Joseph L. Matthews

Caring.com Senior Editor

About: Joseph L. Matthews has been an attorney in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1971. From 1975 to 1977 he taught at the School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of numerous books, including Social Security, Medicare, and Government Pensions; Long-Term Care: How to Plan and Pay for It; How to Win Your Personal Injury Claim; and The Lawyer Who Blew up His Desk. The original coauthor of Joseph's book on Social Security and Medicare was his mother, Dorothy, who had worked at senior centers for 25 years. Joseph then assisted her with her own care during the later years of her life, arranging her legal and financial documents and helping her move to home care and assisted living as her needs changed.

Recently Published on Caring.com

Friday November 20, 2009
1. Do I need Medicare Parts B and C if I'm a federal retiree?
  Answer - Whether your government retiree health plan is better than Medicare Part B or a Medicare Part C Medicare Advantage health plan depends mostly on how good the terms are of your current health plan. You need to sit down and compare the coverage -- including the deductibles and copayments you must pay...
2. Can the sale of Mom's house affect her Medicaid eligibility?
  Answer - The assets your mother-in-law receives from the sale of her house can affect her Medicaid eligibility. When deciding eligibility, Medicaid looks at the total amount of someone's assets, not counting the home they live in. Once that home is sold, though, the money a person receives from the sale becomes...
3. What will be the penalty for delaying Medicare enrollment for my husband while he's on my insurance?
  Answer - Good news: There is NO penalty for him delaying enrollment in Medicare as long as he is covered under your insurance from your current job. As long as his coverage is based on your active employment, he doesn't need to enroll in Medicare. Once you retire or lose your coverage, though, he will have eight...
Tuesday November 17, 2009
1. Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance): How It Works
  Article - Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) Medicare Part B is intended to cover doctor bills and outpatient costs. But what does it really cover? 1 Comment
Monday November 16, 2009
1. A Buyer's Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance
  Buying Guide - Read our free long term care insurance guide to learn how long term care insurance works and can help with extensive medical costs at Caring.com. 3 Comments
2. Will the VA pay for a nursing home?
  Answer - It is possible that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may provide nursing home care for your father. Anyone who served on active duty in the military may be eligible for at least some VA benefits, and the VA maintains its own nursing homes around the country...
Sunday November 15, 2009
1. Will a one time financial gift affect Medicaid benefits?
  Answer - Yes, a cash gift can affect her Medicaid eligibility. The effect of the gift depends on whether she's receiving regular Medicaid coverage for medical care or Medicaid coverage for long-term nursing home care. When deciding eligibility for either type of coverage, Medicaid looks at the total amount of someone's assets, not counting the person's home...
2. Can I get a disability payment from Social Security and my employer?
  Answer - As far as the Social Security system is concerned, you can collect Social Security disability benefits and disability benefits from your employer's disability insurance coverage at the same time. There is no set-off or reduction in Social Security disability benefits if you also collect benefits under employer-sponsored disability insurance...
3. Does 401(k) balances count in a Medicaid application?
  Answer - When deciding whether your assets are low enough to make you eligible for Medicaid coverage, Medicaid will consider your 401(k) account balances to the extent those funds are actually, currently available to you. The rules of 401(k) accounts can be quite different -- some 401(k)s place time or age restrictions on how much you can withdraw...
Friday November 13, 2009
1. How can we keep my mother in her current living facility if her income is gone?
  Answer - There's no simple solution to this dilemma you're in. Medicaid is the only federal government program to pay long-term care costs for people with low income, once they have spent their assets. However, Medicaid will only cover someone in a facility that participates in Medicaid, and as you've discovered...
2. Medicare Coverage of Home Care
  Article - Medicare covers nursing home care -- with restrictions. Avoid confusion over long-term care by understanding Medicare coverage of nursing home care.
Thursday November 12, 2009
1. Can I qualify for social security disability benefits with a diagnosis of early onset dementia?
  Answer - Eligibility for Social Security Disability benefits is judged based on your ability to perform any "substantial gainful work." This is not measured by your ability to continue working at your present job, your present type of work, within your profession, or at the same level of employment or pay...
2. Will Medicare or Black Lung benefits cover long-term care?
  Answer - There are very different answers, depending on whether he needs short-term or long-term care. For short-term care, both Medicare Part A and the U. S. Department of Labor's Black Lung Benefits Program medical coverage can provide nursing and related medical care in a skilled nursing facility or rehabilitation...
Tuesday November 10, 2009
1. Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage) Plans: How They Work
  Article - Read our Medicare Part C plans article and find helpful Medicare Part C information at Caring.com. 1 Comment
Monday November 09, 2009
1. Who Qualifies for Veterans Medical Benefits
  Article - Who qualifies for veterans medical benefits? Our primer describes who qualifies for veterans medical benefits and how to help a veteran apply. 1 Comment
Friday November 06, 2009
1. Medicare Coverage of Nursing Home Care
  Article - Medicare covers nursing home care -- with restrictions. Avoid confusion over long-term care by understanding Medicare coverage of nursing home care.
Wednesday November 04, 2009
1. 8 Points to Consider When Choosing a Medicare Managed Care Plan
  Article - Medicare doesn't come in only one flavor. There's traditional Medicare Part A and Part B, supplemented by a medigap private insurance policy. But there are also Medicare Part C managed care plans, called Medicare Advantage, which blend the other types of coverage into one...
Monday October 26, 2009
1. How old do I have to be to get Medicare if already receiving Social Security Disability?
  Answer - You don't have to be 50-years old in order to receive full Medicare coverage if you are receiving Social Security disability benefits. You can get Medicare coverage at any age once you have received Social Security or Railroad Retirement disability benefits for 24 months. Medicare sets out this rule on its web site page explaining eligibility...
2. Is there any inexpensive insurance for the disabled?
  Answer - There are three major low-cost, government-sponsored medical insurance programs that might be available for you: Medicare, Medicaid, and Medicare prescription drug coverage.
3. My father fell in a nursing home and I'm wondering if the nursing home should have liability insurance to cover his medical costs?
  Answer - To find out what insurance coverage the facility has, speak with -- or even better, write a letter to -- the facility administrator asking for information about their regular and medical liability insurance coverage. You will probably be referred to the facility's insurance company claims department...
Wednesday October 21, 2009
1. Medicare Coverage for Home Care and Skilled Nursing Care
  Article - Learn about Medicare coverage for care, including home care and skilled nursing care, and how Medicare coverage can help your elderly loved ones at Caring.com. 3 Comments
2. Medicare and Veterans Medical Benefits: Which One Can I Use?
  Article - How to determine whether to use your Veterans medical benefits or Medicare to pay for medical bills, prescription drugs, and other medical services.
Thursday October 15, 2009
1. Will a pre-existing condition affect Medicare eligibility?
  Answer - You're doing the smart thing by planning ahead. Medicare leaves considerable gaps in coverage that you'd have to pay out of pocket if you don't have some kind of supplemental insurance coverage. There are two kinds of insurance your wife could buy to supplement Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and...
2. Does money spent for home modifications count towards a Medicaid spend down?
  Answer - First of all, there's nothing illegal about your father spending his money on himself. The only illegality that might come into it is if he applies for Medicaid or another government assistance program and they ask him about recent expenditures but he doesn't tell them the truth. Only a false statement would be illegal...
3. How do I find out of an assisted living facility accepts Medicaid?
  Answer - As you've already found out, many assisted living facilities in Texas do not accept any residents who depend on Medicaid. And even when a Texas facility does accept Medicaid coverage for a resident, there are usually strict limits on what Medicaid will pay -- a special Medicaid waiver program in Texas...
Friday October 09, 2009
1. How can I get the dental care I need if I can't afford it and have no dental insurance?
  Answer - The only school of dentistry in South Carolina is the College of Dental Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. They see private patients, and could very likely do your dental work for far less than the figure you've been quoted. If it saved you thousands of dollars, it might be worth traveling to Charleston for your dental care...
2. What options do we have to pay for home care?
  Answer - Unfortunately, Medicare's home care coverage is not going to help you in this situation. The kind of care your mother seems to need is called "custodial care" and involves help with the activities of daily living but not medical care. Medicare only provides help in the home when medical care -- skilled...
Thursday October 08, 2009
1. How long after I've qualified for SSI disability am I eligible for Medicare?
  Answer - There are actually two different disability benefits programs run by the Social Security Administration, so the first thing for you to do is to get clear about which type of benefits you're receiving. One type is Social Security Disability Insurance, referred to as SSDI...
Wednesday October 07, 2009
1. FAQ: Should I Join a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan if I Have Other Drug Coverage?
  Answer - Usually not, for two reasons: First, if your other drug plan covers all the prescription drugs you regularly take, enrolling in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan would be a waste of money -- one plan or the other can pay for a single prescription, but not both...
Tuesday October 06, 2009
1. FAQ: When Can I Join or Switch to a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan?
  Answer - You can join a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan as soon as you first become eligible for Medicare Part A or enroll in Medicare Part B (either when you turn 65 or become eligible for Medicare because of a two-year, continuing period of Social Security disability benefits)...
2. How to Choose a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan
  Article - Choosing a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan isn't easy. Use this guide to help find the Medicare Part D plan that works best for you.
Thursday October 01, 2009
1. FAQ: How Does Someone Get Coverage for a Non Formulary Drug?
  Question - If the doctor prescribes a drug that's not covered by your Medicare Part D plan, take these steps to try to get coverage for the medication.
Monday September 28, 2009
1. Is Grandma responsible for bill if Medicaid waits?
  Answer - Medicaid can pay benefits back to the first day someone applies, even if the eligibility decision isn't made until later. But Medicaid will grant this retroactive eligibility only if it determines that the applicant was eligible on the application date.
2. Will money moved to a CD fall under Medicaid's look-back period if it came from a joint account?
  Answer - When Medicaid decides whether someone is eligible for its nursing home benefits, it looks at the assets available to that person. One of its eligibility rules considers any gifts made within 5 years of the Medicaid application to still "belong" to the applicant...
Wednesday September 23, 2009
1. Will Mom be self-pay after she sells her house?
  Answer - Medicaid can pay the full cost of long-term residence in a nursing home for someone who has low income and few assets other than their own home. The rules about Medicaid nursing home eligibility and owning a house can be a bit tricky. In most states, a single or widowed person can enter a nursing home...
Wednesday September 16, 2009
1. How to Choose a Medigap Insurance Policy
  Article - Everything you need to know to choose a Medigap insurance policy. 1 Comment
2. Choosing Hospice Under Medicare
  Article - What is hospice? Hospice is an alternative to regular medical care for people in the final months of life. Instead of continuing to try curing or delaying the fatal disease or condition, hospice ends treatment altogether. Instead, its goal is to control pain and other symptoms and make the patient's last stretch of life as comfortable as possible... 3 Comments
3. 8 Preventive Screenings Medicare Will Cover
  Article - Medicare isn't very good at covering preventive medicine. For example, it doesn't cover regular annual physical examinations, and it doesn't cover most laboratory tests unless they've been ordered by a doctor trying to diagnose or treat a patient's specific complaint...
4. Who's Eligible for a Medigap Insurance Policy?
  Article - A medigap insurance policy covers many medical costs that Medicare insurance may not pay for. If somone is nearing or already at age 65, she probably knows that Medicare ends up paying for only about half of all medical costs. Part of this slack is taken up by Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, which pay some of the high cost of medicines...
5. Medicare Coverage for Mental Health and Alzheimer's Care
  Article - Read our mental health coverage article and find helpful mental health coverage information at Caring.com.
6. How to Get Medicare to Cover a Regular Physical Exam
  Article - How to get Medicare coverage for a regular physical exam -- without breaking Medicare rules.
Monday September 14, 2009
1. How does Medicare define "confine to home"?
  Answer - A patient being "confined to home" is one of several requirements Medicare Part B sets for coverage of in-home care. For purposes of Medicare Part B coverage, confined to home means that the patient can't leave home without difficulty, and to do so needs the assistance of another person or of a medical device such as a wheelchair...
2. Which state Medicare rules would apply?
  Answer - First of all, you mention Medicare, but it's actually Medicaid that you're talking about. Your mother and almost everyone age 65 and over qualifies for Medicare health care coverage regardless of their income and assets. On the other hand, Medicare does not cover long-term care, either at home or in a nursing facility...
Friday September 11, 2009
1. Does Medicare cover driving evaulations?
  Answer - Medicare Part B could cover a "driving evaluation" at an outpatient rehabilitation facility if it's prescribed by a doctor. Medicare Part B covers some rehabilitation services following an injury, illness or other change in a patient's condition. These services can be physical therapy, occupational therapy, or both...
Thursday September 10, 2009
1. Will VA pay what private insurance won't?
  Answer - The VA probably will not pay for the unpaid part of these bills for medical care your husband received outside of the VA medical system. That's because for any specific medical treatment, your husband can choose to use either the VA medical system or the private medical system...
Sunday September 06, 2009
1. Would dad be eligible for Medicaid if he divorces my mother?
  Answer - Divorce for Medicaid eligibility for long-term care coverage is possible, but it has serious practical and emotional consequences and should only be a last resort. If they stay married, Medicaid rules in this situation [hhs.gov] already would allow your mother -- known as the "community spouse" -- to...
2. Will Medicare cover costs associated with independent living?
  Answer - Medicare doesn't cover any of the cost -- that is the room, board, and other non-medical services -- of an independent living facility. Medicare pays for medical services, treatment, and equipment only, not for living arrangements (except for temporary stays in a skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility)...
3. Can one switch from Medicare Part B to Medicaid easily?
  Answer - If someone qualifies for Medicaid coverage, she gets that coverage in addition to Medicare Part B (not instead of Medicare Part B). If she qualifies for Medicaid, she would keep her Medicare Part B coverage and Medicaid would pay the Medicare Part B premium, deductible, and copayments...
Saturday September 05, 2009
1. Can Medicaid charge me for Mom's nursing home?
  Answer - No, it's not true that you'll be responsible for your mother-in-law's nursing home costs. When someone goes into a nursing home and applies for Medicaid coverage, Medicaid considers only that person's own income and assets (and that of a spouse, if living with the Medicaid applicant)...
2. Can an adult child keep a house from Medicaid recovery?
  Answer - Yes, it's possible for the son who was a caregiver to keep the house without Medicaid having a right to recover the mother's long-term care costs out of the house's value. Medicaid has a special rule to encourage adult children to live with and care for their elder parent, in the parent's home, in order to keep the parent at home as long as possible...
3. Can I apply to for aid on Mom's behalf?
  Answer - Many people have difficulty with -- even a fear of -- figuring out how to apply for benefits and doing the paperwork, even if the result might be of great benefit to them. Unfortunately, unless you have a Power of Attorney to act on your mother's behalf, she's going to have to get involved at some stage...
Friday September 04, 2009
1. Can I charge for speech therapy under Part B?
  Answer - Several different Medicare rules come into play in answering your question. First of all, if Medicare Part A covers the skilled nursing facility stay, all medically necessary inpatient services -- including speech therapy -- are usually provided by the facility itself and would be included in the daily facility charge paid by Medicare Part A...
Tuesday September 01, 2009
1. FAQ: How Can I Increase the Odds That Medicare Will Cover My Medical Service?
  Answer - It's usually obvious whether a medical service is covered by Medicare Part A or Part B, or by a private Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage) plan. But occasionally Medicare, or a Medicare Part C plan, denies payment for care that a patient expects to be covered...
Monday August 31, 2009
1. Do Medicare and Medical cover my parents while traveling?
  Answer - The short answer is that Medicare will, but Medi-Cal won't, cover your parents when they're visiting you outside California. The longer answer is that Medicare is a national system, with consistent rules across all states, and is intended to protect people wherever they might be in the U.S...
2. Will VA medical care still cover me if I get sick in another country?
  Answer - It's possible, but it depends on several factors. First, in order to get overseas care, you have to have a VA rated service-connected condition. Also, there are limits on the types of care you can receive -- the VA must determine that the care is "medically necessary" and related to your service-connected condition...
3. Can Dad still receive Mom's social security after she dies?
  Answer - If your father is now collecting Social Security dependents benefits (sometimes called spousal benefits) based on your mother's Social Security retirement payment, he is probably getting about half the amount she collects in Social Security retirement benefits. That arrangement will change when she dies...
4. If Medicare runs out, can it be restarted?
  Answer - Medicare payments for care in a skilled nursing facility last for only 100 days within any one "benefit period." Within that 100 days, Medicare pays the full amount for the first 20 days, then requires the patient to pay a daily copayment during the next 80 days. TRICARE pays that copayment...
Sunday August 30, 2009
1. Can we pay my sibling to care for Mom?
  Answer - Paying an adult child to care for a parent is a perfectly legitimate use of a parent's funds, as long as the parent agrees. In order for the payment to be considered legitimate by Medicaid -- if your mother someday applies for Medicaid benefits -- the care must be legitimately performed and the rate...
Friday August 28, 2009
1. Does Medicare cover companion care?
  Answer - Medicare only covers medical care -- it doesn't pay anything for non-medical companion care. One of the only situations in which Medicare pays for any kind of non-medical care is when it provides short-term home health care, which is primarily nursing care but can include a small amount of help with...
2. Will living in my home affect my sister's eligibility for Medicaid?
  Answer - Yes, the fact that your sister reported that she pays no rent could be a problem when Medicaid considers her eligibility. When deciding whether someone is eligible, Medicaid looks at all the person's income and assets, and also at the person's regular expenses, including rent...
Thursday August 27, 2009
1. FAQ: How Can I Get Medicare to Send Me Parent's Paperwork
  Question - How to receive your parent's Medicare paperwork, with your parent's permission or if she is unable to handle her own affairs.
2. Can my mother use both Medicare and Medicaid at the same time?
  Answer - Yes, your mother can be covered by Medicare and Medicaid at the same time (if her income and assets are low enough for her to qualify for Medicaid). If she enters the assisted living facility and is covered by Illinois's Medicaid program, Medicare and Medicaid would combine to cover your mother's care...
3. Does Medicaid pay for funerals?
  Answer - No, Medicaid does not pay for cremation or funerals. However, the Social Security program can make a payment for funerals and burials, and Medicaid has qualifying rules which allow you to put aside your own money for funeral and burial expenses, so maybe the funeral home's site was jumbling up this information...
4. What are our options after Medicare and Medicaid benefits are exhausted?
  Answer - It sounds like you and the social worker had a misunderstanding. Certain specific Medicare Part A inpatient hospital benefits may run out temporarily, and one part of Medicare Part A's long-term hospital coverage may end, but overall Medicare coverage does not become exhausted...
Monday August 24, 2009
1. How Can I Get Access to a Family Member's Health Records?
  Article - HIPAA rules cover when you can get medical information about an older adult one, with or without permission or when the person one is incapacitated.
2. What Is a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Order, and How Does It Work?
  Article - When someone nears the end of life -- from either a specific terminal illness or overall decline -- there may be some difficult decisions to make regarding medical interventions. One of these decisions is whether the person wants to be revived, through the administering of CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), if she stops breathing or her heart stops beating... 1 Comment
Thursday August 13, 2009
1. SSI: Low-Income Older Adults May Qualify for Supplemental Security Income
  Article - If you're caring for someone who's 65 or older, or someone of any age who's blind or disabled, who has very low income and few assets, she may be eligible for SSI (Supplemental Security Income), a monthly government cash benefit. This is true even if she owns her home. 1 Comment
Thursday August 06, 2009
1. Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance): How It Works
  Article - How Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) Works. Who's eligible for Medicare Part A and what hospital care is covered by Medicare Part A?
2. How to Get Paid for Being a Family Caregiver
  Article - You could get paid for being a caregiver if your family member is on Medicaid. See if you can get paid for being a caregiver by Medicaid or insurance. 2 Comments
Monday July 27, 2009
1. Will Medicaid pay for my dad's ventilator and skilled nursing care in my home?
  Answer - The answer probably depends on how much actual skilled care he needs. Medicaid coverage varies from state to state. But in all states, the extent of home care Medicaid will cover is far less than what is provided -- and paid for by Medicaid -- in a nursing home...
2. Does Medicare cover psychologist visits?
  Answer - Yes, it can, but only under certain circumstances, and only for part of the cost. If you are enrolled in Medicare Part B, it can partially cover diagnosis and treatment by a psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, clinical social worker or other licensed mental health care practitioner...
3. Will Medicare Parts A and B pay for treatment in a psychiatric hospital?
  Answer - Yes, Medicare Part A can cover the inpatient costs for her care in a psychiatric hospital -- meaning a hospital that accepts patients only for mental health care. Medicare can also cover her inpatient psychiatric care in a general hospital. The rules of payment are the same for either type of hospital, but the total amount of coverage is different...
4. Does Medicare cover massage therapy, physical trainer and physical therapy?
  Answer - Medicare Part B can cover outpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy as prescribed by your doctor. Neither a physical trainer nor a massage therapist is covered by Medicare, but similar services may be part of what's provided by a physical therapist who's experienced with Parkinson's patients...
5. FAQ: What's the Process for Replacing a Medicare ID Card?
  Answer - The Social Security Administration issues Medicare cards. To get a replacement card, contact the Social Security Administration -- which issues Medicare cards -- in one of several ways. To get a replacement card online, go to the Medicare replacement card page on the Social Security Administration website...
6. Does Medicare Part A cover oxygen machines?
  Answer - Medicare Part A covers all necessary medical care, including an oxygen machine, while someone is an inpatient in a hospital, skilled nursing facility or rehabilitation facility.
Friday July 24, 2009
1. How an Adult Guardianship, or Conservatorship, Works
  Article - When and how to appoint a conservator, or adult guardian, for an older adult if she can't make important health and financial decisions for herself. 1 Comment
2. How to Prepare a Home Care Agreement With a Family Member
  Article - If a family member pays you for the in-home care you provide, it's wise to prepare a simple written agreement detailing your care-giving arrangement. 1 Comment
Monday July 20, 2009
1. Enrolling in Medicare Programs
  Article - A concise guide to how and when to enroll in Medicare based on someone's particular circumstances.
Tuesday July 14, 2009
1. Advance Health Care Directives and Living Wills: A Step-by-Step Guide
  Article - How to set up a living will or health care directive. How to figure out what the person in your care wants and make sure it's reflected in the documents. 1 Comment
Sunday June 28, 2009
1. Can a Medicaid lien be placed on joint assets?
  Answer - You've got a complicated situation to untangle, and in the end you may need the help of a lawyer who is experienced in Medicaid matters. But here are the things you and Medicaid will have to sort out.
Friday June 26, 2009
1. Will I lose my SSI income if I'm a paid caregiver?
  Answer - As you know, you qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits only if you have very low income. So, if your income goes up -- because you're getting paid for taking care of your mother -- that could affect how much you receive in SSI benefits, and it might even disqualify you altogether for SSI if your total income is pushed above SSI limits...
2. Can I recoup caregiving costs?
  Answer - Let's take your questions one at a time. There is probably good news for you about both.
Monday June 15, 2009
1. Can refusing some treatments invalidate Medicare?
  Answer - A patient (who is competent to make decisions) always has a right to refuse treatment. It sounds like what the doctor is doing is simply protecting himself or herself against a liability claim by getting written documentation that your husband's failure to follow a particular course of treatment is contrary to the doctor's medical advice...
Thursday June 11, 2009
1. What assets are considered for Medicaid?
  Answer - This involves some fairly complicated legal rules from two different states, but the simple answer is that your father's wife's money probably will not affect his eligibility for Medicaid.
Wednesday June 10, 2009
1. What Is an Advance Health Care Directive (or Living Will)?
  Article - A living will or advance health care directive lets medical providers know a person's preferences when they're unable to do so independently.
Tuesday June 09, 2009
1. 8 Things to Know About Power of Attorney for Finances
  Article - Learn the 8 most important things concerning financial power of attorney, and what financial power of attorney involves.
Friday June 05, 2009
1. How much income can I make while receiving social security?
  Answer - Once you reach what Social Security calls "full retirement age," you can work and earn as much money as you want without any reduction in your Social Security retirement benefits. For someone your age now, full retirement age will be 66 (not 65, as it was for most of Social Security's history)...
Thursday June 04, 2009
1. What Is Power of Attorney for Finances?
  Article - Power of attorney designates who handles financial affairs when someone is incapacitated. This article covers the basics of power of attorney.
Tuesday June 02, 2009
1. FAQ: Is There Extra V.A. Help for Veterans Who Are Housebound or Can't Care for Themselves?
  Answer - A low-income veteran with wartime service who is unable to care for himself or is disabled and housebound might be eligible for V.A. Aid & Attendance (A&A) or Housebound benefits, which can be paid in addition to a low-income, wartime veteran's basic pension...
2. FAQ: Does the V.A. Have Pensions for Disabled, Low-Income Veterans?
  Answer - A low-income veteran may be eligible for a pension from the V.A. if the veteran meets all four of the following conditions:
Thursday May 28, 2009
1. Does switching Medicare plans affect my coverage?
  Answer - When you turn 65 and enroll in Medicare Part B, you will have a six-month "guaranteed enrollment" eligibility period in which to purchase any Medigap (Medicare supplement) insurance policy available in your state. This means that you will be able to buy any Medigap policy, at the same rates as charged...
Tuesday May 26, 2009
1. FAQ: What are the 2009 figures for Medicare Part D prescription drug plan premiums, deductibles, co-payments, and coverage gaps?
  Answer - Every year, the premiums, deductibles, co-payments, and coverage gaps change for Medicare Part D prescription drug plans. Here are the figures for 2009:
2. FAQ: Do Medicare assets affect a person's coverage in any way?
  Answer - Persons may be eligible for any of the four parts of Medicare regardless of how much they have in income or assets. The only thing about Medicare that income and assets might affect is how much a person pays for a particular part of Medicare coverage.
3. FAQ: Will Medicaid or Medicare Provide Coverage for Long-Term In-Home Care?
  Answer - The short answer is that Medicare provides in-home care only in very limited circumstances for a short time, while Medicaid can provide long-term in-home care. Here are the terms under which both programs provide in-home care.
4. Is an Adult Child Legally Responsible for a Parent's Nursing Home Bills?
  Answer - In general, an adult child is not responsible for any of a parent's personal bills, including the cost of a nursing home. This is true even if the adult child has power of attorney authority over the parent's finances.
5. Can I Get Paid to Be a Family Caregiver?
  Answer - It's possible to get regular payments for providing care for a housebound family member, depending on the family member's income and assets, need for care, and the state he or she lives in. Public assistance programs in many states can provide payment directly to a low-income person who is determined to need in-home care...
Thursday May 21, 2009
1. Does retirement affect SSI?
  Answer - Eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and the amount of benefits someone receives from the program, depends on two different things. First, you have to qualify as blind, disabled or over 65. Second, you must have very low income and assets.
Tuesday May 19, 2009
1. Can I be held responsible for my mother's medical bills?
  Answer - Medicare Part A hospital insurance usually leaves some chunk of hospital bills unpaid, even with supplemental Medigap insurance like your mother has. Many hospitals will negotiate with low-income Medicare patients about the part of the bill that Medicare and insurance don't pay...
2. Which forms do insurance companies and Medicare require in order for me to become a Patient Advocate for my elderly father?
  Answer - You might need a real hodge-podge of forms, depending on the requirements of specific agencies, medical offices, insurance companies and the like. These forms are in two categories: financial and medical.
3. What Can I Do When My Parent Refuses to Sign HIPAA
  Answer - There are several different parts to your question, so let's take them one at a time.You ask about HIPAA disclosure forms. A HIPAA form is a way for a patient to give written permission to health care providers to discuss and give information, to the person named in the form, about the patient's medical condition...
Monday May 18, 2009
1. How can I get financial help for my parents who are at their donut hole with their prescriptions?
  Answer - One of several big concessions Congress made to the pharmaceutical industry when enacting the Medicare Part D prescription drug program's was the "donut hole" -- a period of no coverage when each of your parent's total drug expenses for the year reach $2,510 but out-of-pocket costs haven't yet reached $4,050...
2. Can Medicare help me find a psychiatrist who accepts Medicare?
  Answer - Yes, the Medicare web site has an interactive service called the Find a Physician page. Click on it and you can find a psychiatrist near you who accepts Medicare patients. Or, you can get the same information by calling Medicare toll-free at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week...
Sunday May 17, 2009
1. Is choosing another insurance company a good idea?
  Answer - Many people find themselves in the same boat as you, realizing that the first Medigap insurance policy that they bought is no longer the best or most affordable for them. You always have a right to switch to a new policy, but unless you are still within six months of when you first enrolled in Medicare...
Saturday May 16, 2009
1. Is a funeral plan considered a Medicaid asset?
  Answer - Generally, a cemetery burial plot or interment rights are not considered by Medicaid when counting an applicant's assets. Likewise, a separately maintained fund to pay funeral expenses, or a prepaid funeral service plan, does not count as an asset...
Thursday May 14, 2009
1. How can Mom's supplemental security income (SSI) be increased?
  Answer - Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI) is available only to people with very low income and almost no assets. In deciding whether someone is eligible for SSI, and if eligible how much in monthly benefits the person receives, the SSI program looks at all sources of income...
Tuesday May 12, 2009
1. Will Medicare cover a chair lift?
  Answer - Medicare probably does not cover a chair lift that moves up and down stairs. Medicare Part B covers what's called durable medical equipment. This includes "patient lifts," which are mechanical or hydraulic devices that help to safely lift a person out of or into a bed or chair. It's intended to avoid injuries to patients and caregivers alike...
2. Will Medicare pay a family caregiver?
  Answer - Unfortunately, Medicare does not have any program to pay a family caregiver. Medicare has only limited coverage for home care, and when it does cover home care it does so through a Medicare-certified home health care agency. It does not pay independent caregivers, family or otherwise.
Friday May 08, 2009
1. Which Social Security Benefits Are You Eligible For?
  Article - Know the Social Security retirement benefits a senior is eligible for, when those benefits kick in, and what benefits will come to his or her spouse.
2. Veterans Benefits: Financial Help for Veterans and Their Survivors
  Article - Veterans benefits can ease a senior or disabled person's finances. To help a veteran apply, consider these qualifications for veterans benefits. 1 Comment
Wednesday May 06, 2009
1. What Is Medicare Part D (Prescription Drug Plan)?
  Article - Medicare Part D (Prescription Drug Plans): Who's eligible for Medicare Part D coverage and how much Part D drug plans cost
Tuesday May 05, 2009
1. Choosing a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan
  Checklist - In 2006, Medicare finally began to offer some coverage for prescription drugs taken at home. But the coverage and costs in this Medicare Part D program are complicated. And the drug plans -- essentially insurance policies -- themselves are sold by private insurance companies, each one different from the others...
2. How to Help Seniors Manage Their Finances
  To Do List - How to find, organize, and track your parents' bills, income, and other money matters -- even before they need your help with finances.
3. Does Medicare pay for lift chairs?
  Answer - Medicare Part B covers what's called durable medical equipment, which includes "patient lifts." These are not chairs themselves but mechanical or hydraulic devices that help to safely lift a person out of or into a bed or chair. They not only make it easier get in and out of bed or chair but also help avoid injuries to patients and caregivers...
4. If my mom temporarily returns to work, can she draw her own social security benefits?
  Answer - Absolutely she can qualify for her own Social Security retirement benefits, and she won't necessarily have to work six months to do it. Under the Social Security system, you can earn up to 4 credits (or "quarters") per year toward qualifying for benefits. If she worked and paid into Social Security for 9...
Sunday May 03, 2009
1. With both parents in assisted living, will Medicaid still cover costs?
  Answer - In some but not all states, special Medicaid programs cover some of the cost of assisted living at participating facilities for people who qualify. It sounds like you have already learned that in your state there is such a program, and that the particular assisted living facility you are interested in...
Thursday April 30, 2009
1. Saving Money on Prescription Drugs Not Covered by a Medicare Part D Plan
  Article - Information to help you save money on prescription drugs when someone is in the doughnut hole or just not enrolled in Medicare Part D.
2. FAQ: What are Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts in 2009?
  Answer - Medicare premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts change each year for Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B. (For people who receive their Medicare hospital and medical coverage through a Medicare Part C Medicare Advantage managed care plan, premiums, deductibles, and co-payments are determined by the plan itself, not by Medicare...
Tuesday April 28, 2009
1. Will a Medicare Advantage Plan cover the cost of intraocular lenses?
  Answer - If you are enrolled in a Medicare Part C Medicare Advantage plan, the managed care plan itself, rather than Medicare, decides what is covered and what is not. The plan's decision about coverage must follow the terms set out in the plan's contract, a copy of which you receive when you enroll...
Monday April 27, 2009
1. Are children's finances considered when their father qualifies for Medicaid?
  Answer - It sounds like you mean a long term care nursing home, not foster home. Your father's eligibility for Medicaid for coverage of his long term care in a nursing home depends on his income and assets. If he has low enough income and few enough assets, Medicaid can cover the entire cost of his nursing home care for as long as he needs it...
Tuesday April 21, 2009
1. Can a senior lose their SSI Benefits if they have a supplemental trust?
  Answer - Whether a trust affects someone's eligibility for SSI (Supplemental Security Income) depends on the terms of the trust. SSI eligibility is based on a person (of qualifying age or disability) having very low income and assets. So, whether a trust affects that eligibility depends specifically on whether...
Monday April 20, 2009
1. FAQ: Do some long-term care insurance policies protect assets when you're applying for Medicaid?
  Answer - Yes, there are special "state partnership" long-term care insurance policies in a few states that allow someone to qualify for Medicaid coverage of long-term care while keeping much more in assets than Medicaid rules would normally permit. Those states are California (Medicaid is called Medi-Cal in California...
2. How can I cash out of a life insurance policy to pay for medical or long-term care?
  Answer - A life insurance policy is intended to provide money to a survivor or survivors of the deceased policyholder. But for many people with a life insurance policy, it can instead be turned into a source of cash to help pay the insured person's own expenses...
3. FAQ: How Far Does Medicaid Look Back at Someone's Assets?
  Answer - Medicaid rules look back either three years or five years, depending on the date that the transfers were made. The Medicaid "look-back" rules have to do with whether giving away assets, or transferring them for less than full value, will disqualify someone from Medicaid coverage of his or her nursing home costs...
4. FAQ: Can Someone Transfer Property Prior to Entering Nursing Home and Still Get Full Medicaid Coverage?
  Answer - There are three circumstances in which persons who qualify for Medicaid coverage for nursing home care can transfer their own house to a family member without incurring any penalty from Medicaid, and without giving Medicaid any right to reimbursement from the house.
5. FAQ: Does Putting Assets in a Trust Remove Them From Consideration by Medicaid in Terms of Eligibility for Long-Term Care Coverage?
  Answer - Some people try to qualify for Medicaid long-term care coverage by creating a trust and placing their assets in it. This tactic can only work, however, if the trust totally and permanently ends the person's access to and direct benefits from those assets.
6. Will Medicare Part B pay for a root canal and cap?
  Answer - Almost certainly not. The fact that the procedure for replacing your tooth involved work below the gum line does not change the treatment from dental (not covered by Medicare Part B) to medical (covered by Medicare Part B). Medicare Part B can cover non-physician treatment (by an oral or maxillofacial...
7. How much will Medicaid pay for assisted living?
  Answer - Whether Medicaid will help pay for assisted living, under what circumstances, and how much it will contribute, depend on the state where you live. If you live in one of the states that currently have some Medicaid coverage for assisted living, there may be many restrictions and limitations on that coverage...
8. Will Medicaid pay for more than 100 days of nursing home care?
  Answer - It seems that your question is mixing up Medicare and Medicaid (something that happens quite often). Medicare, the medical benefits program that almost everyone 65 and over is enrolled in, will only cover 100 days in a nursing facility. And even that Medicare nursing facility coverage has severe restrictions...
Saturday April 18, 2009
1. FAQ: Does Medicaid Pay for Assisted Living?
  Answer - In most but not all states, there are special Medicaid programs that can help pay some of the costs of an assisted-living facility. Although assisted living is not part of basic Medicaid coverage, Medicaid now recognizes that for many people it's a better and less expensive alternative than a nursing home...
Wednesday April 15, 2009
1. Does Medicare pay anything for emergency air flights?
  Answer - In some limited circumstances, it can. Medicare Part B can cover most of the cost of an ambulance -- including an air ambulance in very limited circumstances -- if you have a medical emergency that puts your health in serious danger and that needs immediate medical attention...
2. If a business that has supported my mother for the last five years goes bankrupt, does this affect her ability to get Medicaid?
  Answer - The question that Medicaid will have about your mother's eligibility is not whether the business has gone bankrupt but what happens after the bankruptcy. In particular, your mother's eligibility for Medicaid would depend on the actual income and assets she has at the time she applies for Medicaid...
Monday April 13, 2009
1. You're Turning 65: A Must-Do Checklist
  Article - Eight steps to take at age 65 to safeguard your long-term financial and healthcare security. You're Turning 65: A Must-Do Checklist
Saturday April 04, 2009
1. How much say do you have in choosing a Medicaid home care provider?
  Answer - Home care covered by Medicaid is usually provided only by a Medicaid-certified home health care agency. The amount of and type of care provided, and paid for by Medicaid, is based on the Medicaid beneficiary's need -- there is no pre-set amount of home care...
Friday April 03, 2009
1. FAQ: How Do I Find a Doctor Who Accepts Medicare?
  Answer - The Medicare website has a service called the Physician and Other Healthcare Professional Directory. Click on it and you can find doctors near you, listed by specialty, who accept Medicare patients. Or you can get the same information by calling Medicare toll-free at (800) MEDICARE ([800] 633-4227), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week...
Thursday April 02, 2009
1. Does Medicare Part A cover wheelchair van transportation?
  Answer - Not Medicare Part A, which covers inpatient hospital or nursing facility care. But there's a small chance that Medicare Part B, which covers outpatient care, might cover wheelchair van transportation. Normally, Medicare Part B only covers ambulance transportation, and only in an emergency when any other form of transportation would endanger your health...
2. Will my mother's final medical expenses be paid even though the coverage has been cancelled upon her death?
  Answer - Yes, all medical bills incurred by your mother are covered by Medicare and by her secondary insurance, as long as her premiums were paid up to the time of her death. Also, there is no need to continue paying premiums after her death (unless there is an unpaid premium from the time your mother was alive)...
3. FAQ: Will Medicare Cover the Costs of Diabetes Care?
  Answer - Medicare Part B covers most of the cost of diagnosis, examinations, care, equipment, and supplies relating to diabetes. Also, a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan covers much of the cost of insulin and other diabetes drugs, as well as supplies required to deliver those drugs...
4. Will going against medical advice cause Medicare to deny coverage?
  Answer - Almost certainly they were not correct. First of all, being an inpatient in a hospital does not make you a prisoner -- no competent adult can be forced to accept unwanted medical care, so if you choose to leave the hospital before your doctor discharges you, you have the right to do so...
Tuesday March 24, 2009
1. What happens if I can't pay the surgery co-payment?
  Answer - If it's the hospital that's telling you that you have to pay the "co-pay" before they'll allow you to have the surgery, what they're probably talking about is not actually the copayment but the Medicare Part A hospital deductible amount, which is $1,068 for each period (known as a "benefit period") of hospitalization...
2. Can I continue to live in my dad's house after he moves to a nursing home?
  Answer - Medicaid cannot force you to sell the house. However, if you and your father are co-owners of the house, once your father is in a nursing home and Medicaid is paying for it, Medicaid can place a lien on your father's interest in the property...
Monday March 23, 2009
1. My mother has been denied medicaid and social security, what other options are there?
  Answer - Even if your mother is not eligible for Social Security retirement benefits on her own work record, because she was not in the paid work force for long enough, she will still be eligible for Social Security dependents benefits as early as age 62, based on your father's work record...
Thursday March 19, 2009
1. Power of Attorney for Finances: A Step-By-Step Guide
  Article - This guide shows you how to set up a power of attorney, one step at a time.
Wednesday March 11, 2009
1. What is an RPPO medicare complete choice plan?
  Answer - Medicare RPPO stands for Regional Preferred Provider Organization. A preferred provider organization is one of the several different ways you can participate in Medicare. The several parts of Medicare include: • Original Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B, which provide coverage for hospital...
Tuesday March 10, 2009
1. Am I eligible for a Medigap disablility insurance policy if I'm on Social Security disability?
  Answer - It depends on where you live. You are eligible for all parts of Medicare when you've been receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits for 24 months. But eligibility for private Medigap supplemental insurance policies is guaranteed by the federal government only if you are enrolled in Medicare and are age 65 or older...
2. Would Medicare cover services recommended by an in-home evaluation?
  Answer - If your mother's doctor orders an in-home evaluation by a home care agency, that evaluation would almost certainly be covered by Medicare Part B. But whether Medicare would cover any services the agency recommended, even if prescribed by your mother's doctor, is more complicated. Medicare coverage for home care services is very limited...
Monday March 09, 2009
1. Do disabled veterans need Medicare?
  Answer - A veteran who is eligible for both VA medical benefits and Medicare may enroll in both programs and receive benefits from both. For any specific medical treatment or service, however, a veteran enrolled in both programs has to choose one or the other...
Thursday March 05, 2009
1. FAQ: Will Medicaid pay for nursing home care?
2. FAQ: Are you liable for your parents car accidents?
  Answer - As an older adult's driving capabilities diminish, many adult children worry not only about the parent's safety but also about their own liability for damages from an accident the parent causes. In general, adult children are not legally responsible for damages resulting from an accident caused by a parent...
3. FAQ: Limits on income and assets to qualify for Medicaid to pay for nursing home?
  Answer - If a woman's spouse needs long-term nursing home care, he may be eligible for Medicaid coverage of that care even though she keeps the family home and a substantial amount of other assets, as well as some regular income.
4. FAQ: Is there a way of keeping house while in Medicaid nursing home?
  Answer - Usually, yes. In most circumstances, she could move into a nursing home and qualify for Medicaid (called Medi-Cal in California) coverage of nursing home costs while still keeping her own house, as long as her other assets and income are below the state's Medicaid eligibility limits...
5. FAQ: Can Medicaid Coverage Be Retroactive?
  Answer - Yes, Medicaid (called Medi-Cal in California) medical, home care, and nursing home coverage can be retroactive. If someone is approved for Medicaid, coverage can go back not only to the date of application but also to three months prior to the application. But retroactive coverage is not automatic...
6. FAQ: Should I Enroll in Medicare Part D?
  Answer - For someone who doesn't take regular prescription drugs, the answer is probably no -- especially if the premium, which averages $35 a month, is more than she typically spends on prescriptions. But she might still want to consider enrolling in a Medicare Part D plan if one is offered in her state for a very low ($5 a month or less) or no premium...
7. FAQ: Is Accepting Hospice Under Medicare "Choosing to Die"?
  Answer - Hospice is a type of care that focuses on relieving pain and other suffering for patients nearing the end of life. To qualify for Medicare-covered hospice care, a patient's treating physician must certify that the patient's illness is likely to be terminal within six months...
8. FAQ: How Can I Get Medicare to Send Me Parent's Paperwork
  Answer - Medicare -- through the Social Security Administration -- has a fairly simple procedure to help set things up the way you and your parent want it.
9. FAQ: How Does Someone Get Coverage for a Non Formulary Drug?
  Answer - If you have a prescription for a drug that isn't on your plan's formulary, there are several things you -- or a family member -- can do. First, ask your Part D plan for an exception, which -- if granted -- would mean that the plan will cover the drug...
Wednesday March 04, 2009
1. Can my husband enroll in Medicare Part B after his 65th birthday and what will the penalty be?
  Answer - Yes, your husband can enroll in Medicare Part B at any time after he turns 65. But because he has waited more than three months after the end of his birthday month, he will have to pay a Medicare Part B penalty. But he'd better hurry and enroll by March 31, or else he'll have to wait until next January...
2. What is the allowable amount for prescription eyeglasses under Medicare?
  Answer - Medicare coverage for eyeglasses is handled through Medicare Part B. Medicare can pay for one pair of eyeglasses following your cataract surgery, if you had a new lens implanted in your eye. If you have two separate cataract operations, one on each eye, Medicare will cover new glasses after each surgery...
3. Does Medicare pay for Lyme disease testing?
  Answer - Medicare Part B covers any medically reasonable testing, including laboratory work, to diagnose and treat any disease. Lyme disease is no different from any other disease. The trouble with Lyme disease is that it is often very difficult to diagnose (not to mention hard to treat effectively)...
Tuesday March 03, 2009
1. What kind of financial aid programs are available to full-time caregivers?
  Answer - You might be able to get some pay directly from the state, for taking care of your mother, if your mother has few assets other than her house, and she has little income. If so, she might get in-home care from Medicaid. But instead of getting that care from a Medicaid home care agency, it might be possible...
2. Is it possible I can receive financial help so I may be her full time caregiver?
  Answer - It's possible, but it depends her having low income and few assets. There may be a program in your state that provides payment directly to a low-income person who needs regular home care. If your mother qualifies for such payment, she can use it to pay you, or anyone else, to provide care.
Friday February 27, 2009
1. Is there a way of still getting paid to take care of dementia parent from Medicaid?
  Answer - Many state Medicaid systems have a program that allows a Medicaid beneficiary like your mother to stay at home and receive paid home care from a family member. These family caregiver programs, sometimes called Cash and Counseling or similar name, can pay you an hourly rate to care for your mother if she qualifies for home care from Medicaid...
2. I want to know when to file for Medicaid to avoid penalties for look back rules?
  Answer - That's right, the key is the date the gift was made. But the rule only applies if she is applying for Medicaid coverage of residence in a nursing home or assisted living facility. There's no look-back rule at all if she's just applying for Medicaid coverage of her medical care while she remains at home...
Thursday February 26, 2009
1. Can Mom pay us rent while she's receiving Medicaid?
  Answer - It's not clear from your question whether you are worried about applying for Medicaid for yourself or for your mother. In either case, eligibility depends on having low income and few assets other than a home the applicant lives in. The exact amount of income and assets varies a bit from state to state...
Wednesday February 25, 2009
1. Is there coverage of Medicare transportation services for dialysis patients?
  Answer - The only transportation help that Medicare pays for is an ambulance. Medicare can pay for some non-emergency ambulance service from home to a medical treatment such as dialysis, but only when a doctor has prescribed it because any another form of transport wouldn't be medically advisable. If there's no medical need for an ambulance, Medicare won't pay...
Monday February 23, 2009
1. Medicare and Travel Outside the U.S.
  Answer - Neither Medicare Part A nor Part B covers any medical care -- even in an emergency -- outside the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa. If you're in the U.S. but a Canadian or Mexican hospital is closer, Medicare may cover emergency treatment there.
2. Medicare and Medicaid: Which Is Which?
  Answer - Medicare and Medicaid are both government-funded programs that help pay for medical care. Medicare is run by the federal government's Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), although parts of the program are operated by private insurance companies. Each state's Medicaid program, on the other hand, is run by its own state agency...
3. Does Medicare Cover Oral Surgery?
  Answer - Whether Medicare Part B covers oral surgery depends on the kind of surgery it is and who performs it. If the oral surgeon is a medical physician (M.D.) rather than a dental surgeon, Medicare Part B will almost certainly cover the care.
4. Does Medicare Cover Vision Care?
  Answer - Coverage of vision care by Medicare Part B is limited to treatment of medical conditions, and only treatment provided by a medical doctor. It does not normally include vision examinations, eyeglasses, or contact lenses.
5. Is there funding to help pay assisted living costs for a disabled son?
  Answer - The most likely source is the Medicaid program in the state where your brother-in-law lives. Medicaid can cover not only medical care but also some home care, including personal assistance with the activities of daily living. If your brother-in-law is eligible for Medicaid, it will also greatly reduce the cost of his medications...
6. How can we use funds from a revocable family trust for care, if needed?
  Answer - The short answer is that Medicaid has no direct claim on the money once your mother gives it away -- they can't make you or other family members return any of it. On the other hand, when your mother applies for nursing home coverage, for eligibility purposes Medicaid will consider as still belonging...
Sunday February 22, 2009
1. Does employers insurance or Medicare pay for medical expenses?
  Answer - Many people have both Medicare and health insurance coverage through their own employer or their spouse's. Which coverage pays first depends on the size of the employer. In some cases, Medicare is the primary payer, which means it pays the bills first, and employer-sponsored health insurance is the secondary...
2. Medicare and Retiree Insurance: Which One Pays?
  Answer - Many people have health insurance as a retirement benefit, either from their own former work or their spouse's. In this situation, Medicare is the primary payer, which means it pays your medical bills first. Your retiree health insurance is the secondary payer, picking up some of the costs that Medicare doesn't pay...
3. What Is a Medicare Benefit Period?
  Answer - How long Medicare Part A covers inpatient care in a hospital or in a rehabilitation or skilled nursing facility, and how much it pays, depends on what's called a benefit period. A benefit period is a time frame that begins the first day a patient stays overnight in the hospital and continues until the...
Thursday February 19, 2009
1. Will Medicare cover oral surgery that is related to diabetes?
  Answer - Work by an oral surgeon on jaw or mouth bones will almost certainly be covered by Medicare Part B, whether the oral surgeon is a physician (M.D.) or not. On the other hand, work done solely on the teeth will not.
2. I am a caregiver for an aunt with whom I jointly own savings...
  Answer - Medicaid coverage (either for medical care or for long-term home or nursing home care) is only for people with low income and few assets. So, if and when your aunt applies for its coverage, Medicaid will look at the total amount of her assets to determine whether they are low enough for her to qualify...
Wednesday February 11, 2009
1. Can I claim my parents as dependents on my taxes without it affecting their Medicaid eligibility?
  Answer - The Medicaid program provides medical and long-term care coverage for people with very low income and few assets other than the home they live in. In most states, your parents' income of close to $4,000 -- not even considering what you contribute to their support -- would be too high to qualify for Medicaid...
2. Can Medicaid or Medicare provide part-time home care?
  Answer - Medicare coverage for home care is extremely limited. In order to qualify for Medicare-covered home care, your mother must be confined to her home and have a medical need for doctor-prescribed skilled nursing care or rehabilitative physical or speech therapy...
3. Can my mother, who is currently on Medicare, keep the money if she sells her house?
  Answer - Eligibility for Medicare does not depend on a person's income or assets. Anyone who qualifies because of age (65 or over) or disability (24 months qualified for Social Security disability benefits) is eligible for all four parts of Medicare, regardless of how much money he or she has...
Wednesday February 04, 2009
1. How can I find agencies that will offer me financial help?
  Answer - There are several places you can go to seek financial help. First, you can apply for Social Security Disability benefits. If you are physically unable to work now but you've worked in the past and your employers or you have paid Social Security taxes, you can be eligible for monthly Social Security Disability benefits...
2. What is the best way to pay for short-term nursing home rehabilitation?
  Answer - If your mother's stay is in a skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility while recovering from her injury, she might continue to qualify for Medicare's nursing facility benefits. This depends on whether Medicare considers that she is improving while in the facility, rather than merely being cared for because she needs assistance...
Tuesday February 03, 2009
1. How does Medicaid look at monetary gifts made to children?
  Answer - If your mother qualifies for Medicaid coverage of residence in a nursing home, Medicaid pays the entire cost (and in some states, for a Medicaid-participating assisted living facility). But to qualify for Medicaid nursing home coverage, she has to have very low income and assets...
Monday February 02, 2009
1. How long is Medicaid's look back period?
  Answer - It's either 3 years or 5 years, depending on when the transfers were made. The Medicaid "look-back" rules have to do with whether giving away assets, or transferring them for less than full value, will disqualify your mother from Medicaid coverage of her nursing home costs...
2. Can you still keep VA coverage when eligible for Medicare?
  Answer - Many people eligible for Medicare are also eligible for some Veterans medical benefits. If your friend is completely satisfied with the medical care and coverage he gets from the VA, there is no requirement that he enroll in Medicare, too. But most people find that at some point they would prefer to...
Monday January 26, 2009
1. What type of glasses can I purchase after cataract surgery and what is covered under Medicare Plan B?
  Answer - Medicare Part B can pay for one pair of eyeglasses following your cataract surgery, if you had a new lens implanted in your eye. If you have two separate cataract operations, one on each eye, Medicare will cover new glasses after each surgery. Medicare Part B will pay for the lenses and the frames, but only for a basic, low-cost frame...
Wednesday January 14, 2009
1. Can my brother get paid for being a full time caregiver for our mom?
  Answer - Since your mother's total income is so low, she probably qualifies for her state's Medicaid program (assuming she doesn't have much in savings or other assets other than her home). If so, that means she might also qualify for a state-run program -- if her state has one -- that can provide some payment directly to your mother for care at home...
2. Are there programs that will help with medical costs?
  Answer - If you have very low savings or other assets other than the house you live in, and you have low monthly income, you might qualify for the Medicaid program in your state. If you qualify for Medicaid, the program can pay almost the full amount of all your medical bills. This would include screening for lung disease...
Monday January 12, 2009
1. Can I get paid to be a caregiver for my wife?
  Answer - It's possible, depending on the total amount of your wife's disability benefit plus your retirement income, and on the amount of your assets other than the value of your home. If your joint income and assets are low enough, your wife might qualify for a state-run program where you live, which can provide...
2. Where can I find financial assistance? I'm out of work and the sole caregiver for my wife who has Alzheimer's.
  Answer - It might be possible to get some regular payment to take care of your wife. With your unemployment and few assets, your wife might qualify for a state-run program where you live, which can provide some payment directly to your wife for her to be cared for at home. And this money can go to you if you are the one caring for her...
3. Is there any financial assistance for me to be a caregiver for my father?
  Answer - Yes, it's possible. Since your father is receiving SSI benefits, that means he has very low income and few assets and probably qualifies for the state's Medicaid program. It means he might also qualify for a state-run program -- if your state has one -- that can provide some payment directly to your father for care at home...
4. Can my sister get paid to care for my mom and sister?
  Answer - It's possible that your sister could get paid for taking care of both your mother and your other sister. It depends on your mother and your other sister having very low income, and on the amount of your mother's assets other than the value of her home...
5. How can I get financial assistance for dental work?
  Answer - As you've probably already learned, Medicare does not cover dental care. But if you have low income and few savings or other assets (not counting your house), you might qualify for Medicaid. And in some states, Medicaid covers dental care as well as medical care.
Saturday January 10, 2009
1. I am pregnant and thinking of having my grandmother babysit...
  Answer - As for Medicare, there is no affect at all. Medicare is available to everyone age 65 or older regardless of their income or assets, so nothing you pay her would create any problem.
Saturday January 03, 2009
1. We need to find financial assistance for my mother. How do I do this?
  Answer - If your mother has low income and few assets, she may qualify for the Medicaid program. And in many states, though not all, Medicaid can pay some or all of the cost of residence in a participating assisted living facility. There are several variants in the way different state Medicaid programs cover...
2. How does a Totten trust affect nursing home care and Medicaid?
  Answer - A Totten Trust is simply a pay-on-death account which avoids probate for the amounts in the account. When the person who created the account dies, the amounts still in the account at that time automatically pass to the person named as the account (trust) beneficiary. This means that the funds do not first have to pass through probate...
3. How can I not be eligible for any coverage?
  Answer - There are several places that might provide you with some help. First, you can get some short-term home care assistance from Medicare while you recover from an illness, injury, surgery or other treatment. This care is limited to a recovery period, however, and is not available long-term.
Monday December 29, 2008
1. How does a third party trust affect Medicaid eligibility?
  Answer - Whether the creation of a trust (outside the 60-month waiting period, which you're aware of) protects the assets and income of that trust from consideration by Medicaid depends on several factors. These factors all revolve around whether any of the assets or income could, at any time in the future, once...
Sunday December 21, 2008
1. I am 70 years old and retired collecting SS and under...
  Answer - The Medicare Part D prescription drug plan you mention is about average in terms of monthly premium -- about $35 per month. For many people, the premium cost is offset by the savings they get on their regular prescription drugs. But if you do not take regular prescription drugs, why should you pay this $420 a year...
2. Does a Medigap policy make sense for my mother?
  Answer - Whether it's a good idea at this point for your mother to buy a Medigap supplemental insurance policy depends on several factors. One is the question of what Medigap policies she's now eligible for. Because she didn't buy a Medigap policy within the first six months after she first signed up for Medicare...
3. Will a second stay in a rehabilitation facility also be covered by Medicare?
  Answer - How long Medicare Part A covers your mother's inpatient care in a rehabilitation or skilled nursing facility, and how much it pays, depends on what's called a "benefit period." A benefit period is a single, continuous time-frame that begins the first day your mother stayed overnight in the hospital and...
Friday December 19, 2008
1. Will black lung benefits or Medicare Parts A and B pay for a skilled nursing home?
  Answer - The answer's a mixed bag. Federal Black Lung benefits do not cover inpatient costs in a skilled nursing facility, but Medicare Part A can cover some skilled nursing facility care. The rules of Medicare Part A nursing facility coverage are quite strict...
Thursday December 11, 2008
1. Can my mother receive her Social Security benefit while having legal guardianship over a 14 year old?
  Answer - Guardianship alone will not make the child eligible for Social Security dependents benefits based on your mother's work record. In order for a (non-disabled) grandchild to be eligible for Social Security dependents benefits -- which would be paid to your mother as part of her retirement benefits (which...
2. My Father never saw the need to protect the homeplace...
  Answer - Yes, there is a way for you and your father to protect the home from Medicaid's usual right to reimbursement for the cost of nursing home care. There is a special Medicaid rule that allows your father to transfer title of the home to you and places the home outside Medicaid's right to recover costs...
Wednesday December 10, 2008
1. Am I responsible for my mother's bills if she can not pay them?
  Answer - In general, you are not responsible for your mother's bills or debts, even though you are overseeing payment. As long as you don't mix your bank account with hers, or sign any documents agreeing to be responsible for her bills or debts, you don't become personally responsible for them just because you...
2. Can Medicaid take a house to pay for nursing home care?
  Answer - Medicaid has a right to be reimbursed for all it has spent to care for your mother in the nursing home, and that reimbursement can come from the value of her home -- the condominium -- when your mother dies. So, Medicaid will not "take" the condominium, but they can and probably will seek repayment of...
3. Am I responsible for my mother's debts now that she's passed away?
  Answer - Just because you signed your mother's checks for her, using her money, does not make you personally liable for her bills or debts, unless you signed a document specifically agreeing to be personally responsible. However, the fact that your name appeared on some of the checks might make the care center...
Thursday December 04, 2008
1. How can I get paid for being a caregiver?
  Answer - If either of the people you're caring for has low income and few assets (other than a home), he or she might qualify for a state-run program where you live, which can provide some payment directly for care in the home. The person you're caring for can then use this money to pay you.
2. Do I need to be in Medicare Part B for a year before I enroll with a private provider?
  Answer - No, you don't have to wait. Anyone enrolled in Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and eligible for Medicare Part B (medical insurance) can choose to receive coverage for both through one of the Medicare Part C Medicare Advantage managed care plans, which are operated by private health insurance providers, instead of directly through Medicare...
3. What type of veterans widow benefits am I eligible for?
  Answer - Two major veterans benefits may be available to you as the widow of a veteran, depending on your financial situation and on your husband's military experience. These may include a pension and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC).
Wednesday December 03, 2008
1. Will Medicare pay for any nursing home bills?
  Answer - For the kind of long-term care that an Alzheimer's patient is likely to need, the unfortunate answer is probably not much. Medicare is intended to pay for medical care, not for long-term residential care. Medicare Part A can pay for some short-term, skilled nursing facility care during a patient's recovery...
Monday December 01, 2008
1. Does Medicare compensate a full time family caregiver?
  Answer - Medicare does not provide any payment for a family caregiver. However, if the family member you're caring for has low income and few assets (other than a home), he or she might qualify for a state-run program where you live, which can provide some payment directly for care in the home. The person being cared for can then use this money to pay you...
2. Is there stair lifts Medicare coverage?
  Answer - Medicare Part B covers different types of portable medical equipment and supplies for use in the home, but it does not pay for construction or installation of permanent equipment. So, Medicare Part B can cover the type of lift that is used to help a patient get in and out of bed or a chair, but is not...
Monday November 24, 2008
1. Is stroke rehab after hospitalization considered a new Medicare rehabilitation benefits period?
  Answer - Assuming that Medicare Part Acovered her first stay in the rehab facility, her second hospital and rehab facility stay will still be considered part of the same benefit period. That's because she won't have been out of the hospital and rehab center for 60 consecutive days (she'll only have four weeks...
2. Is my disabled sister eligible for Medicare parts A&B?
  Answer - CalOptima is a public health care agency in Orange County California that administers health care services for Orange County residents on Medi-Cal. If your sister has MediCal through CalOptima, she should be able to get any kind of medical care she needs for free, or for a very low copayment...
3. Why is Medicare backdating my father's income to September?
  Answer - There are two different Medicaid rules that seem to be at work in your father's situation. One is that Medicaid eligibility can actually be retroactive up to three months. The other rule, not applicable in every state but apparently so where your father lives, is that someone can be eligible for Medicaid...
4. Can Medicare or Medicaid put a lien on my parents' home if they move into a long-term care facility?
  Answer - Medicaid and Medicare are completely different programs, with different rules regarding eligibility, coverage and payment. With Medicare, there is no right to repayment from your parents, or from their assets, for anything Medicare spends for their medical care...
5. Does Medicare pay for CNA or a caregiver for a day?
  Answer - It seems that you're asking two different questions.The first is whether a Medicare HMO will cover home health care for a day. Any Medicare Part C managed care plan (HMO or PPO) will cover home care, provided through a participating home health care agency, if it is prescribed by a doctor...
6. Should Medicare or Medicaid have paid for my mother to enter a rehab facility after brain surgery?
  Answer - The decision about whether your mother should have gone into a rehabilitation facility following surgery is a medical one, made by her doctors rather than by Medicare or Medicaid. If the doctors had decided that she needed to be in a rehabilitation facility and had prescribed it, Medicaidwould have paid for it...
7. Can I put Mom's money in my account?
  Answer - First and foremost, you need your mother's permission to put the money in your account. If she does give you permission, she should do so in writing -- a simple signed and dated note would do -- explaining that the money is to go to your account but is to be used to pay for repairs or improvements to her house...
8. My cousin emptied out my grandmother's accounts and now she can't afford assisted living. How does this affect Medicaid eligibility?
  Answer - Let's start with the legality of what your cousin did. Just because her name was on your grandmother's account does not necessarily mean that the money also belongs to your cousin. If the money was actually your grandmother's and not your cousin's, then your cousin's taking of the money may be illegal...
Wednesday November 12, 2008
1. Will Medicaid pay for a wheelchair or scooter?
  Answer - Both Medicare and Medicaid can pay for a wheelchair or scooter. If you are enrolled in both programs and eligible for coverage of a wheelchair or scooter, Medicaid will pay the portion of the costs that Medicare doesn't.
2. How can I get financial help for my father who has no medical insurance?
  Answer - If he is that close to qualifying for SSI, he can almost surely qualify for Medicaid coverage of his medical bills.Depending on the Medicaid rules in the state where he lives -- they're slightly different from one state to another -- if he has large medical bills he may qualify for Medicaid even if his assets are slightly over the state's eligibility limit...
Friday November 07, 2008
1. Will medicare part A pay for some of my husband's dialysis?
  Answer - If your insurance through work covers some of the dialysis cost but not all, Medicare can pick up most of the rest of the cost depending on how your husband receives the dialysis and which parts of Medicare he's enrolled in.
2. How much of my mother's assets count towards her Medicaid eligibility?
  Answer - A life estate should not count at all as an asset in determining your mother's eligibility for Medicaid coverage of her nursing home care. A life estate is a contract right that is exclusive to the person who holds it -- it has no market value, since it can't be sold or transferred to anyone else...
Wednesday November 05, 2008
1. How does coverage from Medicare and health club memberships work?
  Answer - That depends on how you receive your Medicare Part B coverage, but in most cases the answer is no. If you are enrolled in traditional Medicare Part B, directly with Medicare itself, there is very little coverage for any kind of preventive or "wellness" care, and none at all for a gym membership or related fitness training...
Thursday October 23, 2008
1. Can my mother receive disability benefits while out of the country?
  Answer - There is no single answer to your question. Instead, the answer depends on the specific benefit, and also may depend on whether your mother-in-law is a U.S. citizen. Here is a run-down of the possibilities.
Tuesday October 21, 2008
1. Do I need Medicare Part B if I have BCBS Federal Basic Insurance?
  Answer - If you are retired and have Medicare Part B as well as other insurance, Medicare would be your "primary payer," which means it would pay its full benefit amount for any covered medical service; your other insurance would be the "secondary payer," which would pay the costs that Medicare leaves unpaid...
2. Is there financial help available for a retired veteran and spouse for elder housing or a retirement community in MA?
  Answer - There is a home loan program through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that might be able to provide you with a loan guaranty for the purchase of a residence. The VA loan guaranty program includes condominiums and residential coops, so it should also apply to purchase of a residence in an elder housing or retirement community...
Saturday October 18, 2008
1. My husband and I are on social security- can I receive financial help for being my husband's full time caregiver?
  Answer - It's possible that you could get some pay to care for your husband through a program run by your state's Medicaid program. If you and your husband combined have a low enough income to qualify, and you have few assets other than your home (which doesn't count), your husband might be eligible for Medicaid...
2. Does Medicare pay for hospital beds for home use?
  Answer - Yes, Medicare Part B can help pay for a hospital bed and other "durable medical equipment." For Medicare to cover it, an item of equipment must be "medically necessary" and prescribed by a doctor, and it must be supplied by a medical equipment provider who is officially approved by Medicare...
3. How do I find a Medicare Part D plan that covers nursing...
  Answer - Generally, the task of picking the right Medicare Part D prescription drug plan is the same whether someone is in a nursing home or not. That's because paying for the cost of a nursing home does not include prescription medications, which must be paid for separately...
Friday October 17, 2008
1. How do I find the coverage details for hearing aids with Medicare and Medicaid in Ohio?
  Answer - Unfortunately, Medicare does not cover hearing aids, in Ohio or anywhere else. However, it appears that Ohio's Medicaid program does cover at least "conventional" hearing aids, for both ears; if you require special hearing aids, Medicaid may cover it if you (through your doctor) demonstrate a "special...
2. Is there financial aid for cataract surgery?
  Answer - If you have low income and few assets other than the house you live in, your personal belongings, and your car, you might qualify for the Medicaid program in your state. If you qualify, Medicaid can pay almost the full amount not only for the cataract surgery but also for the glasses you will need after the surgery...
3. Will Medicare pay for handicap bathroom equipment?
  Answer - There are a number of different medical devices -- known as "durable medical equipment" -- that Medicare Part B can help pay for following your father's surgery. They can include a lift to help him get in and out of bed or a chair, a walker, a special commode, and a shower chair, to name just a few...
Thursday October 09, 2008
1. Should one use Medicare benefits to pay for home care before long term care insurance?
  Answer - In the first place, you may not have the choice. The eligibility rules for Medicare home care are quite strict and the care is limited -- skilled nursing care, but only a very limited amount of personal care assistance. So, even if you qualify for Medicare coverage, you may need or want to use your long-term care insurance (LTCI) coverage at the same time...
2. How can I get my mother the help she needs?
  Answer - There are several government programs your mother might turn to. The first is Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). If your mother has worked outside the home for periods of time during her lifetime, even if she made very little money, she might qualify for monthly SSDI benefits...
3. If my mother passes away before her Medicaid approval changes from "pending" to "approved", will they still for previously accrued nursing home expenses?
  Answer - Yes, once someone is approved for Medicaid coverage, that coverage may be retroactive not only back to the date of application but even to the three months prior to application. How far back the retroactive coverage goes, though, depends on during how much of that retroactive period the applicant would have been eligible for Medicaid...
Wednesday October 08, 2008
1. What are the Medicare hospital stay limits?
  Answer - Unfortunately, yes. In order for Medicare Part A coverage (up to another 90 days) to begin again -- for a new "benefit period," as Medicare calls it -- for a hospital stay, you must be out of the hospital and skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility for 60 days. And those days have to be consecutive...
2. How many days is considered in a "benefit period" ?
  Answer - Under Medicare Part A, you begin an entirely new, full benefit period as soon as you have been out of the hospital and a skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility for 60 consecutive days. For each new benefit period, you pay a hospital deductible of $1,024 (in 2008). After that, Part A pays 100 percent of covered care for the first 60 days in the hospital...
3. Does Medicare compensate family caregivers?
  Answer - No, Medicare doesn't pay anything to a family caregiver. But if an elder has a low income and few assets, he might qualify for Medicaid. If so, a program run by Medicaid in his state might be able to pay him directly to pay for his home care, which he could then use to pay a family member to take care of him...
4. How can my husband be paid to take care of me 24/7? I am schizophrenic.
  Answer - Because you qualify for Medicaid, there may be a program in your state that can pay you directly for in-home care, which you could then use to pay your husband to provide that care. Normally, for someone on Medicaid who qualifies for regular home care, Medicaid provides it through a certified home care agency...
5. Can I get compensated for my care giving duties for my father?
  Answer - If your father has a low income and few assets, he might qualify for Medicaid. If so, a program run by Medicaid in your state might be able to pay your father directly to pay for his home care, which he could then use to pay you. In some states, this kind of cash assistance is possible even for people...
6. Will medicare pay for dental implants?
  Answer - Probably not. The only way that Medicare might pay for dental implants was if they were part of a larger reconstruction of the mouth or jaw, following an injury or disease to the tissue or bones of the mouth or jaw. If it's simply the replacement of bad or lost teeth, then Medicare will not pay anything...
Tuesday October 07, 2008
1. What is the first step in finding a new doctor who accepts Medicare Part B?
  Answer - Medicare maintains a list of doctors and other providers who accept Medicare patients. The Medicare web site has a tool that gives you access to this list for doctors in your geographic area who accept Medicare patients. The tool also breaks down this list of doctors by their medical specialty...
2. I want to care for both of my aging parents. Mother has...
  Answer - Social Security has no program to pay for a family caregiver. But if your parents have low income and few assets (other than the house they live in), they might qualify for Medicaid. If so, a program run by Medicaid in your state might be able to pay your parents directly for care at home, which they could then use to pay you to provide that care...
3. I would like to know how to get paid to be a caregiver for parents?
  Answer - That depends on your parent's income more than on yours. If your parent has low income and few assets (other than the house your parent lives in), he or she might qualify for Medicaid. If so, a program run by Medicaid in your state might be able to pay your parent directly for care at home, which your parent could then use to pay you to provide that care...
Monday October 06, 2008
1. Where can I find financial assistance for my copays and medications?
  Answer - It sounds like you might be eligible for Medicaid, at least until you go back to work and get your income back to where it was before the surgery. Medicaid provides comprehensive health care coverage, including prescription drugs for very low cost, for people who have low income and few assets...
2. Is there any "gap" plan we can buy to help cover what Medicare Part D isn't?
  Answer - There are at least two things you can do. The first is to try to find free or low-cost prescription drugs for the time your father is in the donut hole. There are a number of programs and tactics for seniors on Medicare to obtain free or low-cost medications; they are explained in the article Saving...
3. Will Medicare pay for TMJ surgery?
  Answer - The answer is probably yes, but you should make sure with the surgeon's office before the surgery. Whether Medicare Part B covers it depends on the exact kind of oral surgery, and on who performs it. Medicare considers most oral surgery to be "dental" rather than "medical," and so does not cover it...
4. Does Medicare cover oral surgery and tooth extraction?
  Answer - Most probably not. Medicare considers most work by non-physician oral surgeons as "dental" rather than "medical," and so Medicare doesn't cover it. This is particularly true if the care you're going to receive is a tooth extraction -- the procedure will almost certainly be considered dental and therefore would not be covered...
Sunday October 05, 2008
1. Does Medicare compensate a full time family caregiver?
  Answer - Medicare does not pay anything to a family caregiver. However, if your father has a low income and few assets, he might qualify for Medicaid. If so, a program run by Medicaid in your state might be able to pay your father directly to pay for his home care, which he could then use to pay you...
2. Can my husband receive payments from medicare or medicaid to help care for myself and my son?
  Answer - Not Medicare, but possibly Medicaid. If your and your husband's joint income and assets (not counting your house or car) are both low enough, you might qualify for Medicaid. And if your son is receiving SSI, he is probably eligible for Medicaid...
3. Are there any programs that provide caregivers with monetary help?
  Answer - Depending on the state you live in, there may be such a program for you and your mother. If your mother has a low income and few assets (other than a house she lives in), she might qualify for Medicaid coverage of in-home care. If so, a program run by Medicaid in your state might be able to pay your mother directly for her in-home care...
4. How come I do not qualify for long term care insurance?
  Answer - There is almost no regulation by the government of long-term care insurance. So, no one has a "right" to buy long-term care insurance. That results in insurance companies refusing to sell policies to people they think are likely to collect on the policies soon, or who might collect for a long time...
Friday October 03, 2008
1. How do I find providers for Medicare glasses?
  Answer - The first problem is that, in general, Medicare doesn't cover eyeglasses at all. Medicare Part B only pays for eyeglasses following cataract surgery in which a new lens is implanted in the eye. If you have any other kind of eye problem, or simply have poor vision, Medicare does not pay for glasses...
2. had to quit my job to take care of my mother,living off of...
3. Are there any resources out there to help me pay for...
  Answer - In some states, the Medicaid program can pay the full cost of assisted living, in participating facilities, for seniors with low income and few assets. Several things all have to come together for this to happen.
Saturday September 13, 2008
1. Will Medicare help my client pay my salary and secondary insurance help pay for his care?
  Answer - Medicare home care coverage is limited in a number of ways. First of all, the patient must need, as prescribed by a doctor, part-time skilled nursing care or rehabilitative physical or speech therapy. Also, care is only covered by Medicare if the patient is confined to home while recovering from a specific illness, injury, or acute condition...
2. How can I find out if I am eligible for housing?
  Answer - PACE is the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly which helps frail elders stay at home when they otherwise would need nursing home care. It's operated jointly by Medicare and Medicaid and -- if you qualify -- could provide you with full primary medical care, including drugs...
Friday September 12, 2008
1. How can I get financial help for things like a ramp and hand rails to accomodate my disabled mother who now lives with me?
  Answer - If your mother has low income (only Social Security benefits, for example) and very low assets, she might be able to qualify for your state's Medicaid program. In addition to providing some regular home care for her, it may have a program that can help pay for safety or comfort improvements to her (in this case, also your) home...
2. Does Medicare cover cataract surgery and implants?
  Answer - Yes, it does. Because cataract surgery is performed by a physician rather than an optometrist, Medicare Part B covers the surgery, including lens implants. And following that surgery, it can pay its share for one pair of eyeglasses. How much it pays for the glasses depends on whether you get new frames, and if so how much they cost...
3. Does Medicare cover glasses to correct double vision?
  Answer - Probably not. Generally, Medicare Part B pays for eyeglasses only following cataract surgery in which a new lens is implanted in the eye. If you have any other kind of eye problem, Medicare does not pay for glasses. If you are treated by an eye specialist physician -- as opposed to just getting glasses...
4. Will medicare pay for an oral surgeon consultation?
  Answer - That may depend on the kind of work the oral surgeon does, and perhaps on whether the surgeon is a physician (M.D.) or a dentist. If the oral surgeon is a physician, Medicare Part B will almost certainly cover the care. If the oral surgeon is not a physician, it depends on the kind of consultation and follow-up services the surgeon performs...
Wednesday September 10, 2008
1. How do you hide money from Medicaid?
  Answer - First of all, it is illegal to "hide" assets when planning to apply for Medicaid; it's considered fraud. However, Medicaid does permit some transfers of assets prior to applying for coverage in a nursing home or assisted living facility.
2. How can I cover my medical care expenses?
  Answer - Most Medicare Part D drug plans don't cover any drug costs during the program's "doughnut hole" -- when total drug expenses for the year reach $2,510 but out-of-pocket costs for the year haven't yet reached $4,050. But there are some ways to save money on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs.
3. How can we avoid selling house to pay for care?
  Answer - They probably mean that Medicare will no longer pay for her nursing home care. One thing you could do is to use some of her remaining savings to prepay her funeral and burial expenses. She'll then have to use her savings to pay for the nursing home until she's down to less than $2,000 in cash. Then you can help her apply for Medicaid...
4. Do I really owe the assisted living center money, although my grandmother never stayed there?
  Answer - A lot depends on what the paperwork -- the contract -- says and who signed it. The contract might provide for a non-refundable one month's deposit, which holds the living space so that someone else doesn't take it. If you signed the contract as a cosigner, guarantor or "responsible party" for the rent...
5. Can Medicaid take your house, even a jointly-owned home, to pay for long-term care?
  Answer - Your father's interest in the house won't count against him should he need to enter a nursing home, because a person's primary residence is exempt when Medicaid counts a person's assets in determining eligibility. Upon his death, however, if the house remains partly in his name, Medicaid may be able to make a claim against his 50% interest in the house...
6. Can my home be taken if my mother lives there but her care must be paid for?
  Answer - The state cannot take your mother's former home since she no longer owns it, and the transfer to you by your mother two years ago should not affect her Medicaid eligibility because you are her disabled child. So, if your mother has to enter a nursing home, you will be able to apply for Medicaid for her without worrying about loss of your home...
7. What is my mother's liability to Medicare if she enters a nursing home?
  Answer - First, it seems that you're confusing Medicare with Medicaid in your question. It's Medicaid (not Medicare) that would cover her nursing home bills and could seek repayment out of the value of her house after she dies. But if the loan was already made and secured by the house's equity before your mother...
Tuesday August 26, 2008
1. im on ssi and medicaid im also on 24/7 care given to me bymy...
  Answer - The Indiana Health Coverage Program (IHCP) operates Medicaid and related programs in Indiana which provide assistance with medical and long-term care for people with low incomes and few assets. Part of the IHCP is Home and Community Based Waiver Programsthat pay reimbursement for reasonable and necessary...
Monday August 25, 2008
1. What will Medicaid pay for social adult day care?
  Answer - Almost all adult day care is more "social" than medical or therapeutic. The question of what Medicaid will pay -- or if it will pay anything at all -- for any adult day care depends on several things. First, the adult day care center you are considering must be Medicaid-certified and must accept Medicaid payments for new participants...
2. Is there a way of getting paid for in home care?
  Answer - Whether she can get paid for caring for your dad depends on the state where they live and their income and assets. In some states, a program called Cash and Counseling (or a similar name) allows direct payments from the state to low-income, low-asset seniors who are in need of home care...
3. If I go on Medicare, will my provided health coverage still be in effect?
  Answer - Many people in your situation are confused. That's because Medicare rules are complicated, and neither private insurance plans nor Medicare do a good job explaining these things to consumers. But you actually sound like you have things right.
Sunday August 24, 2008
1. If I have a employer group health plan, do I need to sign up for Medicare Part B?
  Answer - The answer depends on whether Medicare considers this special Change-in-Control employer-sponsored health coverage to be based on current employment or to be a kind of retirement plan. That's because of the wording of the Medicare rule concerning late enrollment in Part B...
2. Where can I get a replacement card for my daughter's Part D prescription coverage?
  Answer - Medicare Part D prescription drug plans are actually private policies, issued and run by insurance companies. (All the Medicare program does is set up the rules.) So, your daughter's coverage is with one of the private insurance companies that issues plans in your state. The card is provided by the company that issued her the policy...
3. Will Medicare pay for hearing aids?
  Answer - Medicare, no, Medicaid, maybe. Medicare Part B does not cover routine hearing exams or hearing aids. Medicaid, however, may cover some of the cost of hearing aids, depending on the state you live in. That's because each state operates its own Medicaid program, and each program has slightly different rules and coverage...
4. How can I make sure that I am on my parents' "survivor" list with the federal government to make sure I recieve benefits after they pass on?
  Answer - For Social Security survivors benefits, the Social Security Administration does not keep any list of qualifying survivors. After someone dies who has been entitled to Social Security benefits, that person's qualifying survivors show evidence of their relationship to the deceased at a local Social Security office...
Saturday August 23, 2008
1. Is there a manual to read up about Medicaid rules and regulations?
  Answer - The problem is that Medicaid is slightly different in every state -- different rules for eligibility, coverage of different kinds of care, different copayments. So, there is no single federal Medicaid manual that can explain the specific rules and regulations that apply in your state...
Sunday August 17, 2008
1. After cataract surgery with a lens implant, does Medicare cover any of the cost of new glasses?
  Answer - Yes, it does. Medicare Part B can pay for one pair of eyeglasses following cataract surgery in which a new lens was implanted in the eye. How much it pays depends on whether you get new frames, and if so how much they cost. Medicare Part B will pay for both lenses and frames, but only basic frames...
2. How does a care agency process bills when the elder has long term care insurance?
  Answer - That depends on the terms of the insurance policy. Some long-term care policies specify that the insurance company will pay home care benefits only if the care is provided by a licensed home care agency. In that case, the insurance company and the care agency arrange for payments to be made directly to the agency...
Friday August 15, 2008
1. My parents have a Medicare supplement insurance plan; if we...
  Answer - You don't have to. They can keep the same policy. If your parents bought a Medigap policy in one state but they move to another state, the insurance company must continue to honor the original policy, even if the company doesn't sell that same policy in the state where your parents now live. The company can't cancel the policy or change its terms...
2. Is there a program in Kentucky to help pay for assisted living?
  Answer - Medicaid in a few states covers residence in an assisted living facility, but not in most states. And apparently not in Kentucky. According to the Kentucky Department for Aging and Independent Living (DAIL) Web page on assisted living in Kentucky, neither Medicaid nor any other state program covers assisted living in that state...
Monday August 11, 2008
1. Does medicare cover Chiropractic care and services?
  Answer - Mostly no, but Medicare Part B can cover some chiropractic care in certain, very limited circumstances. The only chiropractic treatment Medicare Part B covers is manipulation of the spine to correct a subluxation (a bone in your spine out of position). The treatment must be considered medically necessary, and formally prescribed, by a physician...
Saturday August 09, 2008
1. Does Medicare provide coverage for type 1 diabetes?
  Answer - It certainly does. Medicare Part B covers much -- usually 80 percent -- of the cost of diagnosis, examinations, and medical care, including diabetes care from your doctor, diabetes screening, self-management training, nutrition therapy, and special diabetes related testing (such as hemoglobin, glaucoma and other eye exams)...
Thursday August 07, 2008
1. I have Medicare D plan F with Humana. Will they pay for actonel?
  Answer - What drugs Humana covers depends not only on the specific plan but also on the state where you live. There are a couple of ways for you to find out whether your plan covers actonel. Go to the Medicare web site's Formulary Finder page and enter the state where you live. Then search for the specific drug...
Friday August 01, 2008
1. What documentation do I need to enable the companies to discuss her accounts with me?
  Answer - There are two routes for you to follow. The first is to contact each bank, company and other entity your mother has accounts with. Many banks and other companies have their own form that they would want your mother to fill out and sign, which would allow you access to her information...
2. What financial help is available for caregiver who had to...
  Answer - Because your mother's assets are almost gone, and assuming she doesn't have much income, she may be eligible for a program that pays her for home care, which she can use to pay you. Here's how it works.
Wednesday July 30, 2008
1. Is there a program in Iowa that will pay you for taking care of a family member?
  Answer - Many states have programs that can pay a family member to take care of a frail senior at home. These family caregiver payment programs -- often called Cash and Counseling but sometimes another name -- directly pay low-income seniors who would otherwise qualify for Medicaid coverage from a home care agency...
2. Can SSI/Medicare/Medical/Hud Section 8 look for repayments of benefits paid to date, when I am no longer eligible for benefits going forward?
  Answer - You seem to be doing everything right, and there is no reason to worry about repayment to any of these agencies or programs. As long as you legitimately qualified when you were receiving assistance, there is no obligation to repay any of these programs if and when your income goes up and you no longer qualify...
3. Will my grandmother lose Medicare benefits if she is checked out of a rehab center without a doctor's approval?
  Answer - It sounds like the facility is badly overstating the case -- Medicare benefits will not stop. Your grandmother has every right to leave the facility if she wants to, and your mother has a legal right to check her out of the facility and take her home (assuming she has a properly executed power of attorney from your grandmother)...
4. I have a 98-year-old father who can still get around; however...
5. When I applied for widows benefits a year ago, I was told...
  Answer - I'm afraid Social Security is right -- you have to be 65 to be eligible for any of Medicare's programs (unless you are disabled and have been receiving Social Security Disability benefits for at least 24 months, in which case you'd be automatically enrolled)...
Tuesday July 29, 2008
1. Do any Medigap policies include drug coverage, or must you also get a Part D supplement from another source?
  Answer - No Medigap policies sold to new enrollees today include any prescription drug coverage. That's because drug coverage through Medigap was replaced by the Medicare Part D prescription drug program, which went into effect January 1, 2006. [Before 2006, a few Medigap policies (in categories H, I and J) included some prescription drug coverage...
Monday July 28, 2008
1. How do you apply for the Cash for Caregiving program through...
  Answer - A Cash and Counseling or similar program is available in many states. It pays direct assistance to home-bound elders or others who have low incomes and few assets other than their home. The payments can then be used to pay a family member, or other independent caregiver, for providing in-home care...
2. Recently, after one month in the hospital with end stage...
  Answer - Once your mother and your family choose Medicare hospice care, Medicare will cover all her hospice medical treatment while she's in the nursing facility, including medications and nursing to keep her as comfortable and pain-free as possible. But Medicare hospice only covers your mother's care and comfort...
3. My mother is 58 and moving in with us. She is suffering...
  Answer - You're actually asking two separate questions. One is about how to keep your finances separate so that your income and assets are not counted as your mother's if she applies for public assistance such as Medicaid (which can cover all her medical bills), and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and state welfare payments...
Sunday July 27, 2008
1. Does Medicaid pay for message therapy?
  Answer - Some massage therapy might be covered by Medicaid (which often provides broader coverage than Medicare does). But Medicaid is not the same in every state. Each state Medicaid program has somewhat different rules about what kinds of medical care are covered and how someone would qualify to receive that care...
Friday July 25, 2008
1. Does an inheritance affect Medicare eligibility?
  Answer - Your daughter's Medicare coverage won't be affected in any way by her inheritance, regardless of whether you keep the condo or you sell the condo and she gets a share of the proceeds. Neither Medicare Part A nor Part B eligibility depends in any way on the amount of your daughter's assets or income...
2. Does Medicare pay for eyeglasses?
  Answer - Sorry to say that Medicare doesn't normally cover any part of the cost of eyeglasses. Medicare Part B can pay for one basic pair of eyeglasses only if your mother had cataract surgery in which a new lens was implanted in her eye. Otherwise, Medicare Part B pays nothing for glasses.
3. Will Medicaid stop paying for my grandmother's assisted living facility if we take her out for the weekend or out for dinner?
  Answer - Absolutely not. In determining someone's income to decide whether they qualify for Medicaid, substantial regular non-cash contributions from family, for example in the form of rent-free housing or daily meals and all clothing, is sometimes considered...
4. Does any part of a VA widows pension amount have to be repaid under current laws?
  Answer - If she provided her correct Social Security number and filled out the VA forms correctly, she shouldn't worry about the money she has already received. But there is no guaranty that she will continue receiving the VA pension amount, even though no new law affects these particular pension rules.
Friday July 18, 2008
1. How long will coverage for Medicare physical therapy last after a knee replacement?
  Answer - Not long. First of all, your physician needs to prescribe the therapy, and periodically needs to review your continuing need for it. But no matter how much therapy your doctor prescribes, Medicare will only pay a limited amount. Once you have paid your yearly Part B deductible, Medicare Part B pays 80...
2. What is meant by "medically neccessary" or under what circumstances will Medicare pay for long-term care?
  Answer - Basically, Medicare covers only a short time of long-term care, and only under very strict rules. Medicare Part A can cover most of the cost of a rehabilitation stay in a skilled nursing facility, but only for a certain number of days following a hospital stay, and only for skilled nursing care...
3. How long does Medicaid keep their records for patients?
  Answer - There is no time limit. Medicaid does not destroy patient records. Also, each state has its own law forbidding doctors and other health care providers from destroying medical records.
Thursday July 17, 2008
1. Does Medicare cover prescription eyeglasses?
  Answer - Medicare Part A does not cover eyeglasses at all. Medicare Part B can pay for one pair of eyeglasses but only if you have cataract surgery in which a lens is implanted in your eye. Otherwise, traditional Medicare does not pay for glasses at all, for any reason.
2. Can my mother continue to see her current physical therapist if she isn't Medicare certified?
  Answer - The question is not really whether your mother can continue to be treated by this physical therapist but whether Medicare will pay for it if she does. Your mother is always free to get treatment from anyone she wants. But if Medicare does not pay for it, she will have to pay for it herself, or with other insurance...
3. Should I sign a payment agreement with my mother's rehab center?
  Answer - Under federal law, it is almost certainly illegal for a rehab center to require, as a condition of admitting your mother, that you sign an agreement guaranteeing payment, or requiring you to become the responsible party for her bills. The federal Nursing Home Reform Law makes it unlawful to require that...
4. How can I get help with Medicare premium payments? Can I get extension or will plan be terminated?
  Answer - It is hard to tell from your question which type of Medicare premium you are asking about. There are three kinds of bills you might have to pay: a monthly premium for Part B coverage; a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan; and a monthly premium for both Medicare Part A and B coverage through a Medicare Advantage managed care plan...
Tuesday July 15, 2008
1. Does Medicare pay for oral surgery for patients with osteoporosis?
  Answer - The answer depends on the exact kind of oral surgery, and on who performs it. Usually, Medicare Part B doesn't cover oral surgery. That's because Medicare considers most work performed by an oral surgeon to be "dental" rather than "medical." But Medicare Part B can cover oral surgery in a few instances...
2. How do I become a paid caregiver for my own family?
  Answer - Whether you can get paid to be her caregiver depends on what program, either Medicaid or other state program, is available in the state where you live. Cash and Counseling or similar programs in many states can provide regular payment to family caregivers even if the person being cared for would not otherwise qualify for Medicaid...
3. Will my mother be covered by Medicare for one day stay in hospital?
  Answer - Sounds like someone at the hospital or rehab center is misinterpreting the rules about Medicare Part A hospital coverage. Whether Medicare Part A pays for your mother’s hospital or rehab center stay, and how much it pays, is measured by what's called a "benefit period" or "spell of illness...
4. Can my parents access a nursing home without a hospital stay?
  Answer - check again with the source where you heard that, because Medicare Part A coverage for inpatient skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility care has strict rules requiring a prior hospital stay. In order for Medicare to cover an inpatient stay in a skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility, admission...
5. If I move my mother in with me will it affect her Medicare/Medicaid status?
  Answer - That is actually two different questions. One is about Medicare. A different question is about Medicaid.
Friday July 11, 2008
1. Can a gift trust to your children protect you from qualifying for Medicaid consideration?
  Answer - If you’re considering applying for Medicaid to pay for nursing home care, certain types of trusts can be helpful. But certain rules must be carefully followed for this to be successful.
2. What documentation do we need in order to avoid any potential issues with Medicaid qualification related to giving children an early inhereitance?
  Answer - If your parents make a gift to you and your siblings and then apply for Medicaid within five years, there will be a disqualification or penalty period. That means that even if they would otherwise qualify, there will be a period of some months that the state will not pay for their nursing home care, because of the gift...
3. Can Medicaid take your home to pay for nursing home care?
  Answer - She may be confusing the Medicaid program (covers long-term nursing home care that could last for years) with Medicare (limited to just a few months in a nursing home, at best). Medicare would make no claim on her home, so you only need to be concerned about Medicaid...
4. How do I protect my parents' home from being taken by the state if they go on public aid?
  Answer - Every time you pay your parents’ mortgage, you are making a gift to them. To protect yourself, you should be receiving an increasing percentage ownership interest in their house with every such payment. Otherwise, should your parents eventually need nursing home care and qualify for Medicaid,...
5. How do I protect my parents' home from being taken by the state if they go on public aid?
  Answer - Every time you pay your parents’ mortgage, you are making a gift to them. To protect yourself, you should be receiving an increasing percentage ownership interest in their house with every such payment. Otherwise, should your parents eventually need nursing home care and qualify for Medicaid,...
6. How do I protect my parents' home from being taken by the state if they go on public aid?
  Answer - Every time you pay your parents’ mortgage, you are making a gift to them. To protect yourself, you should be receiving an increasing percentage ownership interest in their house with every such payment. Otherwise, should your parents eventually need nursing home care and qualify for Medicaid,...
Tuesday July 01, 2008
1. Does the Department of Veterans Affairs seek reimbursement for a veteran's nursing home care?
  Answer - The Department of Veterans Affairs provides or pays part of the cost of nursing home care for veterans. The VA doesnâ€™t seek reimbursement for this coverage after a veteran dies. But if the veteran was also getting coverage from Medicaid, that progr
Monday June 30, 2008
1. Will a long-term care insurance policy pay for home health care from a nurse practitioner?
  Answer - A long-term care insurance policy can pay for the services of a nurse practitioner -- a nurse with advanced training -- under some circumstances. First, the policy has to cover home care. (Some policies, particularly ones issued in the 1980s, cover nursing home care but not home care...
2. Is there a program to help pay the cost of assisted living?
  Answer - Since your mother receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI), she's eligible for Medicaid coverage in her state. In some states, Medicaid will pay most of the cost of residence in certain assisted living facilities. That's because it's a lower cost alternative for Medicaid than paying for nursing home care...
Tuesday June 24, 2008
1. Are IRAs considered Medicaid assets?
  Answer - IRAs provide income tax breaks, but the money in them doesn't get any special treatment by Medicaid. If you apply for Medicaid, IRAs in your name are counted as assets. The fact that you would lose your tax break if you tapped into the IRA funds too early doesn't protect them from consideration by Medicaid...
Friday June 13, 2008
1. Does Medicare pay for assisted living care?
  Answer - No, Medicare doesn't pay at all for assisted living. Medicare coverage for long-term care of any sort is very limited, covering only short-term stays in a skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility while someone recovers from an illness, injury, or surgery...
Thursday June 12, 2008
1. Is there a time limit on making a revocable trust before entering a nursing home?
  Answer - Medicaid pays for over half of the nation's nursing home costs. To be eligible for Medicaid coverage of nursing home care, a person must have very low income and assets. Some people try to give away or hide their assets before applying for Medicaid, hoping by that strategy to keep their savings in their family but still have Medicaid pay for long-term care...
Tuesday June 10, 2008
1. Will we have to pay out of pocket costs for nursing home care for my grandmother who has Alzheimers?
  Answer - Not necessarily. It's true that Medicare nursing home coverage is very limited. It pays for only a certain amount of the cost of nursing home care, for only a limited time, and only following a period of hospitalization.
Monday June 09, 2008
1. Will Medicare pay for glasses for my wife post eye surgery?
  Answer - Depending on the kind of eye surgery your wife had, Medicare Part B may be able to pay for some of the cost of her glasses. Medicare Part B can pay for one pair of eyeglasses if your wife had cataract surgery in which a new lens was implanted in her eye. If she had a different kind of surgery, Medicare does not pay for glasses...
2. What health insurance options are available to someone on Social Security Disability, not yet eligible for Medicare, and whose spouse has no health coverage through her employer?
  Answer - Medicaid may be the only health care program available to you both, until you qualify for Medicare. In order to be eligible for Medicaid, you have to have low income and few assets (other than your house and car). The exact rules regarding income vary from state to state, but if your only income is your...
3. Do I have to take Medicare?
  Answer - You don't have to participate in Medicare if you don't want to. But unless you have good free or very low-cost health insurance coverage through your or your husband's former employment, it's probably a very good idea to have both Medicare Part A hospital insurance and Medicare Part B medical insurance once you turn 65...
4. Can a Medicare-friendly doctor demand payment in full first?
  Answer - Unfortunately, yes. There are two ways a doctor can get paid for treating you as a Medicare patient. If the doctor accepts "assignment," that means he may not charge you any more than the Medicare-approved amount for the services provided. In this case, he may require that you personally pay him your...
5. How can I find a Medicaid OBGYN?
  Answer - In many places it's hard to find a doctor who'll treat Medicaid patients -- as you've found out. That's because Medicaid pays doctors a lower amount per visit than Medicare or private insurance. The Medicaid program itself doesn't provide any simple way to find a doctor, but two other routes may help you out...
6. Is the treatment called IVIG (administered through IV) covered by Medicaid?
  Answer - Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) is regularly used to treat many infections, inflammations, and immune system problems. If used for a medically-approved purpose, Medicaid can cover it. But the issue with Medicaid and IVIG, as with Medicaid and any individual treatment, is whether the treatment is "medically necessary...
7. Will Medicaid pay for a wheelchair? Electric Wheelchair?
  Answer - Both Medicare and Medicaid can help pay for an electric wheelchair, with Medicaid paying the portion of the costs that Medicare doesn't. Medicare Part B can pay either to rent or buy a power wheelchair if prescribed by your father's doctor and if medically necessary for him to get around (not just going outside, but to get around the house, too)...
8. What happens when patients run out of Medicare days?
  Answer - Help him apply for Medicaid, or apply for him, immediately. Even if it seems that he's "over the limit," he may qualify anyway. That's because he may be able to "spend down" the amount that he's over the Medicaid eligibility limit by paying that amount to the nursing home, with Medicaid paying the rest...
9. Can I get paid to relocate back to Michigan to care for my mother?
  Answer - There may not be any funds to pay for your relocation, but it's possible that you could get paid to take care of your mother, and maybe also your aunt, once you get to Michigan. If either your mother or aunt has low income and assets, they each might qualify for Medicaid, which provides in-home care...
Saturday June 07, 2008
1. Is there any situation that allows you to obtain a income while on disability without losing your benefit that is accepted by the SSA?
  Answer - Yes, there are a couple of different ways to have some income and still qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. First, SSDI considers you disabled only if you aren't able to perform what they call "substantial gainful activity." But that doesn't mean you can't earn anything...
Friday June 06, 2008
1. Can I get help with Part B payment?
  Answer - There are four programs that can pay some or all of your Medicare Part B premiums, deductible and copayments. You must have low income and assets to qualify for any of these programs. Which program you're eligible for depends on how much you have in income and assets. The programs are:
2. Is CPP, OAS or Veteran's Disability Pension classed as income to be used in calculations for 5% to be paid to the Guardian and how ofter is this 5% paid?
  Answer - The amount, sources and timing of compensation for an adult guardian or conservator depend on two things: (1) the legal rules in the state where the guardianship is in effect; and (2) the judge's order establishing the guardianship or conservatorship in each particular case.
3. How much income is too much for a senior to receive in...
  Answer - Medi-Cal is the name of California's Medicaid program of health care coverage for people with low incomes and few assets (other than a home). One of Medi-Cal's programs for people who need care at home is called In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS). This program provides a number of different personal and health care services...
4. Does Medicare help with the cost of handicap lifts or ramps?
  Answer - Medicare Part B covers what's called durable medical equipment. This includes "patient lifts," which are mechanical or hydraulic devices that help to safely lift a person out of or into a bed or chair. It's intended to avoid injuries to patients and caregivers alike.
Thursday June 05, 2008
1. Which Medicare Advantage plans cover the 48 states and Puerto Rico?
  Answer - All Medicare Part C "Medicare Advantage" managed care plans cover emergency medical care while you're traveling anywhere within the U.S. or Puerto Rico. The problem is finding a plan that would cover you for regular, non-emergency care in more than one geographic area.
2. In the state of MO, how many years before a parent has to go into a nursing home is it legal to turn all real estate property and money over to the adult son or daughter?
  Answer - The rules are the same in all states. And it's not a matter of what's "legal" -- it's legal for any parent to give his or her assets to a son or daughter at any time. The question is whether giving away real estate or other assets will disqualify the parent from Medicaid coverage of nursing home costs...
Wednesday June 04, 2008
1. Where can I find the list of medical suppliers?
  Answer - On the Medicare web site, there's a page that directs you to all medical equipment suppliers in your area. But as you've read in your Medicare Summary Notice, a new list of suppliers must be used, for certain types of equipment, if you live in one of ten geographic areas in which a new competitive bidding system is being tried...
Tuesday June 03, 2008
1. Can I get medicare to pay for both a scooter and a wheelchair?
  Answer - Medicare Part B will pay for the use of a power wheelchair or power scooter, if medically necessary, but not both. The fact that one or the other device can't be used in some places doesn't change this rule.
2. Does the person I take care of have to have Medicaid for me to get paid by the state?
  Answer - Not necessarily, though she must have low income and assets. If she does qualify for Medicaid , Medicaid can pay for regular home care. Usually, she would get that Medicaid in-home care through a certified home care agency. But it's also possible – depending on what state you live in -- to bypass...
3. How can I get a Medicare ID card replacement?
  Answer - It's actually Social Security that issues the cards, so you have to contact them. There are two ways to do it. To get a replacement card online, go to the special Medicare replacement card page on the Social Security web site. Or, you can call the Social SecurityAdministration at 800-772-1213 and ask for a replacement card...
Monday June 02, 2008
1. Where can I find the rule regarding Medicare and COBRA coverage?
  Answer - Since your husband has Medicare because he's over 65, Medicare is the primary payer of his covered medical bills, with COBRA coverage through your work being a secondary payer. You can find this rule explained in the Medicare booklet Medicare and Other Health Benefits: Your Guide to Who Pays First ...
2. Does Medicare pay for shingles vaccine?
  Answer - No, it won't. In general, Medicare doesn't do a very good job of covering preventive medical care . The only immunizations it covers are a yearly flu shot, the pneumonia vaccine, and the vaccine against hepatitis B (if you are at medium or high risk for contracting the disease).
3. Is there financial assistance when a parent lives in my home?
  Answer - You might be able to get some pay directly from the state for taking care of your parent if your parent has few assets and little income. Your parent might qualify for home care through Medicaid. But instead of getting that care from a Medicaid home care agency, it might be possible – depending...
4. Can a person get paid for caring for their parents in their parents' home?
  Answer - You might be able to get some pay directly from the state for taking care of your parents if they have few assets (other than their home) and little income. If they require home care, and have low income and assets, they might be entitled to receive it through Medicaid...
5. What financial assistance for caregivers is available?
  Answer - If your mother has low income and assets (other than her home), she might get in-home care from Medicaid. This could be care provided by a certified home care agency. But it's also possible – depending on what state you live in -- to bypass the home care agency and have the state pay your mother directly for her in-home care...
6. Any financial aid for caring of elderly in home full-time?
  Answer - There may be a little. If your mother has low income and assets, she might get in-home care from Medicaid. Until recently, your mother would have to get that Medicaid in-home care through a certified home care agency. Now, it's possible – depending on what state you live in -- to bypass the home...
7. Can my caregiving services help my grandmother with paying spend down for Medicaid?
  Answer - It's possible. There are several ways you might get paid something for caretaking your grandmother. First, if your grandmother reimburses you for anything you spend that's directly connected to her medical care – having to do with her oxygen concentrator, for example – these amounts could count toward the $550 spend-down amount...
8. What kind of financial aid programs are available to full-time caregivers?
  Answer - You might find a little cash assistance if you and your husband have low income and assets. In that case, your husband might qualify for in-home care from Medicaid or similar state program. Until recently, he'd have to get that Medicaid in-home care through a certified home care agency...
9. Do I have coverage from Medicare when traveling to Canada?
  Answer - Medicare doesn't normally cover regular or emergency medical care in Canada, whether you're living or vacationing there. Medicare can cover medical care in Canada in a few very limited circumstances. They are: (1) If you're in the U.S. when an emergency arises but a Canadian emergency room is closer than any in the U...
Friday May 30, 2008
1. Are accidents in a foreign country covered by Medicare?
  Answer - Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) doesn't cover any medical care in Europe, but a Medicare Part C Medicare Advantage plan or a Medigap supplemental insurance policy might.
2. Is home health care part of the Medicaid waiver program SOURCE?
  Answer - Yes, home health care is a fundamental part of the SOURCE (Service Options Using Resources in a Community Environment) program. The specific rules of the SOURCE program are slightly different in each state that has it. But the main purpose of SOURCE is to help frail seniors live at home or in a personal... 1 Comment
Tuesday May 27, 2008
1. How can I find a new doctor and can my wife qualify for SSI?
  Answer - The Medicare web site has a tool that can help you find doctors in your area who accept Medicare patients. You might also be able to get regular in-home care for your wife throughMedicare Part B coverage for home health care. For Medicare to cover it, your wife must be referred to home health care by her doctor...
2. How can I find a new doctor that accepts Medicare?
  Answer - The Medicare web site has a tool that can help you find doctors who accept Medicare patients. The tool gives you a list of those doctors who practice in your geographic area. The tool also breaks down this list of doctors by their medical specialty...
3. Is there Medicare shoes for diabetics?
  Answer - Yes, it's true. Medicare Part B can pay for most of the cost of therapeutic shoes for someone whose diabetes has caused serious foot problems. If you have diabetes, Medicare can cover therapeutic shoes if you are being treated by a physician under a comprehensive diabetes care plan, and your doctor or...
Thursday May 22, 2008
1. How does inheritance affect Medicare eligibility?
  Answer - No, it won't affect your eligibility for Medicare at all. Qualifying for Medicare has nothing to do with how much money or property you have. The only possible effect on your Medicare coverage would be on the amount you have to pay each month for Medicare Part B coverage. Most people pay $96.40 per month (in 2008) for Medicare Part B coverage...
2. Will my Medicare cover a deviated septum?
  Answer - A deviated septum is a medical condition that can interfere with breathing and with the ability to taste, and may require treatment. Both Medicare Part A (for hospital costs) and Medicare Part B (for doctor and other outpatient costs) could cover that treatment, but only if your doctor determines that...
3. Where can I find Medicare home health care eligibilty rules?
  Answer - The eligibility rules for home health care under Medicare are fairly complicated, so it's a good idea to understand them well in order to get the most out of your coverage. Medicare publishes a booklet called Medicare and Home Health Care that explains the rules for Medicare home health care eligibility and covered services...
Wednesday May 21, 2008
1. Can you use benefits from VA and Medicare coverage in conjunction?
  Answer - Your stepfather can use both. For any specific medical treatment, he can choose to use either the Medicare or VA system. And sometimes he can use both for the same treatment. Here's how it works. If he's treated at a VA facility, Medicare cannot pay any of the copayments that the VA charges him...
2. Can I add my mother to health insurance if I have guardianship?
  Answer - Legal adult guardianship (called conservatorship in some states) involves preparing and filing legal documents. It also means that you and your mother must go to court to have a judge decide whether guardianship is appropriate, whether it should be guardianship over her estate (legal and financial affairs...
3. What is maximum income a widow can make to receive her husband's Social Security?
  Answer - You can collect Social Security Survivors Benefits based on your husband's Social Security work record as early as age 60. But if you claim benefits before you reach your full benefits age, your survivors benefits will be reduced based on income you earn over the yearly limit.
Tuesday May 20, 2008
1. How do I get my husband signed up for Medicare Part D?
  Answer - Medicare Part D drug coverage is very inexpensive for people eligible for Medicaid and in nursing homes.
Friday May 16, 2008
1. How do you get financial help if you are between 55 and 60 years old?
  Answer - Social Security survivors benefits, based on your deceased spouse's work record, can start as early as age 60, or at any age if you're caring for the deceased worker's child who's under age 16. Other Social Security benefits -- retirement or dependents -- don't start until age 62.
2. Do I need Medicare Part B if I have retiree medical insurance through my former employer?
  Answer - The answer depends in part on the rules of your retiree health coverage. Employers aren't required by law to maintain health coverage for retired workers. So, if they do provide coverage, they can make almost any rules they want. Some employer-sponsored health insurance plans require Medicare-eligible retirees to enroll in Medicare Part A and Part B...
3. How can I replace a lost Medicare card?
  Answer - The easiest way to replace your Medicare card is to go online to the page of the Social Security Administration web site specially designed to let you get a new card. Once you fill out the information -- including the month in which Medicare most recently paid a bill for you -- requested online, it takes about 30 days for them to mail you a new card...
4. Will the State of CA pay you to care for your parents?
  Answer - In general, the answer is no. But, if your parent qualifies for Medi-Cal (the California version of Medicaid) and is eligible for home care, it's possible that you could be paid by Medi-Cal -- though not much -- as a home care aide. For you to get such payments, you'd have to be certified by the State of California as a licensed home care provider...
5. How can I get paid for taking care of parents?
  Answer - There are two ways you might get paid for taking care of your parents -- in addition to your parents paying you directly. Depending on the rules in your state, you might be able to get paid as a home care aide if your parents qualify for the state's Medicaid program and Medicaid providing them with home care...
6. How much will Medicare cost me?
  Answer - Medicare Part A is free for most people. If you're 65 or over and eligible for Social Security, Railroad Retirement or civil service retirement, or dependents or survivors benefits, you're also eligible for Medicare Part A without paying any premium...
7. If covered, how do I get Medicaid hearing aids?
  Answer - About two-thirds of state Medicaid programs cover some or all of the cost of a hearing aid. States also put different conditions on eligibility for hearing aid coverage. These conditions may include one or more of the following:
8. How do I apply for Medicaid?
  Answer - Medicaid is a federal program, but it is administered individually by each state. That's why you apply for Medicaid at your state's own Medicaid office, which is usually at a local county social service or social welfare office. To find information about where to apply for Medicaid in your state, go to the Benefits...
9. Do I need a Medicare Part D prescription plan if I have Blue Cross/Blue Shield work insurance?
  Answer - To encourage as many people as possible to sign up for a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan when they're first eligible for it (usually at age 65), Medicare imposes a financial penalty on those who don't sign up then. The penalty is a one percent per month increase in premiums for every month you delay in signing up...
10. Can my dad get help to pay for shots after chemo?
  Answer - One of the big loopholes in Medicare Part B medical coverage is for outpatient hospital or clinic bills. If your dad is getting shots at a hospital or clinic as an outpatient, they can charge him personally for the entire amount of their bill above what Medicare pays them...
11. Does Medicare pay for cataract surgery and glasses afterwards?
  Answer - Yes, Medicare Part B can pay for one pair of eyeglasses or one set of contact lenses after you've had cataract surgery. This coverage only applies if the surgery implanted a new lens in your eye (as is done in most cataract surgeries). If you get glasses covered by Medicare, it will pay for the lenses and frames, but only basic frames...
12. Can my father's house be taken to pay for long term care?
  Answer - It sounds like what you've heard about has to do with Medicaid. Nobody can take the house from you. But your father might be prevented from qualifying for Medicaid coverage of long-term care if he sold the house to you for less than its real value.
13. Does Medicare cover wheelchairs and transport chairs?
  Answer - Medicare Part B covers what is called durable medical equipment, which includes wheelchairs and walkers, if prescribed by a doctor. For wheelchairs, Medicare pays to rent the chair for up to 13 months. By that time, you will own the wheelchair outright, but Medicare will continue to pay for the chair's maintenance and repair...
Wednesday May 14, 2008
1. Does my mother have to sign a home lien for nursing home care?
  Answer - Short-term nursing home care is often covered by Medicare Part A. But this coverage kicks in only if she needs skilled nursing care as prescribed by a doctor, in a Medicare-certified skilled nursing facility, following a stay in the hospital of at least three days...
Tuesday May 13, 2008
1. Can you help explain Medicare Part D?
  Answer - Once your daughter's been receiving Social Security disability benefits for two years, she's eligible for full Medicare coverage, including a Part D prescription drug plan. The plans cost about $10 to $75 per month, depending on the plan's coverage and where your daughter lives. A few plans have no premium at all...
2. What do I need to apply for Medicaid?
  Answer - To apply for Medicaid for your mother, you have to provide records of your mother's income and assets (if the final guardian report is not very recent, you might have to update it for Medicaid). Certain portions of your mother's income isn't counted in determining her Medicaid eligibility, nor would her home be counted as an asset if she still lives in it...
Monday May 12, 2008
1. Does Medicare cover children?
  Answer - Medicare is intended to cover medical care for people 65 and people who have worked but now have long-term disabilities. However, Medicare does not cover children, even if their parent is covered by Medicare.
Thursday May 08, 2008
1. Can the children of a nursing home resident distribute his assets as a "spend down" to qualify for Medicaid?
  Answer - Medicare and private insurance strictly limit the amount of nursing facility care they'll cover. If your father moves into a long-term care nursing home after Medicare and private insurance run out, he'll have to depend on his own or your family's assets to pay for care...
2. How can you pay for care when your assets are too high for Medicaid?
  Answer - There are a couple of different ways your brother-in-law may be able to qualify for Medicaid even though his assets are over the usual allowable limit. Depending on the rules of the state where he lives, he might qualify for Medicaid if he's considered "medically needy." More than half the states have this category...
Monday May 05, 2008
1. How can I evaluate the insurance companies that offer Medigap plans?
  Answer - Although Medicare does not directly sell Medigap policies, it does regulate what the policies must include and certifies companies to participate in the program. Take a look at the Medicare website, which offers a link called "Compare Health Plans and Medigap Policies in Your Area." Click on that tool and enter the state of Maryland and your zip code...
Sunday May 04, 2008
1. Do CDs in trust count in determining Medicaid eligibility?
  Answer - The answer depends on the type of trust. If the trust is “revocable,” the CD would count toward her eligibility. It is revocable if your mother retains the right to take assets out of the trust – in this case, to cash in the CD. If she can remove the CD from the trust and use the money herself, it counts toward her Medicaid eligibility...
2. Will Medicaid or Medicare pay for indigent health care?
  Answer - The short answer is, Medicare won’t but Medicaid will.
3. Will Medicare assisted living cover facility costs?
  Answer - The only non-hospital inpatient care Medicare pays for is a very limited amount of skilled nursing facility care while recovering from an illness or injury following a hospital stay. It doesn't cover any of the cost of residence in an assisted living facility.
Thursday April 24, 2008
1. Can my grandmother get a safety bath tub from Medicaid?
  Answer - Your grandmother can get special bathing equipment paid for by Medicaid if Medicaid provides her with home health care services. That means she has to meet her state's Medicaid requirements for nursing facility or home care. These requirements usually include the inability to perform, without assistance...
Wednesday April 23, 2008
1. Does Medicare pay a MRI? If so, how many MRIs will Medicare cover in a year?
  Answer - There is no special Medicare rule limiting the number of MRI exams it will cover for a patient in one year. Whether Medicare Part B medical insurance will pay for any MRI – or for any other medical service -- depends on Medicare's determination that it is "medically necessary...
2. Am I eligible for disability?
  Answer - Social Security disability benefits are available to you if you meet two qualifying standards, explained below. If you have few savings or other assets, you may also qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) based on your disability, and for Medicaid which pays for most medical care...
Tuesday April 22, 2008
1. Can I get paid to care for my parent in Florida?
  Answer - If your mother qualifies for Medicaid, and Medicaid determines that she needs home care, you might be able to get some pay from Medicaid as her home care aide. But for you to get paid to provide that home care, you'd have to be certified by the state of Florida as a home care provider...
2. Does a living trust protect money from Medicaid consideration?
  Answer - When Medicaid decides whether your mother is eligible for Medicaid coverage of nursing home care, it looks to see whether her income and assets are below her state's Medicaid limits. A living trust would not protect any of your mother's assets from consideration by Medicaid because she would still control how the trust funds are spent...
Monday April 21, 2008
1. What is the difference between DPOA and POA?
  Answer - A power of attorney grants to someone else – called the agent, attorney-in-fact, or surrogate -- the right to make legally-binding decisions for the person who grants that authority. This is true for a power of attorney for health care and for a power of attorney for finances...
2. Are there financial benefits available to a primary caregiver?
  Answer - There are two ways you might receive some financial benefits for being a caregiver. In some states, you might be able to get paid as a home care aide if the state Medicaid program is paying home care benefits to the person you're caregiver for. But for you to get such payments, you'd have to be certified by the state as a home care provider...
3. Will Medicare pay for adult diapers?
  Answer - Unfortunately, the answer is no, except while you are a hospital or skilled nursing facility inpatient, when all types of supplies are covered by Medicare Part A . But when you are not a hospital or skilled nursing facility inpatient, Medicare coverage is provided by Medicare Part B...
Sunday April 20, 2008
1. Are there any benefits available to retired law enforcement?
  Answer - All states and most city and county governments have a retirement system – usually called Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) -- for their employees, including law enforcement personnel. The amount of retirement benefits you're entitled to depends on the number of years you worked in the...
2. Where do I get financial help for my 88 year old mother?
  Answer - There are several kinds of assistance available for your mother. Because of her age and low assets, she's almost surely eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), in addition to whatever Social Security benefits she receives. This could bring her an extra $600 to $800 per month...
Saturday April 19, 2008
1. Will Medicare pay for carcinoma of the gums?
  Answer - Some treatment of the gums is covered by Medicare, even though "dental" care is not covered. If you receive surgery or other treatment on your gums from a physician, or if physicians often provide the same kind of care, then Medicare will cover it...
Friday April 18, 2008
1. Do we need Medicare Part D?
  Answer - Many people who have other health insurance that covers some drug costs find that a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan doesn't save them money. But if your husband's prescription drugs cost you $1,200 out of pocket last year even with your other insurance coverage, then getting a Medicare Part D insurance plan is probably a good idea...
Thursday April 17, 2008
1. How do I become a Medicaid paid caregiver?
  Answer - The state can only pay you if it's paying benefits to the woman you're caretaker for. If the woman you take care of gets Medicaid benefits and qualifies for home care, you might be able to receive payments from Medicaid. But you can receive such payments only if you're a certified home care provider...
2. Where can I get free help with legal questions?
  Answer - There are several places you might contact to get legal help. You may even be able to find a lawyer who will help you without being paid right away. Many lawyers take cases based on what's called a "contingency fee." That means they don't ask for any money at the beginning of the case. Instead, they wait to get paid out of the money they win for a client... 1 Comment
Wednesday April 02, 2008
1. What legal paperwork for parents is necessary besides a will?
  Answer - Each parent should have an advance health care directive. In some states, these are two separate documents: a medical directive (also called a living will) setting out your parent's wishes regarding medical care, and a durable power of attorney for health care which names someone to make medical decisions when your parent is unable to...
2. Does Medicare pay for diapers or pads?
  Answer - Medical supplies of all kinds are covered by Medicare Part A, but only when you are a hospital or skilled nursing facility inpatient. Medicare Part B covers outpatient care; this includes "durable" medical equipment -- such as hospital beds, wheel chairs, walkers, and oxygen systems -- but not most medical supplies like adult diapers or pads...
3. Does power of attorney make me responsible for medical bills?
  Answer - Having your mother execute a power of attorney for health care allows you to make decisions for her about her medical care, but doesn't make you financially responsible for her medical or long-term care. To lawfully execute the document, your mother must be mentally competent and her signature should be notarized...
4. With both parents in a nursing home and me with power of attorney, can I protect their savings and house?
  Answer - With a properly executed power of attorney for finances, you can handle some or all of your parent's finances for them once they're in a nursing home, even if they're still capable of making decisions for themselves. And if the power of attorney is "durable," you can continue to handle their finances once they become incapable of making any decisions...
5. Can I be removed as responsible party for nursing home agreement?
  Answer - If a nursing home participates in either Medicare or Medicaid -- as almost all do -- then the federal Nursing Home Reform Law prohibits it from requiring guaranteed payment from anyone other than the resident -- your parent. This is true even if your parent is not presently covered by either Medicare or Medicaid...
Monday March 31, 2008
1. Can a widow's pension be protected from nursing home costs?
  Answer - If your mother's nursing home stay is covered by Medicaid, her Social Security payments are automatically used to help pay for her care. If she also gets a veterans pension, that money, too, goes into the pot of total monthly income used to pay for her nursing home care.
2. Is there help for someone under age 65, who has serious illness and little money?
  Answer - You've begun with the right place in applying for Medicaid, which can cover almost all of your mother's medical expenses. If she has no savings or income, she can qualify even if she owns her home.
3. Is there a minimum amount for assets that Medicaid 5 year look back exempts?
  Answer - A very important program for many seniors is Medicaid coverage of long-term nursing home costs. In deciding on eligibility for nursing home coverage, Medicaid looks carefully at the applicant's financial records, including current income and assets and any funds spent or property transferred out of the applicant's name within the previous five years...
4. What happens to a single person's house when leaving it for a nursing home?
  Answer - If your father or your family is personally paying for his nursing home care, he can do whatever he wants with his house – sell it, give it away, keep it and rent it out. However, if he keeps it or sells it, the value of the house will be counted against his potential eligibility for Medicaid coverage of his nursing home costs...
5. What documents does Medicaid ask for from an applicant?
  Answer - Medicaid is a government financial assistance program intended for certain people, including seniors, with low income and assets. Because Medicaid considers total income from any source and total assets of all types, it will ask you for almost every type of financial information...
6. Does Medicaid pay for assisted living?
  Answer - Medicaid is the federal program, administered individually by each state, that provides medical benefits for seniors and others with low-income and few assets. In every state, Medicaid pays the full cost of care in a nursing facility for someone eligible for the program...
Tuesday March 25, 2008
1. Are there government benefits for someone who's had a stroke and gets only a small company pension?
  Answer - If medical condition means not working, government programs can help: Social Security; Medicare; Supplemental Security Income (SSI); and Medicaid.
2. What kind of financial help for caregivers is available?
  Answer - There isn't any government program that pays a family member for taking care of an elderly relative, but the elder could pay directly.
3. How much money can a Medicaid spouse keep?
  Answer - When Medicaid pays for the nursing home care of one spouse, Medicaid rules allow the "community spouse" -- the one who still lives at home -- to keep a certain amount of assets and income (including Social Security benefits). Your mother will be able to keep a total of between about $1,700 and $2,600...
4. Is there any program that offers free or low-cost senior dental care?
  Answer - Medicare, the largest program of health care for seniors, doesn't provide any dental care. Neither do Medicare Advantage managed care plans or Medigap private supplemental health insurance plans.Medicaid is the federal/state joint program of health care benefits for certain people, including seniors, who have low income and assets...
5. Does divorce to protect assets from one spouse to the other work?
  Answer - Unfortunately, some people do get divorced to try to protect assets from long-term care costs. In your father's case, there's the immediate question of who's responsible for paying his assisted living costs. If he's paying privately -- meaning, without Medicaid assistance -- then his wife may be liable for those costs under North Carolina law...
6. What authority is needed to gather a parent's documents for Medicaid?
  Answer - For your father to qualify for Medicaid, he needs to show that his income and assets are below the Medicaid eligibility levels in the state where he lives. This means providing income tax, bank and other financial accounts, and Social Security information, as well as documents about any assets he has...
7. Can Medicare take your home to pay for nursing home care?
  Answer - Short-term nursing skilled facility care can be covered by Medicare during treatment or recovery following a hospital stay. Medicare doesn't seek reimbursement for any nursing facility costs, so your home wouldn't be at risk.
8. Financial help when a parent leaves a nursing home to live with family?
  Answer - Your mother-in-law may be entitled to assistance from several different government benefit programs, each of which could ease your financial and personal burden. If your mother-in-law is entitled to Social Security retirement, disability, or survivors benefits, that money was probably going directly to the nursing home she was in...
Friday March 21, 2008
1. Is a home given away more than five years before still considered the parent's asset?
  Answer - Long-term care facilities can't attach assets given to adult children but Medicaid may consider such assets in deciding eligibility.
Sunday March 09, 2008
1. If I have a Medicare Advantage (Plan C) managed care plan, can I switch back to regular Medicare Parts A and B?
  Answer - Joining a Medicare Advantage (Part C) managed care plan does not mean you are stuck with it. You can drop that plan and return to coverage from traditional Medicare Part A and Part B at any time.
Tuesday March 04, 2008
1. Does Medicare cover adult day care for Alzheimer's patients?
  Answer - Medicare covers medically related expenses for Alzheimer's patients. If your parent requires adult care, only the medically related portion of those costs will be covered by Medicare.
Wednesday February 20, 2008
1. Are adult children legally responsible for a parentâ€™s unpaid nursing home bills?
  Answer - You're not legally responsible for your dad's nursing home costs unless you signed an agreement with the nursing home making yourself a "responsible party." When most nursing home residents run out of money to pay for care, they become eligible for Medicaid coverage of their nursing home bills...

Joseph L. Matthews

Caring.com Senior Editor

Recently Published on Caring.com

Friday November 20, 2009

Tuesday November 17, 2009

Monday November 16, 2009

Sunday November 15, 2009

Friday November 13, 2009

Thursday November 12, 2009

Tuesday November 10, 2009

Monday November 09, 2009

Friday November 06, 2009

Wednesday November 04, 2009

Monday October 26, 2009

Wednesday October 21, 2009

Thursday October 15, 2009

Friday October 09, 2009

Thursday October 08, 2009

Wednesday October 07, 2009

Tuesday October 06, 2009

Thursday October 01, 2009

Monday September 28, 2009

Wednesday September 23, 2009

Wednesday September 16, 2009

Monday September 14, 2009

Friday September 11, 2009

Thursday September 10, 2009

Sunday September 06, 2009

Saturday September 05, 2009

Friday September 04, 2009

Tuesday September 01, 2009

Monday August 31, 2009

Sunday August 30, 2009

Friday August 28, 2009

Thursday August 27, 2009

Monday August 24, 2009

Thursday August 13, 2009

Thursday August 06, 2009

Monday July 27, 2009

Friday July 24, 2009

Monday July 20, 2009

Tuesday July 14, 2009

Sunday June 28, 2009

Friday June 26, 2009

Monday June 15, 2009

Thursday June 11, 2009

Wednesday June 10, 2009

Tuesday June 09, 2009

Friday June 05, 2009

Thursday June 04, 2009

Tuesday June 02, 2009

Thursday May 28, 2009

Tuesday May 26, 2009