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Proposed New Medicare Payment System May Affect Beneficiaries

July 31, 2018

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Medicare is proposing a new flat rate reimbursement system for doctors who treat Medicare patients. Some worry that the plan may reduce payments to specialists and cause fewer doctors to accept Medicare patients. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) says the proposed changes are designed to reduce paperwork by combining four levels of… Continue reading about Proposed New Medicare Payment System May Affect Beneficiaries

Where’s My New Medicare Card? How to Find Out the Status

July 30, 2018

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The federal government has begun mailing new Medicare cards to 59 million Americans. You should keep track of when your new card will arrive and contact Medicare if you don’t receive it. To prevent fraud and fight identity theft, the federal government is issuing new cards to all Medicare beneficiaries that will no longer have… Continue reading about Where’s My New Medicare Card? How to Find Out the Status

Are Medicare Advantage Plans Steering Enrollees to Lower-Quality Nursing Homes?

April 16, 2018

A new study has found that people enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan were more likely to enter a lower-quality nursing home than were people in traditional Medicare. The study raises questions about whether Medicare Advantage plans are influencing beneficiaries’ decisionmaking when it comes to choosing a nursing home. Medicare Advantage plans, an alternative to… Continue reading about Are Medicare Advantage Plans Steering Enrollees to Lower-Quality Nursing Homes?

How to Appeal a Medicare Prescription Drug Denial

April 11, 2018

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If your Medicare drug plan denies coverage for a drug you need, you don’t have to simply accept it. There are several steps you can take to fight the decision. The insurers offering Medicare drug plans choose the medicines — both brand-name and generic — that they will include in a plan’s “formulary,” the roster… Continue reading about How to Appeal a Medicare Prescription Drug Denial

Long-Term Care Insurance Policyholder Wins Suit Against Company for Hiking Premiums

April 4, 2018

A long-term care policyholder has successfully sued her insurance company for breach of contract after the company raised her premiums. At age 56, Margery Newman bought a long-term care insurance policy from Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. She chose an option called “Reduced-Pay at 65” in which she paid higher premiums until she reached age 65, when… Continue reading about Long-Term Care Insurance Policyholder Wins Suit Against Company for Hiking Premiums

Choosing Retirement Account Beneficiaries Requires Some Thought

March 23, 2018

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While the execution of wills requires formalities like witnesses and a notary, the reality is that most property passes to heirs through other, less formal means. Many bank and investments accounts, as well as real estate, have joint owners who take ownership automatically at the death of the primary owner. Other banks and investment companies… Continue reading about Choosing Retirement Account Beneficiaries Requires Some Thought

Be on the Lookout for New Medicare Cards (and New Card-Related Scams)

March 20, 2018

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The federal government is issuing new Medicare cards to all Medicare beneficiaries. To prevent fraud and fight identity theft, the new cards will no longer have beneficiaries’ Social Security numbers on them. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is replacing each beneficiary’s Social Security number with a unique identification number, called a Medicare Beneficiary… Continue reading about Be on the Lookout for New Medicare Cards (and New Card-Related Scams)

Proving That a Transfer Was Not Made in Order to Qualify for Medicaid

March 15, 2018

Medicaid law imposes a penalty period if you transferred assets within five years of applying, but what if the transfers had nothing to do with Medicaid? It is difficult to do, but if you can prove you made the transfers for a purpose other than to qualify for Medicaid, you can avoid a penalty. You… Continue reading about Proving That a Transfer Was Not Made in Order to Qualify for Medicaid

New Federal Law Puts Focus on Preventing Elder Abuse

March 9, 2018

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A new federal law is designed to address the growing problem of elder abuse. The law supports efforts to better understand, prevent, and combat both financial and physical elder abuse. The prevalence of elder abuse is hard to calculate because it is underreported, but according to the National Council on Aging, approximately 1 in 10… Continue reading about New Federal Law Puts Focus on Preventing Elder Abuse

New Yorker Article Highlights Abuses in the Guardianship System

November 8, 2017

Serious problems with the public guardianship system in the United States can lead to elder abuse, according to an in-depth article in The New Yorker titled “How the Elderly Lose their Rights.” Court-appointed guardians can take control of an elderly person’s finances and life and become wealthy while doing so. One expert interviewed describes the guardianship… Continue reading about New Yorker Article Highlights Abuses in the Guardianship System

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