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 ...
“‘Sometimes’ government does its job.”
A government that only takes from the middle class will not get much political support from the middle class.
Members of the middle class may emigrant if taxed heavily for no possible benefit.
Remember, the young folks of today often learn Spanish. There are many Spanish-speaking countries.
This country is being run by thieving politicians.
Some people call these politicians communists, but only the RINOs are Marxist. The rest are vote-buying scumbags.
The government can change a law easier than you can make money. Don’t make much more money than you have to.
I did not know this.... Thanks for that.!
“I dispute 99%”
Have at it, if you will, but consider:
“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.”
Evidence that OH is more effective at going after deadbeats - and selfish families - than other states?
/s
What gives? Are you expressing support for entitlements and the families keeping assets rather than paying for provided care which comes directly out of OUR wallets?
It probably depends on the amount of care needed?
My sister-in-law who has never earned 10 cents under life is in a nursing home in Tennessee on Medicaid. But the weird thing about it is I’m told that the people living there who are on their own dime are paying up to $8,000 a month. This is my question is which I cannot get an answer how is somebody who’s already on the government dole end up in an $8,000 a month nursing home? It is notable that these facts are coming from the family two steps back so I can’t vouch the accuracy.. but according to another sister-in-law it is a pretty nice nursing home.
In some states, it’s not just the estate of the deceased that is liable for Medicaid repayment. The children are personally liable and the children’s assests can be seized to repay the State. This is regardless of whether or not the children had any say-so about the parent going onto Medicaid. Children may not have even known the parent(s) were on Medicaid, but that doesn’t matter.
My advice, if you have parents who are senior citizens, check your state law and get thee to an attorney who specializes in Estate Planning.
The government, however, does take money out of everyone's paycheck to pay for Medicaid just like SS and Medicare.
“What gives? Are you expressing support for entitlements and the families keeping assets rather than paying for provided care which comes directly out of OUR wallets?”
My complaint is mainly with the “disparate impact”.
If a government doesn’t want to help me, but only takes from me, I’ll not be happy with that.
If a government doesn’t want to help me, but doesn’t take from me, I can live with that quite happily, as you probably could too.
If government takes, but gives back just about as much, being quite fair to all concerned, many people would consider that acceptable.
Did not know that it depended on the state. The $500 we spent on the lawyer saved their $90K house from a lien.
“an $8,000 a month nursing home”
Back in 2010, nursing homes ran from about $190/day to about $235/day in my area of Florida.
It’s called filial responsibility laws.
About half the USA states impose this.
I’ll send the link later.
But, yes, it’s a thing. In the particular circumstance I know about, the adult child (who was 60 something) was sexually abused by the father and they had zero contact for decades.
And yet NJ wanted the cash.
Excellent advice.
I would add a spouse who may need long term care.
My sister's husband has parkinsons and, at some point, will need to go on Medicaid to pay for long term care.
She hired a lawyer to protect her retirement funds and community property.
In her state, the state could require reimbursement from her 401K. However, converting her 401K into an annuity with monthly payouts then the state cannot collect on that money.
Her issue then becomes community property. Her state requires a 5 year look back.
So, I will repeat your advice:
If you have parents who are senior citizens (or a spouse who may need long term care), check your state law and get thee to an attorney who specializes in Estate Planning.
Not where the government is involved.
There are other ways of providing elder care than nursing homes:
1. a couple takes in an older person for payment, which is sometimes done in Florida, where it is legal
2. a couple comes in and get say three years post-death (or post-nursing home entry) rent of the house for every year of care rendered (not currently legal)
3. a couple runs a six-to-eight-person unit with about 30 hours per day of hired help [say two-ten hour shifts at night and outside chore break/dinnertime help] (not currently legal)
This is a huge problem that no one talks about and the odds are very high you have to deal with it. The low end for nursing home is $4,000 every much and most are more. If you have a loved one that gets dementia they can last 4-6 years and they will looking at $8,000 a month. Think about number every month for 6 years and you begin to see the problem.
Our loved ones with dementia were in residential care for over a decade each.
“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.”
A lot more money than $730 million in 2019 dollars annually is coming from “wallets” much like “OURS” to pay for legal avoidance services.
My uncle’s estate was based on a trust which did not prevent New York State from reclaiming Medicaid costs. My uncle lived at and died at home.
In Britain a few years back there was talk of requiring homeowners to shell out the equivalent of about $50,000 before their house became exempt from custodial care cost reclamation.
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