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Protecting the Rights of Massachusetts Voters with Disabilities
Presidential elections are next week and polling stations around Massachusetts are preparing to welcome millions of voters. Voting is one of the most fundamental rights granted to American citizens, but as many as 3 million Americans with disabilities are "sidelined" on election day. The good news is that federal and state law provide important protections for disabled voters, and Massachusetts voters with disabilities and their advocates need to be aware of community resources that are available to protect the exercise of this fundamental right.
Click here to read the full article by Rebecca J. Benson. |
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CEUs for Social Workers!
Join Attorneys Harry S. Margolis and Christina T. Vidoli as they host our next Law School for Social Workers on Friday, November 16th, from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Goddard House in Brookline. Topics will include Planning for Incapacity, Benefits for Community Care, Veteran's Benefits, and Planning for MassHealth Eligibility.
Social Workers will receive two NASW approved CEUs. The fee $30 in advance and $35 at the door with all proceeds going to FriendshipWorks, a volunteer program that provides companionship and  assistance to the elders.
To register and for further information, click here or contact Rachel Sandler by e-mail (rs@margolis.com) or by telephone (617-267-9700). |
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Governor Deval Patrick Signs New Long-Term Care Insurance Estate Recovery Exception into Law
Governor Deval Patrick signed S2359 
into law on October 27th, capping a long effort to strengthen state regulation of long-term care insurance (LTCI) and creating a more rational MassHealth estate recovery exception for owners of qualified policies.
The new law establishes guidelines for long-term care insurance consistent with those set forth in the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Long -Term Care Insurance Model Act.
Massachusetts has long had a unique incentive to encourage seniors to purchase LTCI, by exempting those with at least two years of coverage from MassHealth estate recovery should they ultimately need state assistance to pay for their care. However, MassHealth has limited the effect of this incentive by only granting it to those who still had two years of coverage when they moved to a nursing home.
The new law changes the requirement that the minimum be met "upon entry to a nursing home" to "when the policy was purchased", meaning there's no penalty for using insurance benefits to pay for home or assisted living care. The real benefits of the bill are that families can keep their loved ones at home longer, reduces dependency on MassHealth and it provides better options for advisors recommending long-term care insurance. |
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Medicare Settlement Means More Nursing and Home Care Coverage for Seniors
The Center for Medicare Advocacy last week announced a landmark settlement in the case of Jimmo v. Sebelius that will mean expanded Medicare coverage of skilled nursing care for beneficiaries in nursing homes and at home. The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has long countenanced the so-called "improvement" standard which provided for skilled care in nursing homes or in the community following a hospitalization as long as the patient continues to show improvement, even though this standard is not in the law. Skilled nursing, physical or occupational therapy can also be necessary to help a patient maintain his current level of functioning or to slow her decline. While the settlement still needs to be approved by a federal judge in Vermont, where the case is pending, since CMS has agreed to the change patients and their advocates should seek the benefit of the change immediately. It will likely have less of an effect in skilled nursing homes, where coverage is limited to 100 days following a hospitalization, than in the community where Medicare covered skilled care can continue indefinitely. For more information about this settlement, click here. |
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Join Research Symposium on Alzheismer's Disease
Please join presenter Dr. Kristine Yaffe as she discuss' her work on modifiable risk factors and the latest prevention models for intervention in Alzheimer's disease.
Dr. Yaffe will be presenting at the Marriott in Newton, located at 2345 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton.
Registration will start at 6:30 p.m. and the program will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 8th.
Click here to learn more and to register. |
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