Premiums for many popular Medicare prescription drug plans will soar next year – but seniors don’t have to take the rate hikes lying down.
Posts Tagged: elder law
What you don’t know about Medicare can cost you
Your status as “inpatient” versus “under observation” while in a hospital can make a world of Medicare difference.
Whistleblower Lawsuit Alleges that Hospice Fraudulently Used as Profit Center
A national hospice company improperly cycled patients through nursing homes and hospice with a goal of making as much profit as possible from Medicare, according to a whistleblower lawsuit announced in early January.
What does the Debt Ceiling Deal mean for Seniors?
The U.S. Debt Ceiling was raised before the magical August 2 deadline amid great hand-wringing and “the sky is falling” rhetoric out of our nation’s capitol. Despite the tireless efforts of our tireless representatives, our stock market still plunged, and global markets followed suit. Making sense out of the baloney sandwich we have just been fed is tricky.
Respite care can be a life saver
If you are a caretaker for someone else, please be sure to take care of yourselff, too.
Joint bank accounts can be a bad idea
Think twice before you put somebody else’s name on on your bank accounts. Using trusts or powers of attorney can give you the flexibility you want without exposing your assets to unnecessary risk.
From The New York Times (April 19, 2011) “Guidelines Allow Earlier Definition of Alzheimer’s”
For the first time in 27 years, the definition of Alzheimer’s disease is being recast in new medical guidelines that reflect fast-mounting evidence that it begins ravaging the brain years before the symptoms of dementia.
From The Associated Press (April 7, 2011) “Social Security Stopped Mailing Earning Statements”
Those yearly statements that Social Security mails out — here’s what you’d get if you retired at 62, at 66, at 70 — will soon stop arriving in your mailbox. It’s part of an effort to save money and steer more people to the agency’s website, which is worth checking out.
Will a power of attorney give me the authority I need to cause my unwilling 92-year-old parent to stay in an assisted living facility?
Another “ask the expert” question featured at www.est8planning.com. This one deals with the tough situation of having to override a senior family member’s choices when he she loses the ability to make good decisions.
Are monies received via personal service contracts entered for Medicaid planning purposes subject to self employment tax?
Another “ask the expert” question featured on www.eldercarematters.com. This one relates to personal service contracts used in Medicaid planning.