Posted on 07/31/2023 4:28:46 AM PDT by jacknhoo
Rebecca Miller said her father was on Medicaid for about two years and she served as his caretaker at his home after he was diagnosed in 2018 with Parkinson's disease, from which he died last August.
About 30 days later while still mourning David Miller's passing, the 36-year-old said she received a letter from the Ohio Attorney General's Office stating her father owed $56,000 to Medicaid Estate Recovery.
The Medicaid collection program was foreign to the Clinton County woman, as it is to the vast majority of people, attorneys said.
The state notice was a jolt, informing Miller that her father's house — for which she said the mortgage has been paid in full and is "the only real home that I've ever known" — was at risk, potentially leaving her homeless.
The AG's letter stated "that they were going to take the place because of a $56,000 lien from Medicaid," she said. "I've even called Medicaid myself to find out why — what kind of services are you saying (he owes) $56,000 for?"
Stories like Miller's are "the classic Medicaid estate recovery" experience in the federally mandated program, one elder care and Medicaid planning south suburban Dayton attorney told the Dayton Daily News.
Ohio's AG's office — which collects the funds for the Ohio Department of Medicaid — has recovered more than $270 million since 2019, a year in which more than $730 million was collected nationwide, records show.
Washington Twp. attorney Ted Gudorf said he has a client who has been in a Kettering elderly care facility since last October.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Bkmk
I’ve never made use of any government services, so I don’t know how they work.
I have assumed that we all (*ahem*) pay taxes and one of the results of that is that Medicaid pays for a certain level of medical care on our behalf.
Likewise, we all pay into Social Security and at some point, SS sends a monthly check.
I would not expect my heirs to “pay Social Security back” after I die.
I would not expect my heirs to “pay Medicaid back” after I die.
Unless, of course, government is 100% a scam.
Yeah... If you don’t plan ahead this is how it works.
Why do I think there’s more to this story than the enemedia is reporting...
Social Security and Medicare are entitlement programs. Medicaid is for indigents without sufficient resources to pay for long term care. It is not an entitlement program.
Let the lien sit. Go on with your life.
Medicaid tried that when my husband’s mother died. Her youngest son and his wife took care of her until she died. My husband was the executor of her will so we got the bill. He said, “no way” and they said they would take the property. He told them, “have at it.” They sent an appraiser out and he got a call that they didn’t want it and they dropped the claim. LOL
It was a falling down shack WAY back in the mountains on a dirt road full of timber rattlers. She wouldn’t live anywhere else because “pappy” built it when they got married in the ‘30’s. They didn’t even have running water or electricity until around 1970.
His baby brother pushed the shack down and put a mobile home on it. Even the land it was on was only worth about $500.
Her bill from Medicaid shouldn’t have been much because when she was in the hospital, and that was rarely, they got her government check (SS or SSI).
$150 billion for Ukraine
Your heirs wouldn’t be paying it.
Your estate would be paying it.
We had family in residential care.
None were on Medicaid.
And I can tell you this from many years of experience: If you can afford to pay your own way, do it. You won’t like the quality of care you’ll get from Medicaid.
Ummmmm. SS is an entitlement program!?? News to me!!
OK. Thanks for explaining the difference.
Bureaucrap. The most advanced product of Socialism. (Totalitarianism)
Nobody understands the rules, so they can make them up as they go along.
My uncle lived in New York State and his estate repaid NY Medicaid about $1900.
There’s no such thing as a free lunch.
You’re right, but why then, pay into Medicaid if they’re going to take your money right back?
Think of it like regular health insurance. You pay your premiums, you make a claim, insurance company pays the claim and then sends you a bill. What were you paying for?
Social Security and Medicare are programs that people have paid into during their working luves.
Medicare does not cover nursing home care. Medicaid covers it, but only for “indignant” people without assets. You are expected to spend down your assets until they are all gone, then Medicaid takes over. They will go after the estate if there’s anything there ( like a house).
Meanwhile elderly welfare recipients who never paid a dollar of taxes get care for free, as do illegal aliens.
The house should have been transferred out of his name prior to getting old and sick.
My understanding of Medicade is that it is based on what you spend. Usually, you show them your bank statement for the past 3 month. It’s not so much base on what you make or even how much money you have in the bank..if you your spending below a certain ammount you qualify..
I’ve said it before many government programs are blanket solutions.. Instead of basing your situation individually.
But like anything government ..they like to believe they own your soul. If you must use them ..get out as quick as possible.
Just my advice.
“You’re right, but why then, pay into Medicaid if they’re going to take your money right back?
Think of it like regular health insurance. You pay your premiums, you make a claim, insurance company pays the claim and then sends you a bill. What were you paying for?”
__________________________________________
Funding for Medicare is done through payroll taxes and premiums paid by recipients.
Medicaid is funded by the federal government and each state. Of course that’s our tax dollars, too. The government has little money other than our money.
Bingo! This is exactly right. There are basically three ways to pay for long term care:
Out of your pocket
Private long term care insurance
Medicaid (or VA benefits) - and one must qualify financially for this
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