Care Home Fees and ways to pay for them

Approximately 100,000 people in residential care finance themselves, while as much as 20,000 annually are believed to have to sell their homes to afford it. Since the quantity of elderly people in the UK increases every year so do the amount who own their own homes, but because they become infirm, their house in addition to their savings become under threat through having to pay for medical along with other expenses. It's much more galling and distressing for that elderly person and his or her family when the sale of the house and also the lack of their savings is completely unnecessary and could so easily happen to be avoided.



Some who have used their lifetime savings or the money generated by the sale of the the place to find purchase residential care might have been eligible for NHS continuing healthcare, a package of health and social care funded solely by the NHS when that person’s care needs are medical.



All those who are due to go into a residential home can get assessed for continuing healthcare when they think they qualify and hospital staff or the person’s GP can arrange an assessment. However, some of the problems happen to be encountered through local health authorities not administering the tests correctly, therefore if the individual concerned has their funding denied, they face a hard and time-consuming job trying to get the things they feel they're eligible for.



It might not be helped in what is claimed to become a "postcode lottery" relating to the widespread variations in healthcare funding throughout the country. Information listed in Which? magazine through Freedom of Information requests, revealed figures which showed that people living in the Plymouth area were eight times more prone to receive the funding than those residing in Mid Essex.



The magazine, in trying to explain the differences through the country said it appeared that some PCTs had an ingrained culture against spending with a preconception that individuals were not entitled unless they were persuaded otherwise whereas others were more sympathetic. The Which? survey also discovered that a third of these individuals who were initially rejected and who took their cases to an independent review panel, were then successful in getting funding, so it essential that people, who have had the assessment and been denied, realise that they can go ahead and take matter further if they believe they have a case.



The law



The law in terms of claiming NHS continuing healthcare is largely governed by the Delayed Discharge (Continuing Care) Directions 2007, which emphasise that eligibility should be based on health rather than social factors. Some conditions, specifically dementia and Alzheimer’s have been wrongly diagnosed as requiring only social care instead of healthcare, so patients struggling with those conditions have, in several areas of the country, not been viewed as entitled to continuing healthcare funding.



The directions suggest that people meet the criteria for continuing NHS healthcare if they have a rapidly deteriorating condition, which can be entering a terminal phase, additionally that they're discharged from hospital and it appears that a permanent devote a care home might be necessary, that their care needs are formally reviewed regularly and that their physical or mental health deteriorates significantly and their current care package appears inadequate.



Therefore, getting continuing healthcare can be extremely difficult and time intensive and many wind up having their application denied. Since the decision is really important and can function as the difference between an individual being forced to sell their house and use up all their savings or have all their care taken care of, it is essential that families with relatives within this position do not quit but explore every avenue available to them.



Those who disagree with their PCT’s decision can appeal and request a review plus some, while not receiving the full continuing healthcare, if they are nevertheless assessed as needing some regular nursing care, they might still be eligible for NHS-funded nursing care, which currently stands at £108.70 per week in England, though rates differ throughout the UK.



Also, other people who for some reason did not apply at the first opportunity, once they first went into a residential home, can make a "retrospective application" which could increase the risk for PCT paying backdated fees as well as interest. Those unclear on the whole issue will have a point of contact inside their local PCT through their co-ordinator for NHS continuing healthcare who may be of help in determining whether that individual is eligible for funding.



If you would like to know more about how to reclaim care home fees, please visit our website www.theclaimsconnection.co.uk