Rhode Island § 40-5-13 - Support of the Needy

§ 40-5-13. Obligation of kindred for support.

(a) The kindred of any poor person, if any he or she shall have in the line or degree of father or grandfather, mother or grandmother, children or grandchildren, by consanguinity, or children by adoption, living within this state and of sufficient ability, shall be holden to support the pauper in proportion to their ability.

(b) The uncompensated costs of care provided by a licensed nursing facility to any person may be recovered by the nursing facility from any person who is obligated to provide support to that patient under subsection (a) hereof, to the extent that the individual so obligated received a transfer of any interests or assets from the patient receiving such care, which transfer resulted in a period of Medicaid ineligibility imposed pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1396p(c), as amended from time to time, on a person whose assets have been transferred for less than fair market value.

Recourse hereunder shall be limited to the fair market value of the interests or assets transferred at the time of transfer. For the purposes of this section “the costs of care” shall mean the costs of providing care, including nursing care, personal care, meals, transportation and any other costs, charges, and expenses incurred by the facility. Costs of care shall not exceed the customary rate the nursing facility charges to a patient who pays for his or her care directly rather than through a governmental or other third party payor. Nothing contained in this section shall prohibit or otherwise diminish any other causes of action possessed by any such nursing facility. The death of the person receiving nursing facility care shall not nullify or otherwise affect the liability of the person or persons charged with the costs of care hereunder.