What Does Federal Medicaid Estate Recovery Policy Mean For Consumers?

Medicaid estate recovery refers to the federal requirement that states recover the expense of long-term services and supports (LTSS) — nursing facility services, home and community-based services, and related hospital and prescription drug services from the estates of deceased Medicaid recipients, ages 55 or older, when they have no surviving spouse, minor child, or adult disabled child. Medicaid estate recovery was an optional program until mandated under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (or OBRA-93 . . .