topLAW OFFICES Of BRADLEY J. FRIGON
6500 S. Quebec Street, Suite 330
Englewood, CO 80111
720-200-4025     720-200-4026 (fax)
In This Issue
Turning 65! What You Need to Know About Signing Up for Medicare
NAELA Washington DC


 

 

Quick Links


 
 
Newsletters

 Archive


 
 

 

 

 

NewsNews & Announcements 

court

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) Denver/Boulder, awarded The Law Offices of Bradley J. Frigon with a Gold Star Certificate.
 

 Brad attended the Special Needs Alliance Spring Meeting in San Antonio, TX in March, 2011.
 
Brad is teaching a Master level course through Stetson University College of Law regarding Estate Gift Tax and Estate Planning.
 
Brad attended the NAELA meeting in Washington DC in March 2011.
  
Brad will be attending the NAELA Elder and Special Needs Law Annual National Conference in May 2011.

 
To order Brad's new book Fundamentals of Special Needs Trusts with Stuart D. Zimring and Rebecca C. Morgan, click here or call 1-800-223-1940.

 
 
Connect with Brad on LinkedIn
here.

 

 


 
 
  
Are you looking for a speaker for your next group luncheon or networking event? Call us at 720-200-4025 and schedule a speaking event with one of our attorneys.



 
Organizations

court

 

 

court

 

 

 

court

Legal Link
Your Personal Newsletter for Estate, Probate and Long-Term Care Planning 
April 2011
 

Dear Clients and Friends, 
 
 

At the Law Offices of Bradley J. Frigon, we consistantly strive to provide quality personalized legal services with the highest level of integrity and professionalism. We assist clients with wills, trusts, probate and trust administration, probate litigation, Medicaid and public benefits planning, tax planning, guardian and conservatorships, special needs trusts, and small business planning. 

Learn more about Medicaid enrollment, especially if you are turning 65 soon, by reading the article  "Turning 65".
  
Brad attended the National Academy of Elder Law Attorney (NAELA) conference in Washington D.C. in March.   See Brad's article below describing his time in the capitol.  Read More

      
Please feel free to give us a call if we can provide assistance with your specific needs. Your comments and questions are important to us, please send them to [email protected] for immediate attention

 

Sincerely,

 

The Staff at the Law Offices of Bradley J. Frigon 

TURNING 65!  

What You Need to Know about Signing up for Medicare 

happy couple      

The first of the 78 million baby boomers turned 65 on January 1, 2011, and some 10,000 boomers a day will reportedly be turning 65 between now and 2030. If you are among those about to turn 65, then it is time to think about Medicare. You become eligible for Medicare as soon as you turn 65, and delaying your enrollment can result in penalties, so it is important to act right away.

 

There are a number of different options to consider when signing up for Medicare, which consists of four major programs: Part A covers hospital stays, Part B covers physician fees, Part C permits Medicare beneficiaries to receive their medical care from a number of delivery options, and Part D covers prescription medications. In addition, Medigap policies offer additional coverage to individuals enrolled in Parts A and B.

 

Medicare enrollment begins three months before your 65th birthday and continues for 7 months. If you are currently receiving Social Security benefits, you will be automatically enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B effective the month you turn 65. If you do not receive Social Security benefits, you will need to sign up for Medicare by calling the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213 or online at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/medicareonly/. It is best to do it as early as possible so your coverage begins as soon as you turn 65.

 

If you are still working and have an employer or union group health insurance plan, it is possible you do not need to sign up for Medicare Part B right away. You will need to find out from your employer whether the employer's plan is the primary insurer. If Medicare, rather than the employer's plan, is the primary insurer, then you will still need to sign up for Part B. Even if you aren't going to sign up for Part B, you should still enroll in Medicare Part A, which may help pay some of the costs not covered by your group health plan. For more information on Part A, click here.

 

If you don't have an employer or union group health insurance plan, or that plan is secondary to Medicare, it is extremely important to sign up for Medicare Part B during your initial enrollment period. If you do not sign up for Part B right away, then you will be subject to a penalty. Your Medicare Part B premium may go up 10 percent for each 12-month period that you could have had Medicare Part B, but did not take it. In addition, you will have to wait for the general enrollment period to enroll. The general enrollment period usually runs between January 1 and March 31 of each year. For more information on Part B, click here.

 

With all the deductibles, copayments and coverage exclusions, Medicare pays for only about half of your medical costs. Much of the balance not covered by Medicare can be covered by purchasing a so-called "Medigap" insurance policy from a private insurer. You can search online for a Medigap policy in your area at http://www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan/questions/medigap-home.aspx.

For more information on Medigap, click here.


Medicare also offers Medicare Part C (also called Medicare Advantage). You must be enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B to join a Medicare Advantage plan, the name for private health plans that operate under the Medicare program. If you join a Medicare Advantage Plan, the plan will provide all of your Part A and Part B coverage, and it may offer extra coverage, such as vision, hearing, dental, health and wellness programs and/or prescription drug coverage. For more information on Medicare Advantage, click here.

 

Finally, Medicare offers prescription drug coverage under Medicare Part D, if you are not going to sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan with prescription drug coverage, then you will want to enroll in a prescription drug plan at the same time you sign up for Parts A and B. For every month you delay enrollment past the initial enrollment period, your Medicare Part D premium will increase at least 1 percent. You are exempt from these penalties if you had a comparable  drug coverage from a private insurer, such as through a retirement plan. This is called "creditable coverage" and your insurer can let you know if their coverage is considered creditable. Visit the Medicare Web site at https://www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan/questions/home.aspx to find a drug plan in your area. For more information on Medicare's prescription drug coverage, click here.

 

After you've signed up for Medicare Part B, you can schedule a free

"Welcome to Medicare" exam with your doctor. 

 
NAELANAELA Washington D.C. Visit
 

I had the good fortune of spending a few days in Washington, D.C. during the Cherry Blossom Festival this year to  attend  the annual executive committee meeting of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA).   I have been a NAELA member for many years and currently serve as an officer .  NAELA is comprised of attorneys experienced in working with the legal problems of aging Americans and individuals of all ages with disabilities. We meet semi-annually to discuss the direction of NAELA and future goals for the organization.   Due to this association, I was asked to spend a day on capital hill and  meet with The President's Special Assistant for Disability Policy, Mr. Kareem Dale in addition to Senator Dick Durbin , Assistant Majority Leader and a representative from Senator Mark Udall's office.       

  

In these meetings I had the opportunity to  describe  situations encountered in my daily practice to demonstrate how proposed legislation would affect these individuals and families . By sharing real life stories with these officials, they were better able to understand the impact of proposed legislation on seniors and families with special needs in concrete terms.  We discussed several issues including "The Older Americans Act" which provides  for a variety of critical services to elder citizens, and preserving the "Class Act," a voluntary long term care insurance program designed to pay for non-medical expenses that allow a person with a disability to remain independent. 

 

 It is very difficult for individuals and families to have access to government officials who are responsible for deciding key legislation that ultimately affects them and their particular issues. As an attorney who represents elder and special needs clients, I am encouraged that the time spent was very worthwhile and hopeful that we had an impact on the direction of future legislation.

 

 

 

                                                         ---Bradley J. Frigon 

Referrals--The Greatest Compliment
 
thank you note

We always appreciate referrals from our satisfied clients, friends, business  partners, and  their  family members. We welcome the opportunity to serve the  people you care about. Please use the "Contact Us" link near the top of this Newsletter to contact our staff.  

 

Click on the "Forward Email" at the bottom of the page to send this newsletter to someone who will benefit from our advice.

The Law Offices of Bradley J Frigon
6500 South Quebec Street, Ste. 330
Englewood, CO 80111
Phone: 720.200.4025     Fax: 720.200.4026