Life insurance beneficiary who was on medicaid - question

[CathyA]

I just found out that my father had a life insurance policy that was never claimed. He died in 2003. My mother was the beneficiary and she died in 2010. I was just notified by the insurance company about it. I have to fill out a form before getting the money. But...........I got to thinking.......if my mother was the beneficiary, and she was on Medicaid for about a year before she died........will the government expect to receive that money?
Dang, I hope not. We spent a ton of money on her apartment, utilities, etc., for many years and kept her off Medicaid for probably 10 years. It would be nice to get a little money back.
Thanks.

[redfox]

This is a question for an attorney.

[mamalatte]

Agree this is a question for an attorney. And you need someone who specializes in this area. An attorney specializing in "elder law" would be my first choice. Trusts and estates lawyer with knowledge/specialty in Medicaid would also be okay.

[catherine]

Good thinking re getting a lawyer!! My greataunt had a summer house (I've written about it a lot here) that was my spiritual oasis growing up. She (my aunt) kept telling my mother to get her will changed so that her estate would bypass her sister (who was in a nursing home) and go directly to my mother.

Well, my mother never did it and sure enough, we had to sell the cottage to pay back the state for my grandmother's care. Such a high cost for procrastination and a bit of ignorance.

DEFINITELY get a lawyer.

[CathyA]

Thanks everyone.