If you are old and go to a nursing home, medicare pays for 30 days. Medicaid picks up the rest and they will take any property you have and sell it. You have to be rid of all of your assets, ie money in the bank, your home etc... The only way out is if you have a surviving spouse that lives in the home or if you deed your home over to your children but that had to be done 5 years prior to your receiving medicaid.