How May We Assist You?
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Office Locations:
We understand the importance of being accessible to our clients.
In addition to our main office in Downtown Chicago, we offer appointments at our
satellite offices.
Main Office:
Office Hours 8:30am-5:00pm Monday-Friday
Suite 810
Chicago, IL 60603
phone: 312-899-0950
Satellite Locations:
Office Hours by Appointment
9933 N Lawler Ave.
Suite 440
Skokie, IL 60077
phone: 847-261-4708
Arlington Heights:
1655 N Arlington Hts Rd.,
Suite 306 West
Arlington Heights, IL 60004
phone: 847-906-3584
Vernon Hills:
175 E. Hawthorn Parkway
Suite 345
Vernon Hills, IL 60061
phone: 847-886-9456
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* Please Mail, or Deliver, All Written Correspondence Only to Our Chicago Office. *
Fax: 312-899-0959
General Email Address:
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A Few of Our Professional Memberships
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Janna Dutton is 1 of only 8
Certified Elder Law Attorneys in Illinois. |
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YOUR Elder Law Connection
October 2011 |
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* Medicaid Update* |
Partner Janna Dutton has been, and continues to be, very involved in advocacy for consumers with the proposed changes to The Illinois Medicaid Program. Here is an update from her.
"On September 13, 2011, the Joint Commission on Administrative Rules (JCAR) again considered the comprehensive new Medicaid regulations proposed by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (DHS) which in part implement the requirements of the federal Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) provisions affecting Medicaid eligibility. DHS released revisions of its proposed rules to the public on Friday, September 9, 2011, giving advocates little time to consider the revisions. JCAR had the option of lifting its prohibition or continuing it. Due to the remaining concerns of the elder law bar and others, JCAR announced that it was continuing the prohibition and directed DHS to sit down and negotiate with the interested parties. On September 28, 2011 JCAR staff, Julie Hamos, Director of DHS, and her staff members, met with various members of the elder law bar to negotiate some of the controversial provisions. As of now, it is not certain whether DHS will adopt all or some of the proposed revisions suggested by the elder law bar. If JCAR does not lift its prohibition in its October meeting, October 11, 2011, the proposed regulations will expire and DHS will need to start over in the future. Director Hamos has suggested that, if this occurs, she will take the matter (implementation of the DRA) to the Illinois General Assembly for passage in the form of a statute.
......Stayed tuned next month - Illinois may or may not have new Medicaid regulations in place." |
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* Lake County Office Opens *
*Using Technology to Serve Our Clients * |
In our on going effort to be accessible to clients,
~We have opened a satelight office in Vernon Hills. Please contact us at 847-886-9456 for more information or to schedule an appointment.
and
We now offer video conferencing. At times, clients are homebound or they have family members who live outside the Chicagoland area. With this new technology, we are able to serve all of these clients and still offer the opportunity to see each other face to face.
For more information on how we can assist you, or someone who you care about, please contact us. |
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How Will the Debt-Limit Deal Affect Seniors? | |
Congress has agreed to allow the  debt ceiling to be raised in exchange for $2.4 trillion in budget cuts over 10 years. How this deal will affect the three major programs crucial to the elderly -- Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security -- may not be known until almost year's end, but the impact could be significant.
Read the entire article. |
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*IRAs Require Special Consideration in Estate Planning * | |
Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) are a popular investment tool for retirement, but they also need  to be taken into account when doing estate planning. Although IRAs can be used to provide for heirs either directly or through a trust, how much your heirs will benefit from the IRA and avoid unnecessary taxes depends on proper planning.
For the article, click here.
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For answers to your questions on planning for your future, please contact us contact us to schedule an appointment to meet with one of our attorneys.. |
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*Medicare Fraud Costs Billions: Here's How You
Can Help * |
Medicare fraud is often in the news, but what is it, exactly? Fraud costs Medicare an estimated $60 billion a year and contributes to the rising cost of health care for all Americans.  Once you understand what is involved, you can help prevent fraud.
Click here to read the entire article.
For booklets, detailing various services and Medicare coverage, please click here.
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For Information on a program, focused on Preventing Medicare Fraud in Illinois, The Illinois Senior Medicare Patrol Program, please go to www.illinoissmp.org. |
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* Medicare D Open Enrollment * | |
Just when Medicare beneficiaries thought they understood the rules for  their Part D medication coverage, the program changes.
Starting this Fall, they must enroll in, or change, Medicare D coverage between October 15 and December 7.
For Resources on Medicare D, please go to www.medicare.gov;
www.insurance.illinois.gov/ship |
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* The Difference Between Alzheimers Disease and Dementia * | |
Many people use the terms Alzheimer's disease and dementia interchangeably, but they have very different meanings. Although dementia is a group of symptoms that include memory loss, the term itself doesn't explain what is causing the symptoms. Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia, but here are many other causes.
Read the article.
For additional information on Dementia, please go to National Institute on Aging and Alzheimers' Association. |
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* How to Avoid Problems as a Trustee * | |
Being a trustee is a big responsibility and if you don't perform your duties properly, you could be personally liable. That's why it's important to hire the right people to guide you in this important role.
Click here to read the article.
For information on estate planning, including trust administration, please contact us. |
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* Medicaid Protection for Same-Sex Couples * |  This article was originally published in August. We are sharing it again because of the importance of this topic. Read the entire article. If you have a question regarding Medicaid protection, please contact us at 312-899-0950 or electronically. |
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* Book Review * |
Fat Cats & Lucky Dogs
For many people, their pets are members of the family that need to be taken care of if the pet owner dies before the pet. This book explains how to include a pet in an estate plan. It's a welcome publication for the nation's pets and a good, information-packed read for their human companions.
For more information, click here. |
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