Hello there. I hope one of you can answer me a serious question concerning the US health care system. As a German, I have no idea what it is really like, besides what little information travels across the Atlantic and makes it into our news. I tried to browse the internet, but came up with nothing helpful.

I have an aunt that emigrated to the USA about 60 years ago. She has since become an US citizen. Yesterday, a friend of that aunt contacted us, telling us that she suffers from dementia. Now, I don't think this aunt would want to come back to Germany. She left our country when she was barely 20 years old. Besides, it would be difficult, because she is no longer a German citizen and has no health insurance over here.

My aunt is retired and I think I heard that there was something like a general health insurance for retired people. Is there such a thing? And if there is, does it cover for nursing homes or do you rely on your savings to pay for them? Does it matter which kind of insurance you had when you were still working? She is living in the State of Nevada, if that makes a difference.

Are there any rules concerning the responsibility of relatives? As far as I know, my grandmother (her sister), my mother and I are the only living relatives she has. All three of us live in Germany. She was married, but her husband died many years ago.

I hope that you can answer my questions. Thanks in advance,

Barbara

You should look into Medicare. I don't know if it covers nursing homes but is available to retired people over 65. I live in Las Vegas and there's is a large retirement community here with a wide range of facilities depending on the care needs. I hope this helps. Maybe somebody with more knowledge will chime in.

If she doesn't already have Medicare, someone should help her sign up for it. Like chickberry said, it's available to everyone over 65, but signing up and figuring out all the Medicare Part D, etc. stuff is complicated even for someone not suffering from dementia. My parents signed up for it in the last year, and there was more paperwork and red tape to deal with ... plus deadlines and other stuff, which they are fortunately still capable of dealing with themselves.

Three cheers for Nevada. Yes, they have good programs and a system of advocates that will help. I don't know how you hook into them because I live in California and rules are different. We've had Medicare forever at work and it carried out through our careers and retirement. There may be an office for that in Clark
County. There is an enormous retired population in Las Vegas.
She was living somewhere and that group may help.
Good luck and best wishes. Try the wedsite http://dhhs.nv.gov.
If she was employed by a casino, hotel, grocery chain and other businesses , she may well have Medicare
r/
Artemis