To: The California State House, The California State Senate, and Governor Gavin Newsom
Governor Brown and California State Legislature: Reform Medi-Cal Estate Recovery Program
Did you know that for low income seniors 55-64 with homes (or other assets) that Medi-Cal is not free health care but a loan program with costs due at death?
Why is this important?
I have been a supporter of health care reform and worked to make sure that the Affordable Health Care Act or Obamacare was passed. One of the many benefits for society assured that no one would loose their homes due to health care expenses.
My husband and I (age 60 and 63) have been newly enrolled in Medi-Cal. We qualify for this program due to the changes in income and asset eligibility. We own a small family daycare home which provides low cost preschool and childcare in Auburn. After a lifetime of work, like other middle class families, we have just finished paying for our home. We signed up for Medi-Cal thinking that our assets were protected under the ACA. No where in the application process was I told about the Medi-Cal Estate Recovery Program. Due to a recent notice form Medi-Cal I have been informed that due to our age group (55-64) that care or services delivered through Medi-Cal are fully billable to our estate upon our death. That means our home, which is our only substantial asset, will be subject to a government lien to pay for prescriptions, doctor's visits, hospitalizations and beyond. As it stands today, Medi-Cal is not health care for low income seniors but a loan program with homes, cars, life insurance, stocks, retirement funds, virtually any asset serving as collateral.
As we know, a week's stay in a hospital with surgery for any reason can easily amount to the total value of a home in California. For someone with an expensive monthly prescription the cost over 10 years time could be substantial.
This is surely not the intent of the Affordable Health Care Act with it's Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California) expansion. Please help Medi-Cal seniors like myself and my husband obtain the same financial security as those who purchase subsidized insurance through the exchanges, purchase health insurance, or receive health insurance as a benefit through their work.
Please help by signing this petition urging Governor Brown and the California State Legislature to take immediate action to change the certain risk that the Medi-Cal Estate Recovery Program posses to the assets of low income seniors in California. Please due it now. Please, before you or someone you know looses their inheritance due to their parent's enrollment in Medi-Cal.
Thank you for helping!
My husband and I (age 60 and 63) have been newly enrolled in Medi-Cal. We qualify for this program due to the changes in income and asset eligibility. We own a small family daycare home which provides low cost preschool and childcare in Auburn. After a lifetime of work, like other middle class families, we have just finished paying for our home. We signed up for Medi-Cal thinking that our assets were protected under the ACA. No where in the application process was I told about the Medi-Cal Estate Recovery Program. Due to a recent notice form Medi-Cal I have been informed that due to our age group (55-64) that care or services delivered through Medi-Cal are fully billable to our estate upon our death. That means our home, which is our only substantial asset, will be subject to a government lien to pay for prescriptions, doctor's visits, hospitalizations and beyond. As it stands today, Medi-Cal is not health care for low income seniors but a loan program with homes, cars, life insurance, stocks, retirement funds, virtually any asset serving as collateral.
As we know, a week's stay in a hospital with surgery for any reason can easily amount to the total value of a home in California. For someone with an expensive monthly prescription the cost over 10 years time could be substantial.
This is surely not the intent of the Affordable Health Care Act with it's Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California) expansion. Please help Medi-Cal seniors like myself and my husband obtain the same financial security as those who purchase subsidized insurance through the exchanges, purchase health insurance, or receive health insurance as a benefit through their work.
Please help by signing this petition urging Governor Brown and the California State Legislature to take immediate action to change the certain risk that the Medi-Cal Estate Recovery Program posses to the assets of low income seniors in California. Please due it now. Please, before you or someone you know looses their inheritance due to their parent's enrollment in Medi-Cal.
Thank you for helping!