Medicare beneficiaries will soon be eligible to obtain up to eight free rapid at-home Covid-19 tests per month, and, unlike their privately insured counterparts, they won’t have to pay for them upfront, the Biden administration has announced. The federal Centers for...

No. Medicaid can only make a claim against the beneficiary’s estate. Family members have no legal or financial responsibility. (This is assuming that the beneficiary has not transferred funds or property to family members.) For more information about estate...

Many people continue to work beyond retirement age, either by choice or out of necessity. But if you are receiving Social Security benefits, you need to be aware of how working can affect your benefit payments. Earning income above Social Security thresholds can cause...

Most likely, no. It is no different from someone using cash to buy a paid-up life insurance policy. Medicaid would almost certainly treat this as a transfer of assets to the beneficiary of the policy. For more information about how life insurance can affect your...

After being off-limits to most members of the public since March 2020, Social Security Administration (SSA) offices are set to reopen on March 30, 2022, barring an unexpected snag in negotiations with unions representing agency workers or a major change in the...

A federal court has ruled that hospitalized Medicare beneficiaries who were switched from inpatient to observation status can appeal the decision, making it easier for them to receive coverage for subsequent nursing home care. The ruling appears to bring to an end...

Americans' ability to quickly and easily test for COVID-19 is one of the most important tools for stopping the infection’s spread.  This is why the Biden administration recently announced it is requiring private insurers to cover the cost of up to eight rapid at-home...

If a loved one is experiencing memory loss or suddenly making poor decisions, you may want the court to appoint a guardian, which requires a declaration of incompetence. Determining whether someone is incompetent to make their own decisions is a complicated process....

Below, in chronological order, is a list of some of the most important elder law decisions for 2021.  Interestingly, all but one of the decisions were favorable to the elder, Medicaid recipient or their family.     Medicaid Applicant’s Transfers to Her...

Acting as an agent under a power of attorney is a big responsibility and it isn’t something everyone can take on. It is possible to resign or refuse the position. There are two main types of powers of attorney – financial and medical. As the agent under a power of...

While most government offices have reopened to the public, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is still barring in-person visits nearly two years after the Covid pandemic first swept across the U.S., resulting in a denial of service to some of the country’s most...

The standard under which a person is deemed to require a guardian differs from state to state. And even within some states the standards are different, depending on whether a complete guardianship or only a conservatorship over finances is being sought. Generally a...

Tax Planning Question: When several siblings are heirs to a parent's estate, who pays the capital gains tax when the home is sold? Does each heir pay on his or her portion of the proceeds or are taxes paid from the estate before funds are distributed? Answer:...

Assisted living facilities are a housing option for people who can still live independently but who need some assistance. Costs can range from $2,000 to more than $6,000 a month, depending on location. Medicare won’t pay for this type of care, but Medicaid...

If you are single, you may not think you need to plan your estate, but single people are in as much need of a plan as anyone else. Estate planning not only involves determining where your assets will go when you die -- it also helps you plan for what will happen...