Short answer

No. Nevada Medicaid cannot legally force you to sign over a deed while your parent is alive. After your parent dies, the State may seek recovery from your parent’s estate for Medicaid benefits paid for long‑term care. If your parent transferred the home during life, that transfer can affect eligibility and recovery in some situations. There are important exceptions and protections for surviving spouses and certain minor or disabled children.

Detailed answer — what Nevada and federal law allow

1) During your parent’s life: you cannot be forced to sign the deed

Nevada Medicaid (like every state Medicaid program) cannot coerce a living person to transfer title to their home. Any attempt to force a living person to sign away a deed would raise serious legal and criminal concerns (fraud, coercion, undue influence) and is not a lawful Medicaid collection tool.

2) Estate recovery after death

Under federal law, states must seek recovery from the estates of Medicaid recipients for long‑term care and related services paid by Medicaid for beneficiaries age 55 or older (with some exceptions). See 42 U.S.C. § 1396p(b). Nevada implements estate recovery as part of its Medicaid program and will generally attempt to recover from the decedent’s probate estate, and in some cases from assets that pass outside probate.

Federal guidance on estate recovery: 42 U.S.C. §1396p and federal CMS information: Medicaid estate recovery (CMS). For Nevada program info see the Nevada Division of Health Care Financing and Policy (DHCFP): Nevada Medicaid.

3) What assets can the state pursue?

• The state typically seeks repayment from the deceased Medicaid recipient’s estate — commonly from real property that was part of the estate.
• Recovery is subject to federal exceptions: the state cannot recover while a surviving spouse or a child who is under age 21, blind, or permanently and totally disabled is living in the home (subject to precise conditions). These exceptions come from federal law and are implemented by states.
• In some situations the state may file a claim or lien against property during the recipient’s lifetime to protect its future recovery rights, but Nevada’s practices are governed by state policy and administrative rules — contact Nevada Medicaid to confirm whether a lien is placed while the person is alive in a particular case.

4) Transfers during life — look‑back and penalties

If your parent transferred the house (or other assets) for less than fair market value during the 5‑year Medicaid “look‑back” period, that transfer can create a penalty period that delays Medicaid eligibility for long‑term care services. That is an eligibility rule, not a direct claim against you, but the state can treat transfers as improper and may pursue remedies if they determine a transfer was made to avoid Medicaid.

Federal law sets the look‑back and transfer rules; states apply them when determining eligibility. See 42 U.S.C. §1396p(c) and Nevada Medicaid policies (contact DHCFP for Nevada specifics).

5) Exceptions and hardship waivers

Nevada (like other states) must follow federal exceptions: for example, recovery is generally waived while a surviving spouse, a child under 21, or a blind/disabled child resides in the home. States may also offer hardship waivers or adjustments in limited situations. Policies and procedures vary; contact Nevada Medicaid estate recovery staff to ask about waivers and exceptions that may apply to your family.

6) Can the state take your home if your parent put the deed in your name?

If the parent gifted the home to you during life, the state may still pursue recovery or challenge the transfer if it appears to be a transfer made to avoid Medicaid obligations (especially within the 5‑year look‑back). If the transfer occurred many years before Medicaid benefits began and was for fair value, recovery may be more difficult for the state. Each case depends on timing, documentation, and intent.

7) How to respond if you receive a notice

1. Read any notice immediately and note deadlines for response or appeal.
2. Request a written explanation and an itemized statement of amounts the state seeks.
3. Gather documents: deed, trust instruments, gift receipts, medical records showing dates of care, wills, probate filings.
4. Contact Nevada Medicaid’s Estate Recovery Unit (DHCFP) for the program’s explanation of the claim and available exceptions. Nevada Medicaid: dhcfp.nv.gov/Programs/Medicaid.
5. Consider consulting an elder‑law attorney or probate attorney in Nevada promptly to evaluate defenses and possible hardship waivers.

8) Criminal or coercive behavior

If anyone is pressuring, threatening, or offering to sign over a deed under duress, that may be a crime (coercion, undue influence) and you should contact local law enforcement and an attorney right away.

Helpful hints — practical steps and tips

• Don’t sign away title to a home to “avoid Medicaid” without speaking to an attorney. Transfers done to qualify for Medicaid can create penalties and later legal problems.
• Collect proof of the date and value of any transfer (appraisals, written agreements). Documentation helps if you need to defend a transfer made years earlier.
• Keep a clear record of who paid for care and when. That helps determine whether Medicaid paid benefits that could be subject to recovery.
• Contact Nevada Medicaid early — ask for a written explanation of the claim and whether any exceptions or waivers apply to your situation. Nevada Medicaid program page: dhcfp.nv.gov/Programs/Medicaid.
• Learn about the federal estate recovery rules at: 42 U.S.C. §1396p and the CMS estate recovery overview: Medicaid.gov — Estate Recovery.
• Consult an attorney with experience in Nevada elder law or probate. If cost is a concern, look for legal aid, Nevada Legal Services, or local elder law clinics.
• If your parent has significant assets or complex planning (trusts, life estates), an attorney can review whether those arrangements change recovery risk.