Could you please provide a reference, or starting point online?
Do you mean for the fact that some states are rolling back the requirement? The second link in the article, the Seattle Times one, should discuss that.
Washington State's own administrative rules for Medicaid Estate Recovery are given here:
http://www.dshs.wa.gov/manuals/eaz/sections/EstateRecovery.shtml
A short summary:
http://www.dshs.wa.gov/pdf/ms/forms/14_454.pdf
One quirk in all this is that for regular Medicaid enrollees, as opposed to Expanded Medicaid ones, the recovery should still be applicable, from what I understand. Unless the rollback includes them also, many thousands will still be affected.
Washington State typically recovers about $17 or $18 million a year, mostly from long-term care expenses. This isn't actually a very large part of the estates that theoretically would be subject to recovery. As always, incurred costs beginning at age 55, including premiums the state pays to contractors and capitation, are eligible. At the moment I've forgotten whether long-term care expenses incurred before age 55 can be eligible in some cases.
If you or anyone have any other questions I would be happy to look up answers.