Do you think it's morally or ethically acceptable for seniors to hide their financial assets to then become Medicaid eligible, and eligible for other government aid?

I think if they’ve been paying into Medicaid all their lives, they have the right to draw from it when they are of an eligible age.

I also think it’s utter bullshit that this is a question that actually affects our country. YES we should take care of our elders. YES we should take care of all of our citizens, regardless of their age and income status.

I considered this for my mother and then rejected it. If you think it is OK, for the people who do this to get government support on the backs of the vast middle class tax payers who support Medicaid, then it’s OK. However, I was not comfortable with it as a solution for preserving my inheritance. Taking my chances.

Seek Kolinahr is not considering that drawing from Medicaid in this way is done in an extremely inequitable manner. Also it requires the services of an elder advisor at the least or perhaps an attorney—which is not available to many people. It’s a “work around” that will surely end as the government becomes wiser to it—as I believe they are.

@cellogarden if we had socialized medicine we would be helping all of our citizens with medical needs and none of this hiding of assets would be necessary. If we taxed the wealthy a little more, and there was no benefit like Medicaid to encourage it, then they would not be getting out of paying when the middle class is still paying. Straightforward taxation and coverage for all in basic things like medical care and fewer loopholes would make things more fair.

My answer to the OP’s question is as long as the law was there I would use it. Just like I am not keen on affirmative action, but I would list my child, if I had one, Hispanic, and use whatever advantage it might give them, but if it comes to a vote, I would vote for what I think is truly right, even if it takes away some advantages from me.

The right wing is against many of the social systems, but they also vote to give the rich the advantage and keep the playing field uneven.

If they’re American citizens, I say let them have at it. God knows the illegal immigrants are getting a free ride and everyone seems to be okay with that, so why not let our seniors reap some benefits, no matter how they go about it?

My mother is in a nursing home. her 100 days of Medicare are just about exhaused. she has very little in her checking and savings accounts. below 1,000 each. her house is paid for. whats next? she has been approved for Medicaid, but my brother and i do not want my mother to lose her house, just to pay for the nursing home. what alternatives do we have? sell her house and pay for her nursing home care? or, sign it over to the state? we do not like either choice and need some guidance here.

@Seek_Kolinahr: I think you are confusing Medicaid with Medicare. Medicare is for all seniors, no matter their income, and all seniors get it. Medicaid is for people who don’t have much money. Only people below a certain income get Medicaid. So this is not a matter of “paying into something” or “taking care of our elders.” Our elders are taken care of, regardless of their income. This is more about higher coverage that is paid for by taxation, that they get thru hiding assets, or by being poverty level in the first place.

I work in healthcare and help people ‘hide their money’ to get Medicaid but you have to understand the amount they’re hiding are a couple of thousands because, sadly and wrongfully, Medicaid deems them to be making too much money and above their cutoff which is ridiculous and they’re barely making it at all. So yes, I’m in favor of the elderply placing whatever tiny amount they have into trusts or community pools – I refer them to lawyers I work with so that it can be done because otherwise they will never be able to afford their cancer treatment with Medicare only (as surprise..it only covers 80% of treatment) and will never afford to buy supplemental insurance. In my opinion, it is morally reprehensible how much they have to pay for their treatment weekly or monthly so I don’t give two craps how I have to play the system in order for them to get their care.

I don’t believe that Medicaid and Medicare are morally or ethically acceptable.

If the system is designed to be gamed, then we shouldn’t be surprised that people game the system, especially when it’s all “legal”.

Where you see this happen is for nursing home Medicaid rather than full Medicaid. You can hardly have any income or own anything to quality for full Medicaid. But what has happened is that nursing homes are so expensive the only people who can utilize them are the very wealthy who can pay privately, or those with nursing home Medicaid or full Medicaid. So yes, it’s pretty much standard for the middle class to, around age 60, go ahead and transfer assets to family members in order to be able to quality for it if they need it. The limits on income and assets are not the same as for full Medicaid. There is a five-year lookback so if assets are transferred at age 60, they will quality for nursing home Medicaid at 65. Medicare will cover 20 days in a nursing home. Some Medicare supplements will cover an additional number of days but copays apply. Many people go into a nursing home and are there for years.

@perspicacious: I work for the government. I am telling you i visit people in mansions who have Medicaid in order to receive home health care. I went to one last week, i googled the address and it was purchased for $6 million. There was a Bentley in the driveway. I visit some beautiful homes, beautifully appointed, marble vanities, professional kitchens, and Medicaid.

@jca You don’t necessarily lose your home on nursing home Medicaid. A spouse would not be forced to move because his/her wife/husband was on nursing home Medicaid. Do you know who those mansions are deeded to? Do you know who those cars are titled to? That’s what matters—ownership. Those are the assets of which I mentioned in my answer. They have most likely been transferred. I would never argue that there is not abuse—it’s rampant. But that is a government failure.

@perspicacious -yes, the person does not own the home. that’s my point – the family obviously has tons of money, perhaps some is the person’s, yet they put the person on Medicaid so the care is free. We have some that have a live in help (Medicaid provided) and they move to Assisted Living, where you pay a few thousand a month rent and additional services are available for a fee, but they have their government provided live-in aide in addition. Like they have dining services in the dining hall but they have their aide cooking for them, at taxpayer expense. The Assisted Living places in the county i work in are provided by the Hyatt and places like that. So they’re living at the Hyatt and they have their aide paid for by the government.

@jca In my state (and the states are different on some things relative to Medicaid) custodial care (anything other than skilled medical or rehab care) is not covered by Medicaid. There are some other forms of Medicaid. I only mentioned full and nursing home. There is also QMB and medical medicaid. The home health service is probably part of the medical medicaid and I am not proficient to discuss it. I have worked with nursing home Medicaid and full Medicaid. I know that when a person or family appears to be somewhat wealthy this is disturbing. But many really well off people and families could not support a family member as private pay in a nursing home—that can be close to $100,000 a year. In my area the average cost is $6500 per month which is $78,000 per year. Even well-off people can’t afford it. I wish I knew a solution but I don’t. People so often need nursing home care at the end of their lives and only a very small percentage of the U.S. population can afford it without Medicaid.

I’ve only ever known people without mansions to hide some money in order to qualify for their benefits. I don’t agree with people who can well afford better treatment to not pay for it.

Another corollary to this issue is the fact the what people pay into Medicaid over their lifetime is paltry compared to what has to be paid out once they enter the nursing home for end of life care. See perspicacious above.