14000, Medicaid Estate Recovery Program (MERP) Overview

Revision 19-4; Effective September 9, 2019

Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) must operate a MERP to recover the costs of Medicaid long-term care benefits received by certain Medicaid recipients, in accordance with the Texas Administrative Code, Title 1, Part 15, Chapter 373.

The local intellectual and developmental disability authority (LIDDA) must require its enrollment staff to:

• Provide the MERP overview to all persons, and their authorized representatives or legal guardians, who seek enrollment in a state supported living center, a community intermediate care facility for persons with intellectual disabilities, Home and Community-based Services or Texas Home Living. The MERP overview is part of Form 8001, Medicaid Estate Recovery Program Receipt Acknowledgement.
• Facilitate completion of Form 8001 with the person and authorized representative or legal guardian and provide a copy of the completed form to:
  • the person and authorized representative or legal guardian; and
  • the Medicaid provider who will provide services to the person upon enrollment.
• File and maintain the completed Form 8001 in the LIDDA’s medical record for the person, indefinitely.
• Scan and post the completed form as a PDF to the MRA Enrollment Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) site, using the following naming convention:
  • Person’s last name;
  • Person’s first name; and
  • MERP.  
    
    Note: Do not put spaces, dashes or any other symbol between the elements in the file name.
    Example: JonesSarahMERP.pdf

Information regarding MERP is found on the HHS website or by emailing MERP@hhsc.state.tx.us.

For information regarding a specific case, call toll-free at 800-641-9356.