California Lawmakers Consider Bill To Limit Medi-Cal Estate Recovery

A bill that would limit California's power to recover assets from the estates of deceased people has a hearing at the Capitol Monday morning. A similar bill was vetoed by Governor Jerry Brown last year. 

The bill's author says California is one of a minority of states that seizes assets of people who received basic services through Medi-Cal at the age of 55 or older.

They say federal law only requires governments to collect on Medicaid payments for nursing care, so their bill would place California's Medi-Cal recovery law at the federal minimum. It would also make it easier for Medi-Cal recipients to track their accrued costs.

The Governor said in his veto message last year that the measure is a "reasonable goal," but it wasn't a budget priority.

Health consumer advocates want the Governor's revised budget this week to provide for limited asset recovery. They say low-income people should not fear losing a home because they signed up for health insurance.