Posted on 10/23/2006 10:24:56 AM PDT by SmithL
thanks!
I agree. It is sad that the last thing of any monetary value can be taken away.
The entire system is broken. I work in a pediatric hospital and it makes me furious to see the "destitute" welfare moms walk around in designer clothing, draped in jewelry, with their hair and nails done, talking on their cell phones. These are the same moms who can't "afford" to buy food or formula for their kids, or "don't have transportation" to take their kids in to the free clinic we provide for immunizations.
These people get everything you can imagine at no cost. Transportation, clothing, food, medical and dental care, help with bills, etc. And then we have the elderly, who have usually worked the majority of their lives, having their homes and other assets taken to pay for the very things we provide for free to the welfare moms.
I believe that the government is able to force the return of the property and invalidate the sale if it's done less than 2 years before going on medicade.
***
I think that period varies from state to state. Here in PA, someone told me it's now five years -- was three years.
I don't think long-term care insurance existed when they would have been planning for retirement and to purchase it anytime after age 55 would have been prohibitively expensive. Long-term care insurance is a relatively new concept and the vast majority of people don't have it. It's a great idea if you start young enough, but even then you better plan on checking out pretty quickly once you hit the home.
In another lifetime I was an Eligibility Worker in California for a county welfare office. Once a week I had to work I&R (intake and referral) for those exact welfare moms. They transferred me to a Medi-cal caseload of mostly old people. Some of the old people's cases broke my heart......... and then I would have to go work I&R. I couldn't take it anymore and quit.
YEAH, just charge the government. That way, you and I don't have to pay for it.
I see a lot wrong, when the state interferes with patients choices as to when to die. If someone would rather leave the family home to the next generation, and die a few months earlier via assisted suicide, tough. The government says you have to stay alive whether you want to or not, and it will decide what medical care you must receive at a minimum, and it will hire unionized healthcare workers to deliver the care you don't want, and then it will take your family home after you die on the grounds that "you owe the government". 50% of our nation's colossal health care tab is spent on the last 6 months of life, in many cases on patients who are so demented that they don't even know who they are. It's absolutely insane, and refusal to face the real costs can't continue indefinitely.
I'm in Ohio and my planner had me put everything into my trust...my house, my investments, my bank accounts...ALL OF IT!
The advantages for me is it avoids Probate when the time comes, but it also protects all my assets should I get remarried.
Interesting thing these "Trusts." Talk to a professional regarding your own personal situations!
It's the status of a structure just before the kids sell it and split the proceeds.
BTW-Year 2005 Federal legislation makes anyone with a residence worth over $500k (higher in some states) ineligible for Medicaid Long Term Care.
If a private company or a corporation were doing these things, the state would shut them down instantly.
So much wrong here; but it really all boils down to a single word in one sentence:
"If we are going to provide Medicaid coverage, we must actively engage in estate recovery efforts."
If.
If it were truly a matter of IF, people would be discussing the alternative.
Instead we have no one questioning the merit of socialized medicine, and therefore they actively engage in estate recovery efforts that would be called criminal atrocitites if committed by anyone except the holy gubmint.
What makes you think the "real costs" are a fraction of $288,000? Nursing home care for seriously disabled and/or demented patients involves paying a large staff for 24/7 coverage, lots of medical equipment including single-use supplies, maintaining a building, liability insurance, and on and on. And whenever a problem requiring hospital treatement arises, the patient is transported to the hospital and the tab get an extra bundle tacked on. It doesn't say how many years this woman spent in a nursing home, but many patients spend 5-10 years or even more.
If I understand this correctly. That's not the case. The parents still own the home. Had they deeded it to the children with a provision for a lifetime residence, I don't believe the state could get their hands on it.
This is really nothing new. Medicaid has had similar requirements for nursing home care for years.
I don't remember all the rules, but for a while just out of college I did nursing home placements. The most I remember anyone being able to keep was prepaid funeral expenses. But that was in the early 80s so 1) rulse could have changed and 2) my memory could be faulty.
Usually there's a length of time when assets are transferred. It's been a few years since I've heard the info first hand, but here in Oregon I believe transfers of assets that took place less than 2 years prior to the individual requiring Medicaid were invalid. I'm sure there are some estate planning and/or attorney freepers that have better, more current info.
The family can't have their possessions grabbed by the state, but I don't see any problem in using the ill person's assets to pay the tab. Otherwise you and I would be paying it.
I don't see it that way, I see it as a creditor making sure they were not scammed. Your mileage may vary.
susie
Can/do states go after these welfare queens to recoup their ADC payments, welfare payments, food stamp monies, WIC, Medicaid, etc.?? Seems to me, if they go after the sick elderly, they should go after the young, able-bodied leeches who are able to work.
Sorry to have pushed your buttons Carolyn. ;-) I'm happy you are with us and hope the cancer goes into remission and never troubles you again.
I lost my Mom to lung cancer so it means a lot to me when anyone overcomes any form of cancer. God bless you and may He keep you always strong and healthy.
That's interesting, I haven't kept up with the laws.
susie
I agree with you.
The lesson is: a government that is powerful enough to give you everything (including long term care) it is strong enough to take everything.
Get 'long term health insurance' and keep the state out of it.
Assets of only $1500 allowed to receive any government benefits like these here in Ohio.
In this case the assets were the patients'. They were transferred to the relatives to avoid losing them to the state, as partial payment for long term care.
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