What health care is available for my mil?

[Sonshine]

My mil is in the hospital. After 6 mos of a downhill trend, she had several episodes of passing out yesterday and is in the hospitial. So far, nothing in the way of an explanation. She is on heavy duty oxygen and did much better after they put her on a ventilator type machine yesterday, but can go off for short periods. Hopefully she will be well enough to go home in a few days. With lots of help I will probably be her primary care giver. She can afford to pay for people to come in as well.

 

Other than damaged lungs, her problem is she won't eat much. I posted that on here before. We had lots of tests done, but nothing was diagnosed. she does eat some and I don't think she is trying to starve herself to death.

 

I would like her to get outpatient physical therapy and some type of visits with a nutrititionist/dietician. Does anyone know what Medicaid will pay towards this in Texas and how to go about setting it up?

[Dobela]

There should be a social worker in the hospital that can help you set all of that up.

[Impish]

I'm not in the US, so please forgive a completely clueless question.

 

Could you call Medicaid directly and ask your questions? What they will and won't do, how to go about it?

 

Otherwise, I'd ask for a referral to a social worker, nutritionist, etc while she's still in the hospital. I know here, they have them on staff, and you can arrange for a meeting. Perhaps the same would be available to you there? The hospital usually has someone that is good at coordinating services, ask the charge nurse, often the nurses have the most direct route of how to get info, more so than a Dr.