Medicaid Estate Recovery Program Under Scrutiny For Inequities

A Medicaid office employee works on reports at Montefiore Medical Center, Nov. 21, 2014, in New York. The federal government requires every state to recover money from the assets of dead people

Following the death of individuals who relied on Medicaid for long-term care, states are required by the federal government to recover expenses from their assets. This process has come under fire for its impact on families, particularly in cases where homes are at risk of being claimed to settle Medicaid debts.

Critics argue that the program, which only recovers about 1% of the $150 billion spent annually on long-term care, is both ineffective and lacks transparency. Many individuals are unaware of the potential financial burden awaiting their families after their passing.