My mother resisted outside help for years. Three of her sons were nearby, she had her routines, and as far as she was concerned, the family could handle whatever came up.
Most families come to Medicaid planning one of two ways: they’ve heard they need to “give everything away” before applying, or they’ve heard they can’t touch anything without losing coverage.
My brothers and I were lucky. We had the conversation early, before the bills got large and the resentments had time to calcify.
The discharge planner walked into my mother’s hospital room with a calm, efficient air. “She’s going home tomorrow,” she said. “Do you have any questions?”
If your parent was in the hospital under observation status, Medicare may not pay for rehab. What it means, how to check, and what to do — including 2026 appeal rights.