Medicaid Estate Recovery: Anyone have experience with requests to pay back premiums?

It does not matter he never used Medicaid health services, they paid premiums every month so when he did use it Medicaid was there. Its not just the health premium, its the vision, dental and prescription (if the health insurance does not provide it)premiums too. At $800 a month it does come out to almost 40k.

You should get a form asking about Dads assets after death.
Is Mom still alive? She is not responsible for the debt. If there is a house, a lien will be placed on it. It will need to be satisfied at her death by the sale of the home or she leaves or sells the house. Same goes for a disabled child living in the home.

I have dealt with Medicaid for LTC and actually contacted them when a lien was not put on my Moms house, in a timely manner, I was selling. I needed that lien placed so they got their money at time of closing.

I think you may need an Elder Lawyer to help u understand what is going on and how to manuver it. If Dad had no assets at time of death, he owes nothing. But since he has a home, thats an asset and Medicaid can recover if Mom is gone and no disabled child. The home will need to be sold to cover the lien.

Like I said, there should be a form that you fill out. Medicaid has to try and recover by law. If there is no money, they cannot recover. You just have to show them there was no money. But the, looks like Dad has a house.

Sara, You DO know this isn't your bill to pay, don't you?

I see you say he has a lien on a house and he died actually in 2022 when he was on medicare. You honestly need an attorney.

This is HIS bill and he is gone. His estate stands to pay this legitimate bill, but if you go to court, this being a bill they CANNOT itemize, may not be collectible. This is worth seeing an attorney on. Otherwise, yes, when the home is sold this lien will be paid off.

I don't think Medicare has anything to do with this.

It sounds like Medicaid contracted with a private company (Paramount) to provide Community Medicaid to eligible customers.

It doesn't matter if you don't USE the insurance ( I pay my auto, home and umbrella premiums each year; no claim doesn't mean I get my money back).

Blue Cross has acquired Paramount, obtw.

This may help too. Many states have statue of limitations and exemptions

https://www.medicaidplanningassistance.org/question/medicaid-estate-recovery-statute-of-limitations/

You need an attorney to help you with this. They can get some answers better than we can.

Prayers

Was he in a facility?
Was his care managed by a licensed fiduciary as POA?
Did the Social Services or APS or anyone else file for his care under Medicaid?
Did your father leave any estate (money, car, home).?

If so you will have to find out.

When were you notified that this money was owing?
Who notified you?
Who was the executor or administrator of your father's estate if there was one?

It makes no sense to me at all that your father is gone since 2018 and you are just now being notified that his estate owes money to Medicaid. Any estate would have gone through distribution to heirs in four years time.
But if this is the case YOU NEED AN ATTORNEY, or whomever was executor of any estate if there was one (home, car included) needs an attorney to look this over. Trust and estate attorney.

If there was no money, no home, no car at the time of your father's debt then this is all nonsense, as there would have been no recovery possible. Nevertheless it needs clearing up.
Hope you will update us on this curious and unusual occurance.
See a trust and estate attorney with all your facts.

You might want to ask for copies of his application and renewal documents. They should have a passage that explains what types of expenses paid by the Medicaid program could be recovered from his estate. There might be a reference to the state law that governs this. As I recall from my work in this area in Washington state there were certain expenses that applied to people of a certain age and other expenses that applied to everyone. And generally no one read what you would call the fine print on the paperwork before they signed it. Just saying, make them prove that the liability is correct under state law and that he agreed to this when he signed up for the coverage. If they can't prove it get a lawyer to fight it. If it is a valid lien it needs to be paid when the property is sold.

Just because he never went to the doctor doesn't mean Medicaid wasn't paying for his insurance.

Sara: Re, my inquiry about whether you are dealing directly with the Ohio AG. If you are dealing directly with this office (and not collection agencies working on behalf of the AG), then I have nothing to say. Regarding Identity Theft, you write:
"I wouldn't even know how to look into identity theft." One finds out about Identity Theft whether you are the victim, or in your case a relative, in different ways. Oddly enough, the branch of the Federal government that deals with this, in my experience, is the FTC (Federal Trade Commission). At least this is the branch of Federal government that deals with it, when the IRS is involved (i.e. a false tax return is filed in your name). If you think this is a serious possibility with your relative, you might want to give them a call. Good luck.

Yes, they go back on all health care costs & will put a Lien on your property, banking account, funeral funds, rings, personal property of any value. Vehicles, stocks,bonds, any monetary value assets they have. They don’t tell you that in the beginning. However my situation they came after me over my Dads Care. And they take everything you own to repay the debt you’re family member accrue over the years. My dad had Medicaid/ Medicare
they appointed a lawyer to take over all assets of my father to repay said medical care Bills & facility care.