A review window - usually five years - during which Medicaid examines an applicant's financial records to see whether money or property was given away, sold too cheaply, or transferred in a way that affects eligibility for long-term care benefits.

The look-back period matters because Medicaid is meant for people who meet strict income and asset rules. If someone applies for nursing home or other long-term care coverage and the agency finds a disqualifying transfer during that window, it can impose a penalty period. During that time, the person may be otherwise eligible but still unable to receive Medicaid payment for long-term care. Common examples include deeding a house to a relative for little or no value, making large cash gifts, or moving settlement money out of an account shortly before applying.

In Kansas, long-term care Medicaid is administered through KanCare, and the five-year review comes from federal law under the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. This can affect an injury claim when a person receives a personal injury settlement after a crash or other serious event and later needs facility care. A poorly handled payout, gift, or asset transfer can create Medicaid problems even if the injury itself was legitimate. Timing also matters: Kansas generally gives injured people two years to file a personal injury lawsuit under K.S.A. 60-513, so settlement planning should account for both that deadline and future Medicaid eligibility. Related terms include asset transfer, spend-down, eligibility, and trust.