Honolulu Senior AdvisorWhat should we do when savings for care are running low?
When savings for care are running low, calculate how many months remain, apply for Med-QUEST before the money is fully gone (the asset limit is $2,000 for an individual), find out whether the current setting accepts Med-QUEST members, and check whether VA pension applies.
The worst outcome is running out of money in a setting that cannot keep a Med-QUEST resident, forcing a move at the most fragile time. Ask the facility its policy now.
Which Oahu settings accept Med-QUEST members?
Med-QUEST long-term care can pay for care in nursing facilities, expanded ARCHs, community care foster family homes, some assisted living and at home, for members at the needed level of care; each provider decides whether it accepts Med-QUEST and which health plans it works with.
On Oahu the settings most built around Med-QUEST are the 1,111 foster family homes and many of the 285 expanded ARCHs. Ask each one which QUEST Integration plans it works with.
Can switching settings make money last longer?
Yes: moving from assisted living to a care home, or adding paid home care hours instead of moving, can stretch savings, because Hawaii's assisted living median of about $12,089 a month is usually higher than a care home rate for a comparable level of help.
Weigh the cost of a move against the disruption. For someone with dementia, a move can cause a setback; time it carefully.
What else can help?
VA pension with Aid and Attendance for eligible veterans and surviving spouses, long-term care insurance benefits, a reverse mortgage or home sale, and EAD services can all help, and an elder law attorney can protect a spouse at home.
See VA benefits and spousal protections.
How early should we apply for Med-QUEST?
Apply for Med-QUEST a few months before savings are expected to fall to the $2,000 limit, because the application, level-of-care assessment and health plan enrollment take time, and a gap in payment can force a move.
Keep records of how savings were spent; Med-QUEST reviews transfers in the 60 months before applying, and spending on care is not a transfer.
Can a care home evict a resident whose money runs out?
A care home can give notice under its agreement when a private-pay resident can no longer pay, which is why families should ask before move-in whether the home keeps residents who convert to Med-QUEST and how much notice it gives.
If a discharge seems unsafe or improper, the long-term care ombudsman at (808) 586-7268 can advise.
At a glance
| Planning ahead means | Running out unplanned means | |
|---|---|---|
| Med-QUEST | Applying before savings are gone | A gap with no payer |
| Setting | Choosing a provider that accepts Med-QUEST | A forced move |
| Spouse | Using spousal protections | A spouse left short |
| Gifts | Avoiding transfers inside 60 months | Penalty periods |
Sources include Hawaii Administrative Rules chapters 11-100.1, 11-90 and 11-800, HRS 321-481 and 321-1.8, Office of Health Care Assurance rosters and pages, the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines, CMS, CareScout and VA rate tables as cited above; see our editorial standards.
