Dear Advocate:

I am 80 years old, and have been on Medi-Cal for 20 years. Thankfully, I have been relatively healthy, but Medi-Cal did pay for one hospital stay and for my doctor visits and prescriptions. I understand that Medi-Cal will make a claim against my estate after I pass away for the amount of money it spent on my behalf. Is there any way that I can find out in advance the amount of the Medi-Cal claim?

Sincerely,
Concerned in Cleveland

Dear Concerned in Cleveland,

One of the most frequent complaints from Medi-Cal recipients has been the inability to find out exactly how much in benefits have been paid on their behalf. The state agency in charge of the Medi-Cal program, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), has created a new form to enable Medi-Cal recipients or their legally authorized representatives to request a record of Medi-Cal payments that may be subject to estate recovery in the future.

To obtain the information, you must complete and submit the “Request for Medi-Cal Expenses Subject to Estate Recovery” form (DHCS 4017) with the required documentation and a $25 processing fee to the address listed on the form.

For more information regarding DHCS 4017, see http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/Pages/DHCS_4017.aspx.