Americans Are Putting Billions More Than Usual in Their 401(k)s

Re:Americans Are Putting Billions More Than Usual in Their 4... by mywittyname on Thursday January 05, 2017 @05:15PM (#13331938)

I'm actually quite aware of this (my partner used to do nursing home placements). But if you're going into a nursing home, the implication is that you will never need those assets again. While I don't agree with this process, it's difficult to argue it is without merit. I suppose if survivors wanted to inherit those assets, they could take on the care of their elderly family members.

It's also worth noting that, in most of the US, the alternative to medicaid was/is filial support laws, in which the nursing home could take the assets of the children of the patients in their care.

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Re:Americans Are Putting Billions More Than Usual in Their 4... by rebootthesystem on Thursday January 05, 2017 @09:30PM (#13333442)

The point is that people on Medicaid don't really have health insurance. They have a line of credit with the government. They are accumulating debt. In most -not all- states the law requires the state to collect on the debt. Again, by law. They can and do place liens on your property, etc.

This is very, very far removed from the idea of health insurance. Your property becomes the property of the government. With real health insurance nobody places a lien on your home for medical services rendered.

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