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Estate recovery is a state's right to collect from someone's estate after death. This applies to certain Medicaid costs, usually nursing home care.
States generally seek this only after the Medicaid recipient and, in many cases, a surviving spouse have both passed away. States have to offer a hardship process for certain heirs before collecting. Rules on what counts and how it works vary quite a bit from state to state.
This word shows up in long term care Medicaid handbooks and applications for older adults.
“from the estate of any individual who was 65 years of age or older when he or she received Medicaid”
Programs
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Related words
Look-back period
The look back period is five years before you apply for nursing home Medicaid. The state checks this stretch for gifts or underpriced sales of property.
Penalty period
A penalty period is time when Medicaid will not pay for nursing home care. This happens because you gave away money or property during the look back period.
Patient liability
Patient liability is part of your income you must put toward nursing home costs. Medicaid covers the rest of your care once you pay that part.
Dual eligible
A dual eligible is someone on both Medicare and Medicaid at once. The two programs work together to cover that person's care.
Sources
- Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute (e-CFR mirror)Retrieved 2026-07-08
Last reviewed 2026-07-08