Written by Kaitlin Dirkx, Director of Public Benefits.  Fall 2022 marks my seventh anniversary with Rothkoff Law Group, working as Director of Public Benefits. It also marks the longest I have ever worked for the same employer. When people ask what has kept me here for seven years, I always return to the relationships that I build with clients and the fulfillment that it brings me. As I meet more and more families struggling with enormous financial stress and anxiety while managing a loved one’s illness, it reinforces how much I enjoy helping people in this way at one of [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]