Regardless of the decision by individual states to accept or reject the Medicaid expansion called for by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), all states have to make changes to their Medicaid enrollment systems in order to be in compliance with the PPACA provisions, which take effect on Jan. 1, 2014. And, according to the results of a state survey that was conducted … read more
Elder Law
More Families Staying in the Same Home
America is changing, and sometimes in ways people don’t always expect. New data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that more and more Americans are living in households with multiple generations. According to figures released late last year, about 5.6% of American families are living in multigenerational homes. That equates to about 4.3 million households throughout the country. While … read more
The New Century of Estate Planning
For the most part, the law is very slow to change. The reason for this is that it provides stability and certainty to our world. After all, if every judge could do whatever he or she wants, without regard to the cases that have come before, the legal system would collapse; there would be no system. But with the advent of the 21st century, the law has done quite a bit of changing, well, … read more
Woman Pleads Guilty in Medicaid Fraud Case
In early January a Shelby, North Carolina woman pled guilty to taking part in an $8 million Medicaid fraud scheme. Victoria Finlay Brewton, age 37, pled guilty to seven counts of healthcare fraud and conspiracy to commit health care fraud, as well as one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of filing a false tax return. She faces a minimum of two years in prison and a … read more
3 Common Questions About Long Term Care Insurance
If you are worried about the ever-rising costs of nursing homes or extended care facilities, long-term care insurance is one possibility you may want to consider. While most people will never have to go into a nursing home, the costs associated with even temporary stays can be significant. Here are three common questions many people have about long-term care insurance and how it … read more
Election Means Healthcare Law Likely Permanent
Passed in 2010 and largely upheld by the Supreme Court earlier this year, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, often referred to as Obamacare, now seems, in the wake of the presidential election, to be a permanent fixture in the laws of the country. There are several practical effects that this has on the nation. First, states will have to decide if they are going to … read more
Medicaid Opt-Out Could Cost Hospitals
As states continue to grapple with funding Medicaid and deciding whether or not to implement the Medicaid expansion as outlined in the Affordable Care Act, a new article in Forbes shows how choosing not to expand the program could lead to hospitals paying billions more in expenses. The National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems recently analyzed the potential impact … read more
Medicaid Spending Growth at Record Low
A recent report from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that Medicaid spending growth slowed dramatically in 2012. The report says that the total amount that the federal and state governments spent on Medicaid increased by 2% in 2012. In 2011 the increase had been almost 5 times that, at 9.7%. Prior to the economic downturn of 2008, the lowest annual percentage increase occurred in 2006, … read more
Elder Caregivers Need to Take Care of Themselves
Taking care of someone that cannot care for his or herself is difficult when someone is in their 30’s or 40’s; such a task is made even more difficult when the caregiver is elderly. If you are an elderly caregiver, then you need to be sure to take time for yourself, every day, or you may find yourself becoming overwhelmed. You should also think about how you want to respond if unexpected … read more
Mississippi Becomes First to Opt-Out of Medicaid Expansion
Following the summer Supreme Court decision that allowed states to choose to opt out of the Medicaid expansion outlined under the health care reform law, Mississippi recently became the first state to choose to decline the expansion and the federal dollars associated with it. While the healthcare law is almost certainly best known for its requirement for individual Americans to obtain … read more
