As an estate planning attorney in Virginia, I have unfortunately seen many circumstances where a person goes through the time and expense of having an estate plan done, only to fail to update their beneficiaries on their financial or retirement accounts before they pass away. An example of this would be Mary naming her brother […]
Profanity, Yoga, and Robots: Fighting Pain
3 Surprising Pain Remedies:“Profanity, Yoga, and Robots” That felt better. No, I’m not kidding. #3 Profanity:“Scientists from Keele University found that letting . . . foul language can have a powerful painkilling effect, especially for people who do not normally use expletive[s],” reported the Telegraph. Researchers then proceeded to explain the science behind this […]
5 Ways to Ease the Burden When Caring for Kids and Aging Parents
5 Ways to Ease the Burden When Caring for Kids and Aging Parents Did you know we just completed National Sandwich Generation Month? You may have never heard of it before, but if you care for aging parents and young children, you are part of this rapidly growing demographic. The burden of shouldering so much […]
Medicaid disparities: children with public insurance wait longer, denied more frequently
It is hard to imagine sick children could be seriously implicated and affected by public insurance disparities…federal law, after all, prohibits discirminatory treatment between patients who receive public vs. private insurance. But what about acceptance into such facilities, before they are patients? A new study examining facilities in Illinois claims “Sick children covered by Medicaid […]
What the American Middle Class Needs to Know: How to Protect the Family Home From Medicaid Recovery
Because the home is the largest asset a couple can keep while still qualifying for Medicaid, it is also usually the main target of estate recovery. Meet Sidney and Rachel Sidney and Rachel had lived in their home since it was new. They built it just after Sidney got a promotion to regional sales manager […]
What Costs Billions per Year and is the Leading Cause of Traumatic Brain Injury?
Each year, one in every three adults age 65 and older falls, according to Centers for Disease Control (CDC). These falls can cause devastating consequences; falls are the most common cause of Traumatic Brain Injuries, according to a study cited by the CDC. The cost of falls exceeded $19 billion in 2000, and with a […]
Medicaid Fraud Audit Targets Schizophrenia Drug
First, lawmakers in Utah expressed concern over the state’s Medicaid expenditures. Then, Utah State health officials were asked to investigate and control alleged fraud. Now, critics are questioning whether measures went too far, and some are expressing a sentiment that these audits paint an inaccurate picture of fraud…the millions of dollars sought to be recouped […]
Advocacy Group on New Medicare Hospice Law: “An Issue that Must be Closely Watched”
Hospice is “a special concept of care designed to provide comfort and support to patients and their families when a life-limiting illness no longer responds to cure-oriented treatments, explains the Hospice Foundation of America. For families with a loved one currently receiving Hospice care, a new law is under debate and analysis by some advocacy […]
Alito: VA Should Not Enforce “Rigid” Jurisdictional Requirements Against Veterans
While it may be true that the Supreme Court is often tasked with the daunting assignment of deciding the most controversial and divisive of issues, last Tuesday’s unanimous ruling was a little different. Most who are familiar with the facts of Henderson v. Shinseki would probably agree that the decision “felt right;” especially to the […]
PreNeed (Pre-Paid) Funeral and Burial Plans
Advantages and Disadvantages of Prepaid Plans One way to plan in advance for the end of one’s life is to sign a formal contract called a “preneed funeral plan.” With this plan, money to pay for a funeral and/or burial is held in a trust, in an escrow account or paid through an insurance policy […]
Who was supposed to be watching Grandma?
There is a popular tune you may have over the last couple of months called “Grandma Got Run Over by A Reindeer” which relates that Grandma — after drinking too much eggnog — went out into the winter cold to get her medication and was run over by a reindeer. The question is, “Who was […]
Depression related to lung-health? COPD may increase depression risk in Seniors
Experts say that over a million people in the United States have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is a chronic lung condition that includes bronchitis, emphysema or both. COPD affects the airways and air sacs within the lungs, which makes breathing difficult and can result in a person becoming less active over time. An […]
Why did Obama reverse course on Medicare end-of-life counseling legislation?
Earlier this month, we reported on legislation taking effect in 2011 that would promote end-of-life counseling through Medicare reimbursements to doctors. Now just days into the new year, the legislation appears to be dead in the water. ElderLawAnswers has reported that the legislation is being withdrawn: A provision in the House version of the health […]
New Medicare out-of-pocket home health care expenses for Seniors on the horizon?
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission suggested Thursday one strategy to cut health care spending; the strategy would force Medicare recipients who receive home health care to pay an out-of-pocket cost. The proposed cost is not yet certain, though sources suggest the amount may be around $150 for a series of visits. Medicare home health care […]
Obamacare Warfare: Why is the Public Positively Puzzled on Health Reform?
Paradoxically, the same principle that ensures Democracy in America is the source of the maddening confusion, delay, and uncertainty: “the Separation of Powers.”
Obama signs bill to benefit 9/11 survivors and first responders; but beware of other settlements
President Obama has signed a bill that will provide benefits for survivors of the September 11th, 2001 terror attacks, including Ground Zero first responders. In August 2009, the Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine published an article entitled, Multiple Myeloma in World Trade Center Responders: A Case Series. The study concluded by noting, “[we observed] […]
Obama v. GOP: Healthcare showdown
When President Obama took office two years ago, the GOP had much more than a mere inkling that a healthcare overhaul was on the horizon. Fast-forward to the final days of 2010, and an attempt at a repeal may be just around the corner. It comes as no surprise that healthcare is still a hot […]
Most likely: Supreme Court will have to decide constitutionality of mandatory insurance
The mandatory insurance debate represents an intersection (or a train wreck, depending on how you look at it) between federal powers, Congressional constitutional boundaries, and state interests. At issue is whether Americans can be required to buy medical insurance, and if so, whether penalties can be enforced for noncompliance. The states that oppose the multi-trillion […]
Hospitalized seniors can make great strides with just a few steps
A recent study conducted at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston suggests that senior citizens who stay mobile in hospitals can decrease the length of their stay. “Using [special step activity] monitors, we were able to see a correlation between even relatively small amounts of increased mobility and shorter lengths of stay in […]
In some States, Medicaid costs are going up, coverage is going down, and lives are being snuffed short
Massachusetts’ Medicaid program enjoyed success, at least initially. Boston (.com) reported that the state’s Medicaid program enrolled about 250,000 new members since mid-2006. What’s more is that the success of Massachusetts Medicaid led to the lowest rate of uninsured individuals in the entire U.S. That was back in 2006: Since the recession started in 2008, […]
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