What is the Medicaid Estate Recovery Program (MERP) and how does it affect me?
Medicaid pays for long-term care services for eligible Texans. If you are age 55 or older and your receive Medicaid, you may have to repay some of these costs. This is a federal government requirement. Click here to visit the MERP website. MERP does not affect you or your property while you are still alive. The state will not take your home or place a lien on it while you are living. It also will not take your home if your spouse or your minor or disabled child survives you. The state will not file a claim if your estate is • worth less than $10,000 or • you received less than $3,000 in Medicaid services. MERP may affect what your heirs will be able to inherit because all claims against your estate, including MERP, must be settled before anything can be passed on to your heirs. If the amount of the MERP claim is greater than the value of the estate, the state will not seek the difference from your heirs. If the amount of the MERP claim is less than the value of the estate, the state wi
