Help me figure out how to pay for care

• Buying Guide - A Buyer's Guide to Reverse Mortgages

  This free buyer's guide to reverse mortgages will help you understand how reverse mortgages work and what to look for in a reverse mortgage.

• Buying Guide - A Buyer's Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance

  Find the best long-term care insurance policy for your needs. Understand their costs, benefits, extra perks, and the common loopholes to avoid.

• Article - Medicare Part D (Prescription Drug Plans): A Beginner's Guide

  Medicare Part D (Prescription Drug Plans): A Beginner's Guide. Who's eligible for Medicare Part D coverage and how much do Part D drug plans cost?

• Article - Medicaid: A Beginner's Guide

  Medicaid: A Beginner's Guide. What is Medicaid? Who qualifies for Medicaid? What does Medicaid cover?

• Article - Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage Managed Care Plans): A Beginner's Guide

  Medicare Part C: A Beginner's Guide. What you need to know about Medicare Part C Advantage plans. Who's eligible? What's covered? How much does it cost?

• Article - Long-term Care Insurance: A Beginner's Guide

  Long Term Care Insurance: A Beginner's Guide. Long term care insurance is one of the best ways to minimize expenses as your parents get older.

• Article - Prepare a Personal Care Agreement With Your Parent

  If your parent pays you for the in-home care you provide, it's wise to prepare a simple written agreement detailing your care-giving arrangement.

• Article - How to Get Paid for Being Your Parent's Caregiver

  Find out if your parent is eligible for cash assistance for the in-home care you provide.

• Article - Medicare and Long-Term Care: What’s Covered, What’s Not

  Learn the basics about Medicare coverage for home care and nursing facilities. How much does Medicare pay for home care? What type of care is covered?

• Article - Reverse Mortgages: A Beginner's Guide

  Reverse Mortgage: A Beginner's Guide. A free informative guide on reverse mortgages.

• Article - Enrolling in Medicare Programs

  A concise guide to how and when to enroll in Medicare based on your parent's particular circumstances.

Questions & Answers

• Question - Should one use Medicare benefits to pay for in-home care before long term care insurance?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Does anyone know the approximate cost of chemo treatment for non-hodgkins lymphoma?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Is there a way to use my mother's assets to compensate me as her caregiver?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - What are my responsibilities if I hire a home health aide?

  Do I have to take out taxes when hiring a home health aide? You must withhold taxes after you hire a home health aide unless you use an agency.

• Question - Can you get financial aid for a caregiver?

  You may need financial aid to hire a caregiver for a parent, whether he needs hospice or home care. Do Medicare or Medicaid offer financial aid?

• Question - Does divorce protect one spouse's assets from the long-term care costs of the other spouse?

  Is it wise to get a divorce to protect assets when one spouse has many assets and the other doesn't? Divorce can protect assets in some situations.

• Question - Am I responsible for my parent's debt?

  Am I responsible for my parent's debt? I recently discovered that my father has several thousand of dollars of debt. Are parent debts transferable?

• Question - Is a Medicaid annuity a scam?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can a widow's veterans pension be protected from nursing home costs?

  A veterans pension has no protection from nursing home costs. It's difficult to protect some funds by paying for services from an adult child.

• Question - Who is responsible for paying for my mother's care?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can I pay myself a salary from the Family Trust?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How can you pay for care when your assets are too high for Medicaid?

  You can still qualify for Medicaid in many states if your assets are above the normal eligibillity limit but you have high medical bills.

• Question - What help is available to pay for prescription drugs?

  Can your parent get financial help to pay for prescription drugs? Does Medicare cover drugs, or are there other ways to get help paying for prescriptions?

• Question - Is a home given away more than five years before still considered the parent's asset?

  Long-term care facilities can't attach assets given to adult children but Medicaid may consider such assets in deciding eligibility.

• Question - Having limited resources, how do I get into a nursing home?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What is the average cost of assisted living community fees in Westchester county in NY state?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - With both my parents in the hospital, how can I pay their bills?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert and a Community Member

• Question - Are there financial benefits available to a primary caregiver?

  A caregiver who becomes a certified home care aide could receive small benefits from Medicaid, or be paid from long-term care insurance.

• Question - Can I get paid to be my mom's caregiver?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How can I help my mom that is disabled from pollio, In the...

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - How does one go about hiding assets?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How can I find financial aid to care for my mother in her home?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Will the State of CA pay you to care for your parents?

  The State of CA won't pay family to provide care, except possibly some Medi-Cal home care payments if the caregiver is a certified home care aide.

• Question - When is it the age to buy long term care insurance?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Should we get a home equity line of credit in order to pay for nursing home care until my parent's home is sold?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Does the Veterans Administration have any claim on my parent’s estate?

  Does the VA or our state have any claim on my parent’s estate?

• Question - How can I move my mother to a nursing home near me?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do we decide between a reverse mortgage for my father or a personal loan from me?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can my dad do whatever he wishes with his IRA?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Is there any financial aid for a child to quit their job and care for their parent?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can we keep from selling my mother's home to pay for her final expenses?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - How should my father balance estate planning, tax planning, and Medicaid planning?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do I set up a conservatorship for my mother?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How does an in-home caregiver get paid by the state?

  A caregiver or caretaker can sometimes be paid by the state or Medicaid instead of under the table. It's called being a certified home care provider.

• Question - Are there programs that can help with the cost of in-home care?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Is there a program in Iowa that will pay you for taking care of a family member?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Financial help when a parent leaves a nursing home to live with family?

  A low-income elder who leaves a nursing home to live with family may get help from Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid.

• Question - With both parents in a nursing home and me with power of attorney, can I protect their savings and house?

  Once both parents are in a nursing home, it's difficult to protect their assets. They'll have to use most of those assets to pay for their own care before Medicaid kicks in.

• Question - Does any government program pay for assisted living?

  Does Medicaid pay for assisted living? Medicaid pays for assisted living instead of a nursing home if you're lucky enough to live in the right state.

• Question - Do drug companies help pay for chemotherapy?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do I compensate a sibling who is the primary caregiver for our parent?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What are the risks with reverse mortgages?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can I get paid to provide care for my mother in FL?

  An adult child who is certified as a home care aide might get some pay from Medicaid, or from long-term care insurance, for caring for a parent.

• Question - My mother is 58 and moving in with us. She is suffering...

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Does power of attorney make me responsible for medical bills?

  If I get medical power of attorney, will I have to pay my parent's bills when she dies, or is power of attorney limited to other things besides bills?

• Question - What are reverse mortgages?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What financial assistance is available for caregivers?

  Medicaid can pay for in-home care and might even pay a home-bound senior directly, who can then pay a familymember.

• Question - Will Medicaid or Medicare pay for my indigent father's nursing home bills?

  Medicare pays only brief, skilled nursing home care, but Medicaid can pay the full cost of long-term nursing home care for a parent with few funds.

• Question - Can I use my stepfather's Social Security check to pay for the things he needs while he's living with me?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Does Medicare cover lifting and transporting a parent to dialysis?

  Will Medicare pay to transport an elderly patient to dialysis? No, Medicare won't pay for dialysis transportation unless a doctor prescribes it.

• Question - Will Medicare pay for carcinoma of the gums?

  Medicare covers treatment of the gums if it's the kind of care normally provided by a physician, not just by a dentist.

• Question - How do you apply for the Cash for Caregiving program through...

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can I take classes and become certified for home care for my mother?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

Tips & Reflections

• Tip - Little-Known Veterans Benefit Can Pay for Your Parent's Nursing Home

  A little-known Veteran's Benefit might help pay for nursing home care and other medical expenses. Learn what it is, how to qualify and apply.

• Tip - Look to the Web for Hidden Health Benefits

  Even if your parents are already signed up for Medicare...

• Tip - Offsetting the Costs of Caregiving

  Ask your tax advisor whether you can claim your parent...

• Tip - Save Your Parent Money on Physical Therapy

  Medicare Part B covers physical therapy if a doctor...

• Tip - Toll-free phone line for senior services

  This toll-free phone number refers you to a variety of local social services for seniors and others.

• Tip - Put It in Writing to Avoid Disputes

  If you and your siblings are squabbling over who should...

• Tip - Using Medicaid to Hire Family and Friends as In-home Caregivers

  If your parent is eligible for Medicaid, the state...

• Tip - For Long-Term Income, Opt for an Insured Reverse Mortgage

  Many private reverse mortgages aren't insured...

• Tip - Give the Gift of Long-Term Care Insurance

  If you're struggling with what gift to get your parent...

• Tip - Get Medicare to Cover Your Parent's Physical Exam

  Except for an initial "wellness" exam when your parent...

• Tip - Save Your Parent 15 Percent on Medical Bills

  Whenever your parent is about to see a doctor or other...

Links

• External Link - Reducing Medication Costs

  From our partner, AOL Health.