Denial of SSI or SVB Benefits from Social Security – How to Appeal
If you have been denied Supplemental Security Benefits (SSI) or Special Veterans Benefits (SVB) from Social Security, there are 3 ways to appeal this decision: online, in writing by completing a Request for Reconsideration, or through your local SSA office.
Turning 65? What You Need to Know to Sign up for Medicare
The first of the 78 million baby boomers turned 65 on January 1, 2011, and some 10,000 boomers a day will reportedly reach that milestone between now and 2030. If you are about to turn 65, then it is time to think about Medicare. You become eligible for Medicare at...
Keeping Medicare Solvent Could Mean Higher Taxes
With the 2024 presidential election in the not-too-distant future, coverage of heated debates over the nation’s government budget, including how to secure the future of public benefits programs like Social Security and Medicare, has started to dominate the headlines....
What Is Hospice Care at Home?
Hospice care is a type of health care that patients with terminally ill conditions rely on at the end of their lives. This type of care focuses on pain management and emotional, spiritual, and familial support for patients nearing the end of their lives. There are...
Does Medicaid Cover Self-Measured Blood Pressure?
According to the American Heart Association, high blood pressure contributes to many significant health conditions, including heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and kidney failure. In the United States, 121.5 million adults suffer from high blood pressure, also...
Medicaid Expansion: What Might It Mean for You?
As of late 2022, more than 84 million people were enrolled in Medicaid — a number that has steadily increased in recent years. Amid the pandemic, total enrollees climbed by 20 million people from 2020 to 2022 alone. Meanwhile, the debate among lawmakers on further...
This Tax Season, Seniors Can Get Free Assistance
When it comes to filing your 2022 federal tax return for the 2023 tax season, you may be able to access several forms of assistance for free. Filing Online: IRS Free File In January 2023, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)’s Free File service opened to taxpayers....
How Can a Geriatric Care Manager Help My Aging Loved One?
Navigating the challenges of aging can be stressful for older adults and their caregivers. Geriatric care managers support and direct older adults and their family members as they plan and arrange care. These care managers are also sometimes known as aging life care...
What Does ‘Geriatric’ Mean, and What Is Geriatric Care?
Long-term care for seniors is always evolving. One possible next step for you or your loved one may be geriatric care. You may be wondering: What does this type of care entail? Is it any different from the arrangements I have previously made for my aging family...
Becoming a Family Caregiver for a Loved One
Taking on the responsibility of providing full-time care for an aging or disabled loved one can be a rewarding experience. Being a primary caregiver helps you rest assured that your loved one is receiving compassionate care from someone who will go above and beyond to...
Medicaid Funeral Assistance May Help Pay for Funeral Costs
It is an unpleasant thought, but death is a reality we all must face. One way to cope with the loss of a loved one is to be prepared for their final send-off. Funerals are expensive. For Medicaid recipients and their families, it is unlikely they will have the money...
Can I Have Both Employer Insurance and Medicare?
When signing up for Medicare, some people have other insurance, such as coverage from a current employer, or retiree’s or military insurance. Beneficiaries of Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage may keep their additional coverage, as the providers work together to...
Does Medicare Cover Physical Therapy?
Physical therapy helps elders recover from injuries and illnesses, manage chronic conditions, and prevent future injuries. It can be an essential component of health care for older adults. Medicare covers physical therapy (PT) when it is medically necessary to treat a...
What Is Memory Care, and What Are Its Benefits?
Memory care is specialized care for patients living with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or other conditions that cause memory loss. Hospitals and nursing homes may have memory care units or a separate entity dedicated to this service. Memory care provides seniors with...
Appointing an Executor? Here’s What an Executor Cannot (and Should Not) Do
The person you name as your executor will be accountable for a number of important tasks, even in managing the administration of a small estate. This may include filing tax returns, keeping meticulous records, and distributing assets to your beneficiaries. At the same...