Joseph L. Matthews, Expert
Caring.com Expert
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
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How do I find the coverage details for hearing aids with Medicare and Medicaid in Ohio? — Oct 17, 2008Unfortunately, Medicare does not cover hearing aids, in Ohio or anywhere else. However, it appears that Ohio's Medicaid program does cover at least "conventional"...
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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 applica... -
How can I get my mother the help she needs? — Oct 09, 2008There 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 pe... -
Will medicare pay for dental implants? — Oct 08, 2008Probably 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 ... -
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... -
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 t... -
Does Medicare compensate family caregivers? — Oct 08, 2008No, 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 Medica... -
How many days is considered in a "benefit period" ? — Oct 08, 2008Under 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... -
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 f... -
I want to care for both of my aging parents. Mother has... — Oct 07, 2008Social 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... -
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 ... -
Does Medicare cover oral surgery and tooth extraction? — Oct 06, 2008Most probably not. Medicare considers most work by non-physician oral surgeons as "dental" rather than "medical," and so Medicare doesn't cover it. This... -
Will Medicare pay for TMJ surgery? — Oct 06, 2008The 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 ... -
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 ... -
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 co... -
How come I do not qualify for long term care insurance? — Oct 05, 2008There 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 c... -
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), s... -
Can my husband receive payments from medicare or medicaid to help care for myself and my son? — Oct 05, 2008Not 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 Med... -
Does Medicare compensate a full time family caregiver? — Oct 05, 2008Medicare 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 M... -
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 ... -
If your mother has low income and few assets other than her home, she might qualify for Medicaid. Normally, Medicaid pays for regular home care and provide... -
How do I find providers for Medicare glasses? — Oct 03, 2008The 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 len... -
How can I find out if I am eligible for housing? — Sep 13, 2008PACE 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 M... -
Will medicare pay for an oral surgeon consultation? — Sep 12, 2008That 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, M... -
Does Medicare cover glasses to correct double vision? — Sep 12, 2008Probably 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...
