Can a nursing home hold a resident's personal money account when they die or do they have to give it to the family if all bills are paid?

Medicare would not go after her money. Medicaid would. Even though you were paid up to date, Medicaid pays for most of the Nursing Home and Medicaid wants pay back when the patient dies. So Medicaid Estate Recovery Program (MERP) goes after her house and whatever cash is available.

Medicare sure wouldn't get it. I'm thinking Medicaid probably does, but I'm not sure.