Guest BloggerWill My Advance Directive Work In Another State?
Making sure your end-of-life wishes are followed no matter where you happen to be is important. If you move to a different state or split your time between one or more states, you should make sure your advance directive is valid in all the states you frequent. An advance directive gives instructions on the kind of medical care you would like to receive should you become unable to express your wishes yourself. It often designates someone to make medical decisions for you. Each state has its own laws setting forth requirements for valid advance directives and health care proxies. For
Continue reading
Jagger EschHow to Claim Medicare without Claiming Social Security
Can you get claim Medicare benefits without claiming Social Security? You sure can, and we’re going to outline the reasons to consider this option along with some of the pros and cons of delaying your claim to Social Security benefits. First, let’s look at some important information about Medicare and Social Security. Then, we can better understand why it makes sense to enroll in Medicare without claiming Social Security. Medicare vs Social Security Health insurance is offered through the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Social Security provides people with a monthly stipend. Medicare Part A is free for
Continue reading
My Senior Health PlanWho Can You Trust to Help Make Your Medicare Decisions?
The many choices and options related to Medicare Advantage and/or Supplement Plans are enough to overwhelm even the most educated among us. You want to make the right selections, but without the proper guidance and direction, these decisions are dizzying. You’re aware of how easily you could get stuck with a plan you don’t need or want, but you’d probably rather endure a colonoscopy than spend countless hours researching different plans. Yes, navigating the world of Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement Insurance is difficult. But it doesn’t have to be. My Senior Health Plan will help you find you the
Continue readingMaintaining medication adherence during a health crisis
People of all ages can have difficulty managing their medications, but this is especially true for seniors who may face physical limitations, memory loss, and multiple chronic conditions. Add to this the complexity that coronavirus (COVID-19) social distancing has created for caregivers and older adults, and you have a perfect storm for medication non-adherence, which is estimated to account for 10% of hospital readmissions, nearly 25% of nursing home admissions, and 20% of preventable adverse drug events in older adults. So, what is medication non-adherence? According to the American Pharmacists Association, non-adherence includes delaying or not filling a prescription, skipping
Continue readingMedicare 101
While most individuals embrace the aging process, Medicare is excellent coverage that many seniors look forward to obtaining. Medicare has been providing health insurance coverage since 1965 for individuals 65 and older as well as certain disabled Americans. Over 15% of the country is currently enrolled in Medicare today and that’s a definite bonus after having worked for most of our lives. Being on Medicare means having Hospital and outpatient coverage for many services. Although, many seniors are unaware of the coverage they have and what expenses they’re responsible for paying. Having a Medicare Supplement could help you plan your health
Continue readingPost-Acute Care Advice after a Hospital Stay
One of the most challenging experiences for seniors and caregivers can be managing the recovery process after a hospital stay. Often, it’s not the hospitalization that is most difficult, but the specialized follow-up care that many seniors require to avoid complications or readmission into the hospital. This follow-up care, called post-acute care, is one of the most important parts of the recovery process. It’s also one of the most misunderstood and difficult to navigate parts of our healthcare system. Seniors who receive high-quality post-acute care after an injury or illness experience better, faster recoveries and have lower out-of-pocket healthcare. Post-Acute
Continue readingDo You Really Have to Wait Five Years to Access Medicaid Benefits?
If you or someone you love is trying to qualify for Medicaid, you may have heard people talking about—or in most cases, complaining about—having to wait five years to access benefits. If you don’t have access to professional guidance, you could easily fall victim to this common misconception about Medicaid. When people complain about waiting for Medicaid to kick in, what are they talking about? It’s what Medicaid calls its five-year lookback period. How does this work? Let’s say you’re applying for Medicaid. As part of the application process, you may be required to provide financial information for the previous
Continue reading
Carol Marak4 Questions to Ask Before Buying Long-Term Care Insurance
My wife, Gina, and I are in year five of owning and running a home care agency, and we've experienced firsthand the pain of families struggling to pay for it. After Gina and I helped managed care for my mother, Emily, as she transitioned into an assisted living facility near our home, we knew we couldn't afford NOT to have a LTC plan. There are so many options, riders, qualifications and all of this was completely overwhelming. Ultimately, the entire process took us about eighteen months, but we did finally choose a long-term care insurance policy that was right for
Continue readingCan I Get Medicaid if I Transfer All of My Assets to My Spouse?
In the past, to avoid exceeding Medicaid’s income and asset limits, many individuals transferred their assets into the name of other relatives, particularly when nursing home care was immediately needed. Now, Medicaid takes into account all asset transfers made in the preceding five years prior to an application for Medicaid benefits (this period is called the “look-back” period). If such asset transfers were made, Medicaid may assess a penalty period, which will delay the commencement of Medicaid benefits. However, as discussed below, it is crucial to understand that not all assets are counted for Medicaid benefits determination and that some
Continue reading