Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 319s - Financial Assistance
Section 17b-95. (Formerly Sec. 17-83g). - Claim of state on death of beneficiary or parent of beneficiary. Sums due pursuant to an annuity contract. Recovery limitations.

(a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, upon the death of a parent of a child who has, at any time, been a beneficiary under the program of aid to families with dependent children, the temporary family assistance program or the state-administered general assistance program, or upon the death of any person who has at any time been a beneficiary of aid under the state supplement program, medical assistance program, aid to families with dependent children program, temporary family assistance program or state-administered general assistance program, except as provided in subsection (b) of section 17b-93, the state shall have a claim against such parent's or person's estate for all amounts paid on behalf of each such child that the state is required to recover under federal law or the provisions of section 17b-93, or for the support of either parent or such child or such person under the state supplement program, medical assistance program, aid to families with dependent children program, temporary family assistance program or state-administered general assistance program for which the state has not been reimbursed and that the state is required to recover under federal law or the provisions of section 17b-93, to the extent that the amount which the surviving spouse, parent or dependent children of the decedent would otherwise take from such estate is not needed for their support. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, effective for services provided on or after January 1, 2014, no state claim pursuant to this section shall be made against the estate of a recipient of medical assistance under the Medicaid Coverage for the Lowest Income Populations program, established pursuant to Section 1902(a)(10)(A)(i)(VIII) of the Social Security Act, as amended from time to time, except to the extent required by federal law.

(b) In the case of any person dying after October 1, 1959, the claim for medical payments, even though such payments were made prior thereto, shall be restricted to medical disbursements actually made for care of such deceased beneficiary.
(c) Claims pursuant to this section shall have priority over all unsecured claims against such estate, except (1) expenses of last sickness not to exceed three hundred seventy-five dollars, (2) funeral and burial expenses in accordance with sections 17b-84 and 17b-131, and (3) administrative expenses, including probate fees and taxes, and including fiduciary fees not exceeding the following commissions on the value of the whole estates accounted for by such fiduciaries: On the first two thousand dollars or portion thereof, five per cent; on the next eight thousand dollars or portion thereof, four per cent; on the excess over ten thousand dollars, three per cent. Upon petition by any fiduciary, the Probate Court, after a hearing thereon, may authorize compensation in excess of the above schedule for extraordinary services. Notice of any such petition and hearing shall be given to the Commissioner of Administrative Services in Hartford at least ten days in advance of such hearing. The allowable funeral and burial payment herein shall be reduced by the amount of any prepaid funeral arrangement. Any amount paid from the estate under this section to any person which exceeds the limits provided herein shall be repaid to the estate by such person, and such amount may be recovered in a civil action with interest at six per cent from the date of demand.
(d) For purposes of this section, all sums due on or after July 1, 2003, to any individual after the death of a public assistance beneficiary pursuant to the terms of an annuity contract purchased at any time with assets of a public assistance beneficiary, shall be deemed to be part of the estate of the deceased beneficiary and shall be payable to the state by the recipient of such annuity payments to the extent necessary to achieve full reimbursement of any public assistance benefits paid to, or on behalf of, the deceased beneficiary that the state is required to recover under federal law or the provisions of section 17b-93, irrespective of any provision of law. The recipient of beneficiary payments from any such annuity contract shall be solely liable to the state of Connecticut for reimbursement of public assistance benefits paid to, or on behalf of, the deceased beneficiary that the state is required to recover under federal law or the provisions of section 17b-93 to the extent of any payments received by such recipient pursuant to the annuity contract.
(e) On and after July 1, 2021, the state shall not recover cash assistance or medical assistance from a claim filed on any property, property interest, proceeds from a cause of action or estate, unless the state is required to recover such assistance under federal law or the provisions of section 17b-93. Any claim filed under this section by or on behalf of the state on such property, property interest, proceeds from a cause of action or estate prior to July 1, 2021, shall be released by the state if the recovery of such assistance is not required under federal law or the provisions of section 17b-93. As used in this subsection, “cash assistance” means payments made to a beneficiary of the aid to families with dependent children program, the state-administered general assistance program, the state supplement program or the temporary family assistance program.
(1969, P.A. 730, S. 30; P.A. 77-614, S. 70, 610; P.A. 78-337, S. 6, 11; P.A. 86-315, S. 3, 5; P.A. 88-156, S. 14; 88-364, S. 26, 123; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 42, 165; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3, S. 59; P.A. 04-258, S. 11; P.A. 14-217, S. 76; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2, S. 458.)
History: P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of finance and control with commissioner of administrative services; P.A. 78-337 specified applicable program as aid to families with dependent children, rather than as “aid to dependent children” and deleted reference to $600 limit on funeral and burial expenses in Subdiv. (2), referring instead to expenses allowed under Sec. 17-82q; P.A. 86-315 added reference to Sec. 17-83e(b); P.A. 88-156 and P.A. 88-364 made technical changes; Sec. 17-83g transferred to Sec. 17b-95 in 1995; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 made technical and conforming changes, effective July 1, 1997; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-3 designated existing provisions as Subsecs. (a), (b), and (c), in Subsec. (a) adding that effective September 1, 2003, recipients of “Connecticut Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract to the Elderly and Disabled Program” benefits are subject to estate recovery provisions, and in Subsec. (b) adding provision re state's claim for recovery of ConnPACE program benefits restricted to persons dying after September 1, 2003, for “benefits actually received on or after July 1, 2003”, added Subsec. (d) providing that all sums due to any individual on or after July 1, 2003, pursuant to the terms of an annuity contract purchased by a public assistance beneficiary, shall be payable to the state to the extent needed to achieve full reimbursement of the public assistance benefits received, and made technical changes, effective August 20, 2003; P.A. 04-258 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting provisions that, on or after September 1, 2003, allowed the state to make a claim for reimbursement of benefits paid against the estate of a Connecticut Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract to the Elderly and Disabled Program beneficiary and amended Subsec. (b) by deleting provision that authorized recovery of ConnPACE program benefits for those benefits received on or after July 1, 2003, effective June 1, 2004; P.A. 14-217 amended Subsec. (a) to add provision exempting estate of recipient of medical assistance under the Medicaid Coverage for the Lowest Income Populations program from state claim, effective June 13, 2014; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2 amended Subsecs. (a) and (d) by adding references to recovery required under federal law or the provisions of Sec. 17b-93, amended Subsec. (c) by adding reference to Sec. 17b-131, and added Subsec. (e) re limitations on state recovery on and after July 1, 2021, effective July 1, 2021.

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