Re: for those old timers that remember

[Patti Zapf <patti@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

dear Chcuk;
your message is so timely. my husband will turn 65 in 2 years and his long term 
disability benefit, that has supported us the last 15 years, will go away at 65.
i have thought a long time about the medicaid benefits and our divorce as our 
only option to survive financially.
we have <$100,000 in savings and expect that will evaporate by 65. i wonder 
what i should do with the look back period at 3-5 years.
any more input would be appreciated.
thanks
patti
-----Original Message-----
From: JOYCE44@xxxxxxx [mailto:JOYCE44@xxxxxxx]
Sent: Saturday, June 6, 2009 02:47 AM
To: PARKINSN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: for those old timers that remember

This is Chuck using Joyce's membership to sign on. After nearly 28 years with 
PD, Joyce is still with us in (almost) fine condition. After personally funding 
her live-in companion(s) since 1996 it was impossible to continue and I had to 
seek alternative ideas. Some of you might remember my sadness to have to make 
the decision to divorce Joyce in order to make a Medicaid application for 
assistance. Finally I had no choice and we were divorced in 2007. What followed 
was the most difficult financial audit in my lifetime. having a private 
business I was subjected to state and federal examinations including state 
sales tax audits. I passed all without exemption!!! Nothing can compare to a 
medicaid audit. I hired the top medicaid lawyer in South Carolina, called many 
times to testify in front of state appellate and federal level counts including 
the US Supreme court for medicaid cases. She knows her stuff. The current look 
back is five years but she found a provision to narrow it to three....big 
deal...!! Folks, if anyone is considering applying to Medicaid be ready to 
provide in duplicate and triplicate every single transaction from whatever 
source which can be shown which could be thought of as a way to reduce the 
beneficiaries assets. For me it was a five month process and a dossier of 
nearly 4 inches of papers. EVERYTHING financial over $1000 was requested in 
more than one direction. What made it soooo difficult was that the three years 
prior included years that we were married and co mingled investment and bank 
accounts. Ouch. Items such as helping our son's wedding, our other son's car 
down payment and many more normal family actions that were NOT accepted because 
in effect it was considered a gift. believe me this sucked. If any lives in 
South Carolina there is another program under which the patient can apply and 
which is for the most part not publicly advertised. I will supply the info if 
you ask me. The criteria is similar but has some leeway that straight medicaid 
does not have. After 4 months she was accepted for 1/2 of the 
benefits...medical and medicine...leaving the actual living expenses in a 
nursing home (assisted living is not covered) up in the air. The bills kept 
coming but since we didn't know if we were accepted how far back they would 
cover. so i never paid anything except her personal care items. I contacted the 
state ombudslady who after hearing and reading my letter asking for her support 
agreed to act on my behalf...the lawyer was against a brick wall... It worked 
and with a lot of tears from the lawyer, ambudslady and ME last week I received 
notice that she qualified for the missing link and I was totally free of ALL 
expenses. Joyce is now living in a nursing home in Columbia, South Carolina, 
using a power wheelchair to get around and which opened a new world for her. 
Her PD symptoms continue as was for years and years...no use of her legs 
complicated by the loss of the use of her right hand due to an car accident. 
She is the life of the party, knows everyone, just received an honor for 
redesigning and reorganizing the library, credited with starting a maj jong 
game club..and known as somebody who will always bring a smile to anyone near. 
Nobody every accepts PD or a nursing home but she has made peace with 
herself...i think... We remain closest friends and I am thankful to my current 
wife who totally supports my efforts and actions for Joyce. Although they 
havent met, Joyce continually sends her thanks to us both. If anyone is 
interested in writing to her, and although she cant write back, she will 
dictate to me and Ill answer all mail. I will give her address to anyone 
interested who requests it to Joyce's private email at _Joyce44@xxxxxxxx 
(mailto:Joyce44@xxxxxxx) I had to share this experience for those who find 
themselves facing financial disaster due to the care giving expenses which will 
keep mounting. The thought of divorce was the hardest but something that MUST 
be done, good luck to all.. Chuck CG Joyce first dx 1981 now 65 years old. 
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