Medicaid often feels like a financial lifeline when long-term care costs spiral out of control, but that support comes with a string many families never see coming. After a recipient passes away, states can step in and recover what they spent—sometimes from assets families expected to inherit.
That policy, known as Medicaid estate recovery, surprises heirs, complicates estate planning, and sparks serious debates about fairness. If you plan for aging, caregiving, or wealth transfer, you need to understand how this process works before it catches you off guard.
