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COPYRIGHT 2005 The Dallas Morning News
Byline: Bob Moos
Feb. 28--Beginning Tuesday, older Texans who apply to Medicaid for long-term care will need to read the fine print.
The state may try to get its money back from their estates once they die.
"These seniors are going to have to understand the long-term financial consequences for their families," said Anne Dunkelberg, assistant director of the Center for Public Policy Priorities in Austin.
Congress, grappling with soaring Medicaid costs, required all states to implement "estate recovery" programs 12 years ago.
Texas, where belief in property rights runs strong, is one of the last to comply.
The program's launch this week pits people who believe the law promotes taxpayer fairness against critics who fear it will deny heirs their rightful inheritances.
Though experts characterize the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's rules as among the most lenient in the nation, the program could affect tens of thousands of families that don't do estate planning.
Medicaid is the biggest safety net for older people in long-term care, Ms. Dunkelberg said. Seven of 10 Texas nursing home residents -- or about 60,000 people -- depend on the federal-state health care program each month.
"When an elderly parent begins to decline, many families are surprised to discover that Medicare doesn't cover custodial care," said Trudi Matthews, a health policy expert for the...
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