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Medicaid: Recoveries From Nursing Home Residents' Estates Could Offset Program Costs

HRD-89-56 Published: Mar 07, 1989. Publicly Released: Mar 07, 1989.
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Highlights

GAO reviewed the potential for estate recovery programs to help offset state and federal Medicaid nursing home costs.

Recommendations

Matter for Congressional Consideration

Matter Status Comments
Congress may wish to consider making mandatory the establishment of programs to recover the cost of Medicaid assistance provided to nursing home residents of all ages, from either their estates or the estates of their surviving spouses. The establishment of such programs would help to ensure that assets preserved through the new transfer-of-assets provisions can be used to defray Medicaid costs.
Closed – Implemented
Congress passed legislation that requires states to establish estate recovery programs (OBRA 1993).

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Topics

Eligibility criteriastate relationsHealth care costsNursing homesOffsetting collectionsReal propertyState programsState-administered programsTrusts and estates lawMedicaid