Question

HEALTH SERVICES CLASS

To avoid depletion of personal assets which can result from lengthy periods of long-term care, it has been common practice to shelter assets in trusts, transfer assets to family members and use other legal methods to ensure eligibility for Medicaid support of long term care expenses. Discuss your position on these practices. Explain your answer.

Answer 1

In my views, it should be considered illegal that individuals transfer their assets to family and friends and become eligible got Medicaid. Medicaid is a government run program, which aims at insuring the lower-income class people. It is a joint run program between the federal and the state government. Medicaid has been the major contributor in the LTSS. The evolution of health care has changed LTSS to more of managed care at home. However it is a facility for the lower income people who cannot afford appropriate health care for themselves. If a rich man is transferring his assets to prove himself poor and eligible for the Medicaid assistance, this should be considered as pure fraud and strict punitive measures can be considered on the defaulter. There can be exceptions for the transfer of assets and must be considered from case to case basis.