When Can Someone Be Declared Legally Incompetent?
If a loved one is experiencing memory loss or suddenly making poor decisions, you may want the court to appoint a guardian, which requires a declaration of incompetence.
You Can Now Compare Nursing Homes on Staff Turnover Rates and Weekend Help
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that it will add data on staff turnover rates and weekend staffing levels to its Care Compare website, giving consumers another tool when choosing a nursing home.
Worsening Nursing Home Staffing Crisis Taking a Devastating Toll on Residents, Their Families and Hospitals
Overwhelmed by the stress of long hours, low pay and exposure to the COVID-19 virus, nursing home workers are quitting in record numbers. The labor hemorrhage has turned what was already a chronic staffing problem into a full-blown crisis.
What Happens to a Medicaid Recipient If the Community Spouse Dies First?
When one spouse is in a nursing home and applying for Medicaid, planning has to take into account the possibility that the spouse who is not in the nursing home (called the "community spouse") may pass away first.
Advocates Sound Alarm About Pilot Program They Say Could Privatize All of Medicare
The Biden administration is moving forward with a Trump-era pilot program that would hand over the care of millions of Medicare beneficiaries to private, mostly for-profit, groups.
What Vaccines Does Medicare Cover?
Vaccines can become less effective over time. Even individuals fully vaccinated as children may need to update their immunizations. Medicare Parts B and D offer vaccination coverage.
You Can ‘Cure’ a Medicaid Penalty Period by Returning a Gift
Anyone who gifted assets within five years of applying for Medicaid may be subject to a penalty period, but that penalty can be reduced or eliminated if the assets are returned.
Medicaid’s Benefits for Assisted Living Facility Residents
Almost all state Medicaid programs will cover some assisted living costs, although there may be a waiting list.
IRS Issues Long-Term Care Premium Deductibility Limits for 2022, and They Look Pretty Familiar
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced the amounts taxpayers of different ages can deduct from their 2022 income as a result of buying long-term care insurance, and the figures are almost the same as in 2021.
Medicare Premiums to Increase Dramatically in 2022
Medicare premiums are rising sharply next year, cutting into the large Social Security cost-of-living increase. The basic monthly premium will jump 15.5 percent, or $21.60, from $148.50 to $170.10 a month.