Therapeutic services for Alzheimer's patients. For a long while, Medicare didn't consider various therapies for people who had been formally diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease medically necessary, and so did not cover them.
This policy has changed. If the person in your care has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, Medicare Part B can now cover physical, occupational, and speech therapy for her, as well as psychological counseling and other mental health services. Her doctor must prescribe the treatment, however, and it must be provided by a Medicare-certified therapist or mental health provider.
Medications for mental health conditions. Any medication administered to someone when she's a hospital or nursing facility inpatient, whether or not she's an Alzheimer's patient, is covered by Medicare Part A. Any medication given to her at her doctor's office or at any outpatient health facility is covered by Medicare Part B. Things get much trickier with prescription drugs taken at home. The only coverage Medicare provides for at-home medications is through a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. Coverage for specific drugs the doctor may prescribe for mental health issues depends on the formulary -- the covered list of drugs -- that her plan maintains.
There's a special prohibition, however, on certain drugs that are often prescribed to cope with mental health issues. Medicare doesn't permit a Part D prescription drug plan to cover any medication within the categories of barbiturates (certain sedatives) and benzodiazepines (certain tranquilizers), even if a physician has prescribed it. So if she's taking one of these drugs, and she'd like to have coverage from her Part D drug plan, ask her doctor whether a similarly effective drug might be available that does not technically fall into either of these categories.
Although I was already somewhat informed about this topic, I still found beneficial information in your article. Thank you!
I also have a Mother with Alzheimer's Is there a way that I can recieve financial assistance? from Medical or any part of the governments? I pray that anyone who has a family member with this problem can get an answer. Thanks
My father is in the advanced stages of Alzheimers. He has been living in a facilityfor the last 3 years. It is costing my mother almost $7,00.00 a month and this money will soon run out. Does Medicare cover any of this? Will his Aetna insurance cover any of this? Does any one know of some one you can hire to navigate the web of insurance coverage? They don't make it easy to figure out. Thanks God I don't have Alzeimers.
I need to have a wooden handicap ramp built and an 8 ft. by 8 ft. deck from which it will extend. Is there any monetary assistance from any organization? My husband has Alzheimer's and physical handicap. I am finding that it is taking forever to figure out how to do this. Internet sites are so confusing. I have had some bids by local contractors so far, and there is no way I can afford the work. Thanks if you have any information.
As a daughter and caregiver of a mentally ill parent, my mom suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, I can attest to how emotionally difficult their care can be. For support, feel free to visit my blog at mentalillnessmatters.wordpress.com