What is the Medicaid Estate Recovery Program (MERP)?
Medicaid is a government program that pays for healthcare for people with limited incomes. Some of these services are provided to people as they grow older. Medicaid pays for people to move to a nursing home, if that is what they need.
To help pay for these long-term services, every state must have a Medicaid Estate Recovery Program (MERP). If you received Medicaid long-term services and supports, the state of Texas has the right to ask for money back from your estate after you die. This program will affect only long-term care services and supports you receive after the age of 55, and only if you first applied for these services after March 1, 2005.
Are there times when the state will not ask for money back?
Yes, the state will not ask for money for the following reasons:
1. There is a spouse who is still alive. 2. There is a child under 21 years of age. 3. There is a child of any age who is blind or permanently and totally disabled under Social Security requirements. 4. The value of the estate is $10,000 or less. 5. The amount of Medicaid costs is $3,000 or less. 6. There is an unmarried adult child who lived full-time in the Medicaid person’s home for at least one year before this person died. 7. The cost of selling the property is more than the property is worth.
The holidays are a time when family and friends often come together. But for families living with Alzheimer's and other dementias, the holidays can be challenging. Take a deep breath. With some planning and adjusted expectations, your celebrations can still be happy, memorable occasions.
When Caring Takes Courage: A Compassionate, Interactive Guide for Alzheimer's and Dementia Caregivers
Professional caregivers have long had several choices when it comes to dementia care training resources and, likewise, family members could learn from other at-home non-professional caregivers. When Caring Takes Courage is unique in that it culls best practices from both groups and arranges them into an understandable “go-to” reference.
The tools provided can be tailored to fit specific needs and are designed to
assist caregivers with all aspects of caregiving. Topics include tips to help
with everyday challenges such as bathing, toileting, managing medications, and
dealing with difficult behaviors as well as communicating with healthcare
professionals, finding affordable care options, and adapting recreational
activities. Readers will learn from the best practices and proven techniques
widely utilized in Alzheimer's/dementia care today, in a way that empowers them
to personalize their use of these resources.
At 101 years old, renowned Japanese photographer Tsuneko Sasamoto continues to express her artistic voice and capture stunning images. Considered to be her country’s first photojournalist at the age of 25, Sasamoto has been documenting history for over 70 years, including pre- and post-war Japan. Her photographs highlighted the country’s dramatic shift from a totalitarian regime to an economic superpower, and the social implications that arose from it.
