Hiding a Pension from an Assisted Living Facility

[meandbobbymcgee]

My question involves a person located in the state of: Missouri

After my father passed away, my mother became the beneficiary of my father's pension from work. The money from the pension goes into an account that has my older brother's name on it as primary owner for benefit of my mother. When my mother went into an assisted living facility, the pension money was not included in her monthly income b/c my brother thinks it is hidden. What are the ramifications of these actions?

[Blossom]

Does your mother receive Medicaid to pay for the facility?

If so, she can lose her Medicaid eligibility over this and be expected to private pay for the facility and be put out if she can't afford to do so.

If Mother does not currently receive Medicaid, her essentially "gifting" those funds to your brother can make her ineligible for Medicaid for long term care from the outset.

[Mercy&Grace]

Your mother's social security number is associated with the account, so it won't be hidden for long if she received Medicaid.

If she is in any facility that goes by income and assets, she will have to pay the difference for the time she has been there and forward. Assisted Living and. Nursing Facility aren't the same thing.

[meandbobbymcgee]

Her social security is paying for part of the fee. At one point, she had to have a spend-down with the amount of money she received from dad's social security and pension.

[Mercy&Grace]

I thought you said the pension was hidden ? With her being on spend down, that's Medicaid. If ALL resources and income aren't disclosed, they will find it. Hopefully she or her family can pay back what she wasn't eligible for and continue to pay the new amount. If not, she will have to leave the facility.