Dad Gets Knocked Off Medicaid

                John called because his dad, who had been receiving Medicaid in a nursing home for several years, had just received a notice that his benefits were being terminated at the end of the month.  He told me he had hired one of the companies that does Medicaid applications because it was less expensive than having an attorney do it.  Everything worked out fine and they were able to get his dad approved.

                So why was he calling?  When I asked him he said that his mom had died a few months ago.  As soon as he told me that, I had a pretty good idea the reason why.  Sure enough, John told me that his mom, who had been living in the home in which John and his sibling were raised left an estate which included the home and a few bank accounts.  Her will left everything to his dad and alternatively to John and his brother.  They had removed Dad’s name from the deed to the home leaving Mom as the sole owner.

                Since Dad survived Mom, however, her will directed everything be left to him.  Once Medicaid learned that he would be receiving a few hundred thousand dollars of assets it informed John that Medicaid benefits would be terminated.  His question to me was, “is there anything we can do to keep Dad on Medicaid”?  Next week I’ll share with you my answer to John.