Many seniors fear that “they” will take their house and savings if they lose their independence with activities of daily living. When asked who “they” are, the senior points to Medicaid and the nursing home. There is a sense that something unjust will take place. Hence the question, “can they/will they take my house?” This fear, as stated, is unfounded.
When a person is no longer independent with activities of daily living, the cost of care takes their savings. Sometimes this includes the house. Nursing homes provide an essential public service. They have to charge for the services that are provided to sustain care over time. Therefore, the exchange of assets for services is fair and does not amount to an unfair or unlawful taking.
Long-Term Care Medicaid is a joint federal program for the disabled that is administered by the States. It pays for long-term care services when a disabled person cannot. In order to pay for care services on a sustained basis, Medicaid has the legal right to seek reimbursement from the estate of a disabled person for care services rendered. In Delaware, Medicaid’s ability to recover the benefits paid out is limited. [1]
[1] The content of this blog is written with the general financial qualification rules in mind for Long-Term Medicaid approval. A major theme in our blogs and videos is that there are exceptions to the general financial rules that allow us to protect assets for clients. We invite you to explore our extensive educational offering to learn more.
