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...
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
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?
The house should have been transferred out of his name prior to getting old and sick.
Medicaid is not a free ride. They expect you to cover, or reimburse, the state for any medical expenses the state pays, until you don’t have anything left, then they pick up the tab.
They don’t think it’s fair that the state should pay your medical bills when you have the wherewithal to do it yourself.
I’m surprised Freepers aren’t on board with that
It is well known that medicaid will require spending down of assets to qualify. They make “compassionate allowance” to a recipient and/or spouse to stay in the primary dwelling until the recipient is done receiving services. Then the remaining asset is claimed to recover expenses. Not new.
Oh, you don’t possibly think that some young mother with children diagnosed with a childhood illness, or having lost the father of the children will pay that back? Yes, there are plenty of free lunches. I knew a man who died in a crash. He had three women pregnant at his death. All three collected welfare for the children.
“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.”
I assume that if the home had been put in her name, she would be in the clear now. In retrospect, it sounds like they should have seen a lawyer.
“Rebecca Miller said she cared for her father at his home, he didn’t have a nurse and was never in a nursing home, so she was surprised at the attorney general’s letter seeking $56,000. ... She said “I’ve even called Medicaid myself to find out why — what kind of services are you saying (he owes) $56,000 for?”
That is a good question, and she deserves a good answer.
To me, there is a valid and important distinction between Medicare and Medicaid. How financial and legal principles play out differently between the two, I do not know.
Medicaid, like The Disability, is a deal with the Devil
Medicaid is welfare. People are all the time trying this scam. Get ahold of the elderlys’ assets while leaving the taxpayer with the bill.
“’the only real home that I’ve ever known’ — was at risk, potentially leaving her homeless.”
It is my understanding that naturally dependent persons living in a decedent’s house are exempt from Medicaid clawback, at least in Florida.
My Democratic neighbors have their house held in a family trust.
My wife is one of 5 children. When her mom went into a nursing home, Medicaid paid most of the bill for that. Fortunately the house was in a trust so that when mom passed, Medicaid was only able to get 1/6 of the value of the house. The other went to the children. Without that paperwork, done in advance of mom going into the nursing home, Medicaid would have gotten the whole thing.
A spouse would still have a lien on the house, but would be "allowed" to live in it. Otherwise the house would have to be sold upon his death to repay Medicaid. There may be exceptions for a disabled child, but I didn't pay attention to that part. Fortunately because of some very good insurance Dad has not gone on Medicaid yet.
It's brutal, but should the government (i.e. me and other taxpayers) pay so you can inherit your parents' estate?
Medical bills are typically resolved with the estate. Medicaid is not entirely free of charge.
If I were her, I’d either:
-Pay the 56k out of pocket.
-Get a home equity line of credit and pay out of that.
-File bankruptcy