info on family gifts prior to becoming eligible for medicaid?

Question

Can Medicaid go back and require you to repay moneys given to immediate family members as gifts?

Answer 1

Yes, the law was changed last year to allow a five year look back for gifts to others. Prior to the law change the five year look back only applied to gifts in trust, there was a three year look back for gifts to people.
The penalty for gifting in the five year period is that it extends the period for Medicaid eligibility. This extension is determined by the amount of the gifts that were made.

Answer 2

Yes, if it's within a certain time frame of the person requesting medicaid coverage. It might be three years.

What was happening, was people were transferring all their assets out of their own names, into family member names, so they could get out of paying their own bills with their assets, and go on welfare (medicaid is a form of welfare). This is a form of welfare fraud.