Caregiver & Hospitalization

KatieKat1

I was curious to find out if Medicare would let my husband be in a nursing home for a short time if I ever had to be hospitalized. My husband is Alzheimer's stage 6 and I have no friends or relatives that would be capable to care for him for several days or two weeks if needed.

larryeny

KatieKat1 wrote:

I was curious to find out if Medicare would let my husband be in a nursing home for a short time if I ever had to be hospitalized. My husband is Alzheimer's stage 6 and I have no friends or relatives that would be capable to care for him for several days or two weeks if needed.

I am in a similar situation with my Mom - single only child and not married and no kids. And I may have a situation like that coming up over the next year or so.

I do not believe that Medicare provides any coverage for that. I DO believe that Medicaid in some states might provide temporary coverage like that. However, you also have to take into consideration the cognitive impact even from a short stay like that in a strange place.

Iris L.

This topic has been discussed in several threads on the Spouse/Partner board with some good suggestions.  

Iris L.

Cynbar

No, Medicare will not pay. If you ever need to be taken to the hospital in an emergency, and there is no one you can call to come stay with him, have the EMTs take him along with you. The social worker at the hospital will arrange for emergency short term placement in a nursing home, if a home care plan won't work (such as a relative coming from out of state, or arranging private care.) You would be expected to pay for his nursing home stay, if you have funds. Medicaid would pay if he has that, assuming the state agrees he needs that care. If you don't have funds or Medicaid, most states will have some payment available to cover it on a short term basis. If you will need to be in the hospital on a planned basis, many facilities of all types with do respite via private pay. My DH went to a local memory care while I recovered from hip surgery, it was pricey but worked out well, I couldn't have taken care of him because he can't understand why I was limited in what I could do for him.