Pennsylvania Statutes Title 62 P.S. Poor Persons and Public Welfare § 441.6. Treatment of life estates, annuities and other contracts in determining medical assistance eligibility

(a) As a condition of eligibility for medical assistance, every applicant or recipient who owns a life estate in property with retained rights to revoke, amend or redesignate the remainderman must exercise those rights as directed by the department. The acceptance of medical assistance shall be an assignment by operation of law to the department of any right to revoke, amend or redesignate the remainderman of a life estate in property.

(b) Any provision in any annuity or other contract for the payment of money owned by an applicant or recipient of medical assistance, or owned by a spouse or other legally responsible relative of such applicant or recipient, that has the effect of limiting the right of such owner to sell, transfer or assign the right to receive payments thereunder or restricts the right to change the designated beneficiary thereunder is void.

(c) In determining eligibility for medical assistance, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that any annuity or contract to receive money is marketable without undue hardship.

(d) Upon approval by the Federal Government of any required State plan amendment implementing this subsection and notwithstanding subsections (b) and (c), a commercial annuity or contract purchased by or for an individual using that individual's assets will not be considered an available resource if the annuity meets all of the following conditions:

(e) This section applies to all annuity, life insurance and other contracts entered into on or after the effective date of this section and to life estates owned by any individual who applies or reapplies for medical assistance on or after the effective date of this section.