The Federal Government has issued a final rule that limits the use of pre-dispute arbitration agreements between nursing facilities and their residents. The final rule was published on July 16, 2019 by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) the government agency that regulates Medicare and Medicaid program providers. When someone is admitted to […]
Being Mortal
One major benefit of being semi-retired is that I have more time to “read” audio books each day while I walk and exercise. This is given me the opportunity to catch up on books I have long wanted to read (e.g. Steinbeck’s East of Eden) as well as more current titles. I recently read a […]
The Infamous Medicaid Look Back Rule… Why Does it Matter and What Does it Mean?
There are a lot of misconceptions out there as to this illusive Medicaid Look Back Rule and what it actually means. With this article, I hope to demystify this rule and give you some helpful information which you can apply to your lives moving forward. This discussion is based on the current (June 2018) Medicaid […]
My mother has Medicare. Won’t that take care of the nursing home bills?
Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older and certain younger people with disabilities or specific diseases. Payments by Medicare for nursing home care, if any, are only provided on a limited basis, and not for long-term needs. There are many limitations. For example, Medicare requires a qualifying in-patient […]
Is a Personal Care Home the Same as a Nursing Home?
Is a personal care home the same as a nursing home? This is a common question for families looking into care options for themselves or their loved ones. The answer is, no, although sometimes the two get confused. Personal care homes are residences that provide seniors support with instrumental activities of daily living and/or activities […]
The Big Financial Risk facing Pennsylvania Seniors
Recently I wrote about how death taxes impact Pennsylvania residents and their heirs. The conclusion was that for most of us, federal death taxes are not an issue. And Pennsylvania’s inheritance tax can take a modest bite from our accumulated wealth. [See my recent article Death Taxes For Pennsylvania Residents] For many Pennsylvania seniors a […]
Disinheriting your Spouse – Can it be Done in Pennsylvania?
A question that comes up more frequently than one may expect in our practice is: can I disinherit my spouse. The simple answer to that question is No, you cannot just disinherit your spouse but you can sure try… Although technically you cannot disinherit your spouse under Pennsylvania law, you can always try to leave […]