ohio how does attorney general learn of death of medicaid recipient

by Winfield Brown 7 min read

How does Ohio Medicaid estate recovery work?

The Medicaid Estate Recovery Program, also called MER, is a program through the Ohio Department of Medicaid. The program allows the Ohio Attorney General to recover from the estates of former Medicaid recipients all correctly paid Medicaid benefits.

How do I avoid Medicaid estate recovery in Ohio?

If you think you might successfully avoid Medicaid estate recovery by simply failing to provide notice, not so fast. The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that the 90 day period in which the state may file a claim against the deceased recipient's estate does not begin to run unless proper notice is given.Jun 6, 2018

Who is subject to the Ohio Medicaid Estate Recovery Program?

What is Medicaid Estate Recovery? (MER). Who is subject to MER? Medicaid recipients age 55 and older, and those of any age who were permanently institutionalized (in a nursing facility).Feb 5, 2018

How long does Medicaid have to file a claim against an estate in Ohio?

one yearOhio law provides that the Attorney General's office must present its estate recovery claim to the person responsible for the decedent's estate within 90 days after receipt of notice from the responsible party or one year after the Medicaid recipient's death, whichever is later.May 25, 2016

Can Medicaid Take your home after death?

The answer is that your home is not considered a “countable asset” when applying for Medicaid. As a result, in order to collect costs from the deceased persons estate, Medicaid can take your home after death. This is referred to as “estate recovery“.

How do I protect my assets from Medicaid in Ohio?

A common strategy to protect your assets from spend down is to use an Irrevocable Medicaid Trust. This is a special type of trust where a trustee of your choosing will hold your title to your assets in this trust, and you remain the income beneficiary of the trust.Apr 23, 2020

Is there a statute of limitations on Medicaid recovery in Ohio?

The State of Ohio has One Year from Decedent's Death to Present a Claim Against an Estate for Medicaid Recovery. In re: Estate of Centorbi, 186 Ohio App.

Can Ohio Medicaid take your house?

The state cannot make you sell it or put a lien on it. You should try to title the home in your name only, however. You also may want to rearrange your estate so that all of your assets, including your home, will go to your children if you die before your spouse.May 17, 2016

Does Ohio have expanded estate recovery?

Initially, a decedent recipient‟s estate subject to recovery consisted only of the probate assets of the estate. However, effective July 1, 2005, Ohio expanded the class of assets against which Medicaid costs may be recouped by adopting an “augmented estate” approach to estate recovery.

Do you have to pay back Medicaid in Ohio?

In fact, many people who have benefited from Medicaid do indeed die with money. If that person dies owning assets, the state of Ohio has the right to get paid back for the benefits it paid for that person to be on Medicaid and in the nursing home.

How do I cancel Medicaid in Ohio?

Call the Ohio Medicaid Hotline at 1-800-324-8680, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. TTY users should call the Ohio Relay Service at 7-1-1.

What is Medicaid estate recovery?

Medicaid estate recovery can become an issue when money from a state’s Medicaid program is used to pay for the costs of long term care for a person who was permanently institutionalized, If a state provided Medicaid funds to pay for the care of someone aged 55 or older, Medicaid estate recovery is also an issue.

What is an estate in Medicaid?

An estate consists of “all real and personal property,” which the deceased person who used Medicaid owns at the time when the deceased person passes away. The Department of Medicaid makes clear that it does not matter whether the assets pass through the probate process or not.

Does Medicare pay for nursing home care?

Medicare pays for care in a skilled nursing facility, but this is not the kind of care most seniors needs. Most older people go to a nursing home or get long-term care service because they require custodial care, or routine help with activities of daily living.

Does Medicare cover seniors?

Medicare doesn’t cover this kind of care and it is very expensive, so many seniors end up relying on Medicaid. This could mean seniors need to impoverish themselves during their lifetime to get covered since Medicaid is means tested— and it could mean they are vulnerable to estate recovery after death.

Can Medicaid leave a legacy?

Medicaid estate recovery can cost you the opportunity to leave a legacy because the assets you intend to pass on to loved ones could be lost. Cincinnati nursing home lawyers provide information on Medicaid estate recovery so you can understand the key facts about how estate recovery works and how it can affect you.

What is Medicaid estate recovery?

The estate, for purposes of Medicaid estate recovery, includes all assets that a Medicaid recipient owned at death, regardless of whether it passed through probate. (This includes assets conveyed to a survivor, heir, or assign through joint tenancy, tenancy in common, survivorship, life estate, living trust, or other arrangement.)

Can you get medicaid if you are in a nursing home?

If you have a loved one in a nursing home, there's a fairly good chance that they will receive Medicaid benefits at some point to help pay for their care. You probably know that Medicaid is also entitled to recover assets from your loved one's estate.

What is a Life Estate?

A life estate is a type of property ownership, generally between two parties. A deed for a farm might read, “To Dad for life, remainder to Son.” In this example, Dad is the life tenant and Son holds what is referred to as the remainder interest. As the life tenant, Dad is entitled to the use and enjoyment of the property during his lifetime.

History of the Medicaid Estate Recovery Program

In 1993, Congress passed the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, which created the Medicaid Estate Recovery Program. As part of the program, states such as Ohio were required to demand repayment for Medicaid benefits previously provided.

Calculating a Life Estate Value for Medicaid Recovery

Consider the following example. Dad, the Medicaid recipient, was 72 years old when he died in June of 2013, and the property value on his date of death was $200,000. The applicable §7520 federal interest rate is 1.2% (irs.gov). To determine the corresponding life estate percentage, we look to Table S, 26 CFR 20.2031-7T.

Conclusion

If you’re an Ohioan and own property, and particularly if you’re a farmer, it is in the best interest of you and your family to consider your current ownership method and your plan for long-term care costs in the future.