How the $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Bill Impacts Seniors, Health Care
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How the $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Bill Impacts Seniors, Health Care

Law Update, Public Benefits

How the $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Bill Impacts Seniors, Health Care

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, commonly known as the COVID Relief Bill, became law on March 11, 2021. The law includes the widely publicized $1,400.00 stimulus checks and expanding vaccine distribution, in addition to increasing access to health insurance, funding for the long-term care community, and continued support for the Elder Justice and Older Americans Acts. For those on Medicaid, the the COVID Relief Bill stimulus check is not income or a resource for Medicaid purposes. The funds may be gifted penalty-free for the first 12 months. After 12 months, it is considered a resource impacting Medicaid eligibility. [...]

Rothkoff Law Group2024-03-08T12:31:06-05:00March 25, 2021|

Unsupported Elders and Advocacy Services
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Unsupported Elders and Advocacy Services

Aging, Assisted Living

Unsupported Elders and Advocacy Services

Prior to starting my job as the Rothkoff Law Group Pennsylvania Client Services Director, where I work with many clients, including unsupported elders, I had plenty of experience in senior care, but I did not have any experience in the legal field. I was under the assumption that you meet with an elder care law attorney to have your will and powers of attorney prepared. I quickly realized that this could not be further from the truth. Outside of knowing my title, quite honestly, I was unaware of what my daily routine would be and what role I would play [...]

Rothkoff Law Group2021-11-09T16:52:52-05:00March 11, 2021|

Addressing the Needs of an Elderly Parent and Her Special Needs Adult Child
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Addressing the Needs of an Elderly Parent and Her Special Needs Adult Child

Aging, Assisted Living, Caregiver

Addressing the Needs of an Elderly Parent and Her Special Needs Adult Child

Mary’s mother and sister needed help. Lots of it. The sister, Violet, is developmentally disabled and needs 24-hour care. Janice, their mother, was Violet’s sole caregiver for over 50 years. Mary knew that Janice was becoming increasingly confused, but it seemed like she was still taking great care of Violet. Then, Janice and Violet went for a long walk that ended with them wandering into a local nursing home and Janice asking if they could move in. Alarmed, a manager at the facility called for help. Janice was admitted to the hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, and Janice was placed [...]

Rothkoff Law Group2021-11-09T18:49:23-05:00February 18, 2021|

Elder Law Planning: More Than Just Medicaid
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Elder Law Planning: More Than Just Medicaid

Aging, Estate Planning

Elder Law Planning: More Than Just Medicaid

When it comes to elder law planning, and when I meet with clients, the focus tends to be heavily centered on finances. When retirement accounts are dwindling due to a spouse’s high nursing home bill or a parent’s complex financial management style has left an adult child overwhelmed and confused, it is easy to become focused on Medicaid as the magic solution. However, Medicaid is just one piece of a much larger puzzle. A few years ago, I worked with the sister caregiver of a client who required long-term care. Due to the brother’s medical diagnoses and young age, his [...]

Rothkoff Law Group2024-03-08T12:31:59-05:00February 15, 2021|

Update on Telehealth Insurance Coverage
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Update on Telehealth Insurance Coverage

Health Law

Update on Telehealth Insurance Coverage

Over the past year, telehealth insurance coverage has evolved. While telehealth is not a new practice, it has become much more widely utilized since the outbreak of COVID-19. Historically, telehealth was utilized in certain instances, such as for patients who lived in more rural areas with limited access to resources. In regard to telehealth insurance coverage, effective March 2020, Medicare began covering these visits under much broader guidelines and were paid at the same rate as in-person visits. Some of the most common technology platforms include FaceTime, Zoom, Google Hangouts, and Skype. Under the guidelines during the pandemic, the use [...]

Rothkoff Law Group2024-03-08T12:32:23-05:00February 4, 2021|

Rothkoff Quarterly: Winter 2021
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Rothkoff Quarterly: Winter 2021

eNewsletter

Rothkoff Quarterly: Winter 2021

In the Winter 2021 edition of the Rothkoff Quarterly Newsletter we cover: A Letter to All of You, Rothkoff Law Group Activities Book, Rothkoff Law Group's Client Appreciation, 2021 Elder Law Numbers, Rothkoff Law Group Receives Elder Law Awards, and an Update on Rothkoff Law Group's Status.

Rothkoff Law Group2025-03-31T08:44:07-04:00January 13, 2021|

Adapting to Change Brings Both Joy and Sadness
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Adapting to Change Brings Both Joy and Sadness

Around the Office

Adapting to Change Brings Both Joy and Sadness

We have had to change the way we do practically everything from attending care conferences, to client meetings, to marketing, and as 2020 comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on the past year working in long-term care planning with both sadness and happiness. The sadness, of course comes from the all of the chaos that the Covid-19 pandemic has caused. Never in my life would I have imagined such a crisis could occur. In March, I remember thinking “This cannot be that bad, right?”, but with each day that passed it became increasingly clear that nothing could be [...]

Rothkoff Law Group2021-11-09T18:55:00-05:00December 15, 2020|

Your Public Benefits Have a Lookback – Even Around the Holidays!
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Your Public Benefits Have a Lookback – Even Around the Holidays!

Public Benefits

Your Public Benefits Have a Lookback – Even Around the Holidays!

The holiday season is upon us yet again. It is easy to get caught up in the festivities and forget that if you or a loved one are enrolled in a public benefits program or are planning to apply in the future, it is important to remember that even holiday gifting can impact eligibility. Are you or your spouse receiving Medicaid benefits? Or will you need long-term care in the next five years? If so, a review of five years’ worth of all financial documents is conducted during the application process. They impose a penalty by delaying eligibility for benefits [...]

Rothkoff Law Group2024-03-08T12:33:35-05:00December 10, 2020|

Helping Seniors Stay Connected During the Surge
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Helping Seniors Stay Connected During the Surge

Aging, Healthy Aging

Helping Seniors Stay Connected During the Surge

Let's look at what we can be helping seniors stay connected during the pandemic surge. I think I was more upset about my father having Thanksgiving alone than he. My small family is scattered across the states, and it was not safe for us to be together. While I worry about my dad living solo, he sees friends, can handle facetime without tech support, and is the master of the pithy text. Not all seniors are faring as well. Physical and mental limitations cause many of our nation’s seniors to live in isolation. The pandemic has only exacerbated the problem. [...]

Rothkoff Law Group2024-03-08T12:33:49-05:00December 1, 2020|

Personal Reflections on Being Thankful in the Face of the Pandemic
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Personal Reflections on Being Thankful in the Face of the Pandemic

Around the Office

Personal Reflections on Being Thankful in the Face of the Pandemic

As a Director of Care Coordination of Rothkoff Law Group, I have unfortunately witnessed how the current pandemic has affected the lives of so many vulnerable older adults. As we still digest our Thanksgiving dinner and prepare for the holiday season before us, many people (myself included) are facing the disappointment, anger, and grief of not being able to spend the holidays with our loved ones as we have in years past. Sure, I had my own personal woes that I can attribute to “typical 2020;” but I have reflected on the last few months and realize that despite all the [...]

Rothkoff Law Group2024-03-08T12:34:21-05:00November 25, 2020|

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