest level of funding--$55,000 for nursing home, adult day care, or assisted living care.
"Being deficient in one activity is no longer enough to qualify for nursing home care and receive the maximum funding," according to an article in the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Low-income seniors who fail to qualify for the maximum amount will get up to $15,000 a year toward home health care or an adult day care facility. TennCare estimates it will save about $47 million a year by increasing the funding requirements.
"It is very clear this is a time to make Medicaid pre-planning part of a retirement 'to do' list," said Dana Perry, managing partner of Chambliss, Bahner and Stophel. Perry also leads the firm's elder law team. "We want to make sure seniors are prepared to face these types of changes. Too often we find they are caught by surprise."
For the full text of the articles, go to
http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2012/July/29/tennessee-medicaid-long-term-care.aspx
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/aug/07/tenncare-tightening-funding-for-seniors/?local
For more information, contact Sally Brewer, Care Coordinator at Chambliss, Bahner, and Stophel, (423) 321-0357, sbrewer@cbslawfirm.com.