The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid has announced the new Medicare premiums, deductibles, and coinsurances. The standard Medicare Part B premium is increasing by $5 to $104.90 a month, smaller than the $9 per month increase predicted earlier in the year. Social Security recipients will receive a 1.7 percent increase in payments in 2013. Most people have their Medicare premiums deducted from their Social Security benefits. The smaller-than-expected hike means that most Medicare recipients will still receive a modest boost in Social Security benefits. Here are all the new Medicare figures: Part B premium: $104.90/month (was $99.90) Part B deductible:…
The cost of long-term care increased significantly, according to the 2012 MetLife Market Survey of Nursing Home, Assisted Living, Adult Day Services, and Home Care Costs. Private room nursing home rates jumped 3.8 percent to $90,520 a year or $248 a day, while assisted living facility costs rose 2.1 percent on average to $42,600 a year or $3,550 a month. The average cost of homemaker/companions increased by 5.3 percent to $20 per hour. The news wasn't all about increases, however. The cost of adult day care services remained the same as last year at $70 per day and the average cost of…
Representatives of Attorney General Kamala D. Harris have said the state will begin aggressively building more criminal cases statewide. Harris' office is forming three specialized teams –one in Sacramento, two in Southern California– to pursue criminal charges against nursing home administrators and employees where deep, systemic problems are suspected. "Elder abuse is a particularly tragic crime because it targets a beloved population –our aunts and uncles, our parents– at what can be a vulnerable time in their lives," said Harris in a prepared statement, referring to these crimes as ‘serious and often hidden.’ “We know abuse of our elders is…
Fortunately, there are plenty of helpful tools, as indicated below. For your FREE Assisted Living Guide or Nursing Home Guide please contact our office. Also here are a few sites worth checking out: The U.S. Administration on Aging’s Resource Center, which has links to other sites, including the agency’s Eldercare Locator service. The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, which will let you find your local agency on aging as well as information about housing options for the elderly. The Department of Health and Human Services National Clearinghouse for Longterm Care Information, a guide to long-term-care choices. Medicare’s Nursing…
I’ve written before about the dangers of filing a Medicaid application yourself, without any idea of how the Medicaid rules work. But, in the past month we have had a rash of calls from folks who did just that and ended up with Medicaid penalties – months of Medicaid ineligibility and no way to pay for care. It’s a disturbing trend but it can’t be ignored. The state is taking longer to decide Medicaid applications and is scrutinizing them more than ever. Why? Because it just doesn’t have the money to pay for care. If it can find transfers and…
Many people share a common misconception that Medicaid Planning is not in the best interest of nursing homes. At the same time, many nursing homes are now recognizing that without proper Medicaid planning, some residents who have spent down all of their assets are not automatically qualified for Medicaid…leaving the nursing home with a very large, uncollectible bill. And, as many of you are aware, non-spouse family members are not responsible to pay the nursing home bill for their relative. If the resident is unable to pay and they do not qualify for Medicaid, the nursing home will have a…
A nursing home is a place of residence for seniors who require constant care and have significant difficulties performing daily activities. However, some people who are not in need of such intensive care are enrolled in nursing homes. If you are looking for assistance for your loved one, home care may be a great alternative. Home care offers your loved one supportive assistance from experienced caregivers. A wide array of non-medical services are provided, from practical assistance, like grooming and cleaning, to companion assistance, like playing games and going to museums or the movies. Allows Freedom and Comfort Home care…
Americans are living longer, so debilitating diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s are rising, making long-term care vital. Long-term care insurance offered those facing retirement a new option to offset the cost of assistance that many require later in life. From daily tasks such as cooking and cleaning to the all-encompassing care provided in nursing homes or assisted-living facilities, long-term care insurance covers many of the expenses that health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid generally don’t. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, about 60 percent of individuals over age 65 will require at least some type of long-term…
Many families are unprepared for nursing home or long term care planning costs, especially when they find out that Medicare doesn't pay for long-term care. The monthly cost in a private room at a nursing home, is approximately $9,000 per month in our area. The yearly cost is 12 months x $9,000 equals $108,000 per year. Medicare does not pay for long term care. Medicaid will pay for the nursing home, only when you have spent most of your assets. Assisted living is an option where the facility provides personal care services, such as meals, housekeeping and assistance with activities….
The traditional model for these facilities is institutional, with facility designs and procedures based on mass efficiency instead of individual concern for the well-being of each resident. At the Elder Law Office of David Wingate we appreciate that this "regimented" lifestyle is feared by many local residents who likely have personal stories of friends or family members who lived unhappily in one of these facilities. Some seniors even “put off” estate planning and asset protection strategies, because thinking about these issues is unpleasant and many would prefer to just avoid the issue altogether. Of course, failure to plan for long-term…
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