The Dove Firm PLLC

People with limited resources who need long-term skilled nursing care may have to rely upon Medicaid to pay for this expense.  To help recover the cost of these government services, every state must have a recovery program.  In Texas, the program is the Medicaid Estate Recovery Program, or "MERP", which gives the state the right to ask for money back from the estate of a Medicaid recipient after his or her death.   Quite often, the largest asset in the estate of a Medicaid recipient is a homestead.  Fortunately, in Texas there are methods to protect the home from Medicaid recovery.  Through the use of special deeds conveying the house on death (such as Ladybird Deeds or Transfer on Death Deeds), homes can be protected even after the death of a Medicaid recipient.  If you or a loved one are facing a situation in which you have to rely upon Medicaid to help pay for long-term care, consider all the options available to you in protecting your home and other assets from Medica

A documentary recently airing on PBS, “Alzheimer’s: Every Minute Counts,” calls for more funding for research into the cause and potential cures for Alzheimer’s.  The documentary focuses on the costs associated with care for Alzheimer’s patients, particularly the costs placed on Medicare and Medicaid.  Anyone who has personally experienced the costs associated with the care of a loved one suffering from the disease is well aware that these figures can be staggering, and can be devastating to even those who believe they have planned for long term care.  The documentary can seen here:  http://www.pbs.org/tpt/alzheimers-every-minute-counts/home/