# Washington — Medicaid Estate Recovery Rules by State

For Washington, what counts as the estate is the department shall seek adjustment or recovery from the individual's estate, and from nonprobate assets of the individual as defined by RCW 11.02.005 , but only for medical assistance consisting of nursing facility services, home and community-based services, other services that the department determines to be appropriate, and related hospital and prescription drug services; undue hardship waiver is The department shall establish procedures consistent with standards established by the federal department of health and human services and pursuant to 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396p to waive recovery when such recovery would work an undue hardship; citation is RCW 43.20B.080, recorded from its source on 2026-08-31.

- **State:** Washington _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **What counts as the estate:** the department shall seek adjustment or recovery from the individual's estate, and from nonprobate assets of the individual as defined by RCW 11.02.005 , but only for medical assistance consisting of nursing facility services, home and community-based services, other services that the department determines to be appropriate, and related hospital and prescription drug services. _(verified: appears in its own passage below)_
- **Survivor protections:** The department shall recognize an undue hardship for a surviving domestic partner whenever recovery would not have been permitted if he or she had been a surviving spouse. The department is not authorized to pursue recovery under such circumstances. _(verified: appears in its own passage below)_
- **Undue hardship waiver:** The department shall establish procedures consistent with standards established by the federal department of health and human services and pursuant to 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396p to waive recovery when such recovery would work an undue hardship. _(verified: appears in its own passage below)_
- **Citation:** RCW 43.20B.080 _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_

## What the source says

> (3) In the case of an individual who was fifty-five years of age or older when the individual received medical assistance, the department shall seek adjustment or recovery from the individual's estate, and from nonprobate assets of the individual as defined by RCW 11.02.005 , but only for medical assistance consisting of nursing facility services, home and community-based services, other services that the department determines to be appropriate, and related hospital and prescription drug services. Recovery from the individual's estate, including foreclosure of liens imposed under this section, shall be undertaken as soon as practicable, consistent with 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396p.

## Where each value comes from

This source states these in separate places, so each value is shown with the passage that states it.

### What counts as the estate

> (3) In the case of an individual who was fifty-five years of age or older when the individual received medical assistance, the department shall seek adjustment or recovery from the individual's estate, and from nonprobate assets of the individual as defined by RCW 11.02.005 , but only for medical assistance consisting of nursing facility services, home and community-based services, other services that the department determines to be appropriate, and related hospital and prescription drug services. Recovery from the individual's estate, including foreclosure of liens imposed under this section, shall be undertaken as soon as practicable, consistent with 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396p.

### Survivor protections

> (5)(a) The department shall establish procedures consistent with standards established by the federal department of health and human services and pursuant to 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396p to waive recovery when such recovery would work an undue hardship. The department shall recognize an undue hardship for a surviving domestic partner whenever recovery would not have been permitted if he or she had been a surviving spouse. The department is not authorized to pursue recovery under such circumstances.

### Undue hardship waiver

> (5)(a) The department shall establish procedures consistent with standards established by the federal department of health and human services and pursuant to 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396p to waive recovery when such recovery would work an undue hardship. The department shall recognize an undue hardship for a surviving domestic partner whenever recovery would not have been permitted if he or she had been a surviving spouse. The department is not authorized to pursue recovery under such circumstances.

## Source

- https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=43.20B.080

Last verified: 2026-08-31. Review by: 2027-08-31.
Part of [Medicaid Estate Recovery Rules by State](https://referencesource.org/medicaid-estate-recovery-rules-by-state/).