Q. My husband and I watched the State of the Union address on Tuesday night, until we fell asleep. We heard a little bit about Social Security and Medicare, but couldn’t get the complete gist of what President Obama was saying. If you watched, what do you think are some of the key takeaways for seniors, about important programs such as […]
2016 Key Medicaid Dollar Amounts
Q. Every year your firm provides the key dollar amounts that are frequently used in elder law, including Medicaid figures, long-term care insurance deductibility limits, Medicare premiums, Social Security Disability, and Supplemental Security Income. Are these figures available for 2016 yet and, if so, can you tell me what some of the changes are for […]
Seniors Should Be Thankful For This. . .
This week, we celebrate Thanksgiving, making it an ideal time to give thanks and reflect on the positive things that have happened over the past year. Below are twelve of our blog articles from 2015 that make us and many of our clients thankful (chronologically listed from newest to oldest): Amazing new technology helps seniors […]
Balanced Budget Act: Good or Bad for Seniors?
Image source: Wall Street Journal On November 2, 2015, the Balanced Budget Act of 2015 (BBA) was signed into law by President Barack Obama. According to the President’s statement on the day of the signing, “Democrats and Republicans came together to set up a responsible, long-term budget process, and what we now see is a […]
She was in the Hospital a Week, and They’re Calling it Observation Status!
Image Source: Dailymail Q. Last month, my 82 year-old mother, Shirley, fainted and hit her back on the bathroom counter on her way to the ground. When she came to, she could hardly move, but she was able to grab her phone to dial 911. She was taken to the emergency room, where the attending […]
Why Take Advantage of End-of-life Care Talks?
Dear Baxter, I just read that Medicare will fund end-of-life planning discussions with doctors, as of Jan. 1, 2016. Why is this important? My doctor already does this for free. And why should seniors take advantage of these talks? I personally don’t want to talk about death and dying. Thanks in advance for your thoughts! […]
Preparing Yourself for Medicare Open Enrollment
Every day, an average of 10,000 Americans will become eligible for Medicare as they turn 65 — and face a complex new set of health care decisions. If you’re among them, you may feel perplexed about what you need to do about Medicare and when. And, if you do, you are not alone. In fact, […]
70% of Americans turning 65 will need Long-Term Care
Correction: The title of our newsletter is incorrect. It should be “One in seven adults will have a disability for more than five years.” We apologize for this error! Photo from homeaidescny.org A new federal issue brief, compiled by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), was released following the White House Conference on Aging. The research shows that […]
A “Guardian Angel” When One is Needed Most
Marjorie never felt alone at her nursing home. Although her husband died last year, and her children couldn’t be there a lot of the time to visit her, she seemed content. Her ability to speak clearly and her memory were diminishing and most people couldn’t understand what she wanted or needed, but somehow she always […]
ACA is Here to Stay – Is That Good for Seniors?
Photo Source: Irish Times Q. I heard that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is here to stay, as of yesterday when the Supreme Court ruled to save the health care law. Is the ruling good for seniors? Also, can you clarify whether seniors on Medicare are or are not affected by the ACA? A. Yesterday, […]
Highlights from the White House Conference on Aging
Photo from Whitehouse.gov This past Monday, on the cusp of the 50th anniversary of the creation of Medicare and Medicaid and the 80th anniversary of Social Security, the once-a-decade White House Conference on Aging was held. During the conference, 200 advocates, health care workers, and government officials discussed caring for seniors, addressing topics such as […]
Government Raises the Bar on Nursing Home Ratings
Q. My father has dementia and will need skilled nursing care in the near future. There are so many nursing homes in this area to consider, and I have heard differing opinions from friends and family. How can we really know which one is best, and how can we afford it? A. When seniors and […]
Hospice Care For Mom? But, She Isn’t Dying.
Q. My mother, Roxanne, 76, has suffered from lung disease for ten years. She still has her wits about her, and spends her days knitting, reading historical novels, and sipping tea. Recently, her doctor recommended hospice care, and I was perplexed by his recommendation. She has been living fine for a decade with her lung […]
Ask the Expert: 2015 Key Medicaid Dollar Amounts
Q. Every year your firm provides the key dollar amounts that are frequently used in elder law, including Medicaid figures, long-term care insurance deductibility limits, Medicare premiums, Social Security Disability, and Supplemental Security Income. Are these figures available for 2015 yet and, if so, can you tell me what some of the changes are for […]
“NO, ONLY A DOCTOR CAN CALL 911.”
Guest Post by Lauren Ellerman of Frith & Ellerman Law Firm, P.C. Imagine, you arrive at the nursing home to have lunch with your grandmother. When you walk into her room, she doesn’t recognize you and is begging for someone to help her. She says she is in pain, but she can’t tell you where […]
Long-Term Care Insurance- The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
November is Long-Term Care Awareness Month, a continuing effort to raise public awareness about long-term care insurance and planning. Statistics show that more than 70% of people age 65 or older will need long-term care sometime in their future. That statistic alone dictates that you need to have a plan in place. With long-term care […]
LGBTQ Marriage Ruling Brings New Planning Choices
LGBTQ married couples can now celebrate another important victory in their fight for equal rights. Yesterday, the Supreme Court ruled to let the appeals court rulings allowing same-sex marriage in five states stand, clearing the way for same-sex marriages in Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin. Now, same-sex couples can marry in 24 states, along […]
“Extra Help” Benefit for Seniors with High Prescription Expenses
When no generic version of a drug exists yet, the costs are even higher. The good news is that the Social Security Administration (SSA) has a program called “Extra Help” for some Medicare beneficiaries.
Will the Government Pay for My Long Term Care?
“people who reach age 65 will likely have a 40 percent chance of entering a nursing home.
Free Seminar: Who Will Pay for Your Long-Term Care?
Nursing homes are a common solution when it comes to long-term care, and a good elder law attorney should help you plan for how to make this possibility happen. It’s common for people to think that the government will simply pay for their needs or that a nursing home isn’t any more expensive than renting an apartment. Both ideas are usually untrue. For example, here in Northern Virginia a nursing home can cost around $10,000-$12,000 per month!
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