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My wife and her family were hit hard by the Medicaid rules in Indiana. Kay’s mother, in her early 90s, over a period of requiring possible physical rehab, had to go into a nursing facility long term. Kay, my wife, and I had to help her father with all of the ridiculous paperwork and running around Muncie, Indiana to banks, financial institutions and insurance companies that her folks had been a part of for decades and gather all sorts of information for Medicaid. We realized quickly that Medicaid was not going to lose any financial gain that could possibly be captured from a middle America couple, who had raised four children post WWII, had served in our country’s military during WWII and had both worked hard to achieve their portion of the American dream. Kay’s folks were hard working, ethical, Catholic folk that always paid their taxes in full, contributed to their community and loved being American citizens.
As Kay and her Father and I retrieved all REQUIRED data and info for Medicaid, the institution seemed to be satisfied. Until her Father fell ill and became a long term roommate with his wife of 70 years in the same long term care facility. Then it all changed. We were told by the higherups that the home that had purchased in 1975 and had kept up in great shape is a wonderful little neighborhood, a home where they, their children and their grandchildren had birthed so many wonderful memories, would have to be sold at “ Fair Market Value “ and the equity, which at this point was 100% as the house was fully paid for a few years earlier, would have to be turned over to Medicaid. It kind of shocked and irked us at the same time. The lives lived, the memories, the relationships to the neighbors and so much more all boiled down to selling the home and giving the money to Medicaid.
Memories that were stored in boxes or displayed on shelves in places around the home were either stored, given to charity or thrown away so the homes value could be given to the government medical entity to “ cover the high cost of long term medical care” what of the moneys that had already been contributed to Medicare/Medicaid through all the years of both folks working and paying into the system ? Was there no return on these finances ? The reason the cost of a Skilled Nursing Facility monthly stay is north of $8000.00/ month rests primarily, in my opinion, on the pharmaceutical industry’s ridiculously high prices for ALL medicines sold in America. Any and ALL equipment or devices that are deemed or labeled “MEDICAL” at the very least triple in cost to the user. The entire medical system is so expensive, that even a wonderful facility that Kay’s parents spent their last days in are over-the -moon expensive. Who can afford, among most of us at least, the out-of-pocket cost of monthly skilled nursing care facility stays ? Where the lions share of those who enter don’t leave until they die? And that is where the Government Medicaid system sets the hook in families. They have us over the barrel and they know it.
Kay’s folks were gracious and didn’t once fuss about losing their home of nearly 45 years to the government medical establishment. They were truly blessed in the care they received at the nursing facility that became their new home as were their surviving children. But to be told what you must do with all assets that you or your family had acquired over the years with the only option of taking care of the elderly ill yourselves, which in this case there was no option , both parents were beyond at-home-care. We lived 13 hours from Muncie, Indiana. Kay’s brother is totally disabled with paralysis from the waist down, it was a miracle he could even make the trip to his parents funerals as he lived 8 hours from Muncie. As it was, Kay and I lived in Muncie for over 9 months away from our home and family so we could not only care for her folks, but take care of the never ending list of things and duties Medicaid required. It nearly broke us financially and we are still digging out, so to speak. We would do it all over again as our parents spent their lives and their hard earned finances raising us to the best of their abilities. It is the least ANY of us can do for our parents in their end of life years when many elderly morph slowly into the children they once were in so many unimaginable ways before our eyes. They can no longer take care of themselves, even as we couldn’t take care of ourselves when we were young. It’s been an honor to do so.
This system needs major change and overhauling. We made it through by the shin of our teeth through this time. My wife retired early to tend to he parents needs and I am on disability. But we did it. What if those that Joan, in her above article, that have no financial means, no help in running down all that Medicaid requires and the last hope of receiving a gift from their parents that may have had a small property that was willed to the children taken away lest medical care would not be given. Perhaps this was a legacy for the children or family the parents were wanting to give their children as a last gift to them to bless them in some way. A love gift of sorts. A thank you.
As always, the government that says it is taking care of the poor and needy, take the most from the poor and needy and make the rest of us that are barely making it in this life, poor and needy also. Our government is in the business of making most of our population vulnerable and totally dependent upon them for our existence. Total dependence = Total obedience. This is not freedom. And it’s time we stood up and not only demand changes in our government, but actively insure change legally, ethically and with much prayer.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment, and for describing your family's situation—sorry it took me so long to respond! This is a horrendous, cruel law that definitely needs to be eliminated "from the books". There is no need to claw back money that was legally provided to people poor enough to qualify for Medicaid.
Similar laws also exist impacting other areas where Medicaid is provided, and I intend to write about this issue in more depth, so please stay tuned...
firstly, I'm sorry it took me so long to read this edition!
Yay for extra taxes on private jets!! Yay for dollar stores closing! Although admittedly and unfortunately, I did hear in Tulsa that there had been repeated attempts to open small grocers in low income areas only to have them close due to theft. Even in my neighborhood (which I didn't consider low income) a Walgreens closed for the same reason. I don't know what the answer is, only that dollar stores (which are now $1.25 per item which was a huge jump in my opinion from $1.00) are bad in so many ways.
Really disturbing to learn about Medicaid is allowed - even encouraged - to seize assets including a house. As you say, this disproportionately targets populations who already have difficulties achieving equity in property ownership. Damn.
Thank you as always for your reporting! Keep it coming!
Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment, Jan! It's actually required by a federal law that states Medicaid agencies claw back the assets to reimburse the government for their outlay . Absolutely embarrassing. It prohibits the poor from accumulating some form of generational wealth.
The minimum wage in King County is $16.28 per hour if you have 500 or less employees. So the Dollar Store in White Center pays that. It is only 3 or so miles south of me and I still consider it to be of great value for certain purchases. Long may they reign! Definitely a higher fuel tax for private jets and a plague on Medicaid for going after the "estates" of poor people after their demise.
Sorry that dollar stores are closing; poor people are still going to buy ultra processed foods but now they will pay more. I can only hope the one closest to me does not close so I can continue to buy body wash and other odds and ends like boxes to keep my handmade jewelry and tissue paper for the box insides.
One of the problems with the "dollar" chains is they practically reproduce, so if the one nearest you closes, there is probably one a few blocks away. I literally have three in a four or five block stretch because it is an extremely poor neighborhood. It is interesting that these chains were just rapidly expanding and now they plan to close 1,000 stores in the next few years—I would like to know if the bans had an effect. There are good reasons why some communities are banning the Dollar Store chains—there business model is predatory, they pay their workers extremely poorly and knock off individual, community-based businesses.
My wife and her family were hit hard by the Medicaid rules in Indiana. Kay’s mother, in her early 90s, over a period of requiring possible physical rehab, had to go into a nursing facility long term. Kay, my wife, and I had to help her father with all of the ridiculous paperwork and running around Muncie, Indiana to banks, financial institutions and insurance companies that her folks had been a part of for decades and gather all sorts of information for Medicaid. We realized quickly that Medicaid was not going to lose any financial gain that could possibly be captured from a middle America couple, who had raised four children post WWII, had served in our country’s military during WWII and had both worked hard to achieve their portion of the American dream. Kay’s folks were hard working, ethical, Catholic folk that always paid their taxes in full, contributed to their community and loved being American citizens.
As Kay and her Father and I retrieved all REQUIRED data and info for Medicaid, the institution seemed to be satisfied. Until her Father fell ill and became a long term roommate with his wife of 70 years in the same long term care facility. Then it all changed. We were told by the higherups that the home that had purchased in 1975 and had kept up in great shape is a wonderful little neighborhood, a home where they, their children and their grandchildren had birthed so many wonderful memories, would have to be sold at “ Fair Market Value “ and the equity, which at this point was 100% as the house was fully paid for a few years earlier, would have to be turned over to Medicaid. It kind of shocked and irked us at the same time. The lives lived, the memories, the relationships to the neighbors and so much more all boiled down to selling the home and giving the money to Medicaid.
Memories that were stored in boxes or displayed on shelves in places around the home were either stored, given to charity or thrown away so the homes value could be given to the government medical entity to “ cover the high cost of long term medical care” what of the moneys that had already been contributed to Medicare/Medicaid through all the years of both folks working and paying into the system ? Was there no return on these finances ? The reason the cost of a Skilled Nursing Facility monthly stay is north of $8000.00/ month rests primarily, in my opinion, on the pharmaceutical industry’s ridiculously high prices for ALL medicines sold in America. Any and ALL equipment or devices that are deemed or labeled “MEDICAL” at the very least triple in cost to the user. The entire medical system is so expensive, that even a wonderful facility that Kay’s parents spent their last days in are over-the -moon expensive. Who can afford, among most of us at least, the out-of-pocket cost of monthly skilled nursing care facility stays ? Where the lions share of those who enter don’t leave until they die? And that is where the Government Medicaid system sets the hook in families. They have us over the barrel and they know it.
Kay’s folks were gracious and didn’t once fuss about losing their home of nearly 45 years to the government medical establishment. They were truly blessed in the care they received at the nursing facility that became their new home as were their surviving children. But to be told what you must do with all assets that you or your family had acquired over the years with the only option of taking care of the elderly ill yourselves, which in this case there was no option , both parents were beyond at-home-care. We lived 13 hours from Muncie, Indiana. Kay’s brother is totally disabled with paralysis from the waist down, it was a miracle he could even make the trip to his parents funerals as he lived 8 hours from Muncie. As it was, Kay and I lived in Muncie for over 9 months away from our home and family so we could not only care for her folks, but take care of the never ending list of things and duties Medicaid required. It nearly broke us financially and we are still digging out, so to speak. We would do it all over again as our parents spent their lives and their hard earned finances raising us to the best of their abilities. It is the least ANY of us can do for our parents in their end of life years when many elderly morph slowly into the children they once were in so many unimaginable ways before our eyes. They can no longer take care of themselves, even as we couldn’t take care of ourselves when we were young. It’s been an honor to do so.
This system needs major change and overhauling. We made it through by the shin of our teeth through this time. My wife retired early to tend to he parents needs and I am on disability. But we did it. What if those that Joan, in her above article, that have no financial means, no help in running down all that Medicaid requires and the last hope of receiving a gift from their parents that may have had a small property that was willed to the children taken away lest medical care would not be given. Perhaps this was a legacy for the children or family the parents were wanting to give their children as a last gift to them to bless them in some way. A love gift of sorts. A thank you.
As always, the government that says it is taking care of the poor and needy, take the most from the poor and needy and make the rest of us that are barely making it in this life, poor and needy also. Our government is in the business of making most of our population vulnerable and totally dependent upon them for our existence. Total dependence = Total obedience. This is not freedom. And it’s time we stood up and not only demand changes in our government, but actively insure change legally, ethically and with much prayer.
Hi Mitch,
Thanks for your thoughtful comment, and for describing your family's situation—sorry it took me so long to respond! This is a horrendous, cruel law that definitely needs to be eliminated "from the books". There is no need to claw back money that was legally provided to people poor enough to qualify for Medicaid.
Similar laws also exist impacting other areas where Medicaid is provided, and I intend to write about this issue in more depth, so please stay tuned...
firstly, I'm sorry it took me so long to read this edition!
Yay for extra taxes on private jets!! Yay for dollar stores closing! Although admittedly and unfortunately, I did hear in Tulsa that there had been repeated attempts to open small grocers in low income areas only to have them close due to theft. Even in my neighborhood (which I didn't consider low income) a Walgreens closed for the same reason. I don't know what the answer is, only that dollar stores (which are now $1.25 per item which was a huge jump in my opinion from $1.00) are bad in so many ways.
Really disturbing to learn about Medicaid is allowed - even encouraged - to seize assets including a house. As you say, this disproportionately targets populations who already have difficulties achieving equity in property ownership. Damn.
Thank you as always for your reporting! Keep it coming!
Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment, Jan! It's actually required by a federal law that states Medicaid agencies claw back the assets to reimburse the government for their outlay . Absolutely embarrassing. It prohibits the poor from accumulating some form of generational wealth.
so frustrating :/
The minimum wage in King County is $16.28 per hour if you have 500 or less employees. So the Dollar Store in White Center pays that. It is only 3 or so miles south of me and I still consider it to be of great value for certain purchases. Long may they reign! Definitely a higher fuel tax for private jets and a plague on Medicaid for going after the "estates" of poor people after their demise.
Sorry that dollar stores are closing; poor people are still going to buy ultra processed foods but now they will pay more. I can only hope the one closest to me does not close so I can continue to buy body wash and other odds and ends like boxes to keep my handmade jewelry and tissue paper for the box insides.
One of the problems with the "dollar" chains is they practically reproduce, so if the one nearest you closes, there is probably one a few blocks away. I literally have three in a four or five block stretch because it is an extremely poor neighborhood. It is interesting that these chains were just rapidly expanding and now they plan to close 1,000 stores in the next few years—I would like to know if the bans had an effect. There are good reasons why some communities are banning the Dollar Store chains—there business model is predatory, they pay their workers extremely poorly and knock off individual, community-based businesses.