Important Medicare Provisions Seniors Should Know About
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Important Medicare Provisions Seniors Should Know About

Public Benefits

Important Medicare Provisions Seniors Should Know About

Congress is gearing up to pass a budget reconciliation package, and there are several important Medicare provisions affecting seniors, including first-time Medicare coverage for vision, hearing, and dental care.     These Medicare provisions are proposed to phase in vision, hearing, and dental benefits in 2022, 2023, and 2028, respectively. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that vision benefits would cost $30 billion over 10 years, hearing benefits would cost $89 billion over 10 years, and dental benefits would cost $238 billion over 10 years. The legislation would also make broader changes to prescription drug coverage under Medicare. In addition to [...]

Jerold Rothkoff2024-03-08T12:15:59-05:00September 24, 2021|

Be Prepared for Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period

The Medicare Open Enrollment Period for 2022 has arrived. Throughout the year, Medicare has different enrollment periods. The Open Enrollment Period, or OEP, is the timeframe during which Medicare beneficiaries can make changes to their Medicare plans. This year’s OEP will take place October 15 through December 7, 2021. Any changes you make to your Medicare plan during this period go into effect on January 1, 2022. During OEP, you can: • Switch from Original Medicare (Medicare Parts A and B) to a Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) plan. • Switch from a Medicare Advantage plan back to Original Medicare. [...]

Rothkoff Law Group2024-07-29T12:01:31-04:00September 23, 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|

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|

2020 Elder Law Numbers
2020 Elder Law Numbers

Public Benefits

2020 Elder Law Numbers

2020 Medicare Numbers The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the new Medicare premiums, deductibles, and co-payments for 2020: Basic Part B premium:...............................................$144.60/month (was $135.50 in 2019) Part B deductible:...................................................... $198 ($185.00 in 2019)Part A deductible:......................................................$1,408 (was $1,364 in 2019)Co-payment for hospital stay days 61-90:................. $352/day (was $341 in 2019)Co-payment for hospital stay days 91-150:................ $704/day (was $682 in 2019) All costs for each day beyond 150 daysSkilled nursing facility co-payment, days 21-100:.... $176/day (was $170.50 in 2019) Also, note that individuals with annual incomes over $87,000 and married couples with annual incomes over $174,000 will pay [...]

Rothkoff Law Group2024-03-08T12:41:30-05:00January 8, 2020|