The state is required by federal law to attempt to recoup some of the expenses it pays out in Medicaid to senior citizen recipients once they die. In some cases, it means any inheritance is wiped out. In some states, the families don't know that the estates will be sold and recovered to reimburse old claims. Nevada requires all Medicaid recipients to review estate recovery documents.
Nevada's numbers
Number of estates that recovery was attempted
1,165
Amount recovered
$1.1 million
Average recovery per estate
$1,014
Administrative cost
$176,000 for unit staff and facility
Contested estate recovery
None reported
- Source: AARP's Medicaid Estate Recovery: A 2004 Survey of State Programs and Practices, June 2005
