Is This Illegal? Immoral? Both???

[GDIfly]

What I'm confused about in all this is, if she's worth $2.5 million, why would she go into a nursing home in the first place? She could easily have afforded a live-in nurse.

[JonoBN41]

Originally Posted by AGDee

Medicaid however, varies by state and is for the indigent only. In Michigan, they will look back 5 years for moving assets like that.(Can you tell I have an aging parent for whom we've had to look into all this?)

Yes, and you make good points. It is Medicaid rather than Medicare. In NY State, I believe it's 3 years for assets. One other point: If the son was her care giver and lived with her prior to her entering the nursing home, the state will not take the house. Essentially, he can keep it.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by GDIfly

What I'm confused about in all this is, if she's worth $2.5 million, why would she go into a nursing home in the first place? She could easily have afforded a live-in nurse.

There are different "levels" of nursing homes, based on the severity of illness and/or the independence of the senior citizen in question. Not all are for blind, deaf, and dumb 200 year olds who can't wipe themselves.

2.5 million is really not that much when you consider that nearly half of that could have gone into her care over her last two years.