Elder Law

As COVID-19 affects employment nationwide, more New Jerseyans will need to make strategic decisions about health insurance and tax filing this year.  Marketplace insurance and MAGI Medicaid are based on your 2020 Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI).  There is special enrollment for a change in employment status. MAGI will include any unemployment you collect as well as any distributions from...

Much of our work in the area of guardianships, probate and estate administration involves our County Surrogates.  As we continue to adjust to working with COVID-19, be aware that each Surrogate Office is adjusting their hours and policies to deal with the pandemic. The overview of changed hours and policies in each county can be found here.  In Union County, the new hours are Mon. & Thurs....

  New Jersey’s Medicaid program normally has a lot of rules and red tape.  Some of the rules relate to who meets the level of care for Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS) and some relate to financial eligibility.  All of these rules require travel and manpower to implement that may not be available during this pandemic emergency. Federal Medicaid law has a type of waiver of Medicaid...

Medicare Part A covers post-hospitalization, subacute skilled care and rehabilitation benefits for individuals who were admitted to the hospital and remained as inpatients for at least three overnights. Upon discharge to a subacute facility with a need for ongoing skilled nursing or rehabilitative services, Medicare would cover up to 100 days of treatment including the room & board costs,...

The State of New Jersey Department of Human Services has announced some initiatives designed to help assure continuity of care, access to medicine and nutrition assistance, for individuals who are dependent on programs such as SNAP, group homes, charity medical care, MLTSS home care and services in certain DDD-funded programs. As always, the real test will be in the details for how these...

Medicare Part B generally covers medically necessary outpatient testing for beneficiaries. CMS has recently advised that if testing is ordered by the patient’s physician and the test is performed on or after February 4, 2020, it will be a covered service under Medicare Part B. Read more here. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is issuing fact sheets and alerts that address...

Everything is happening so fast it’s making our heads spin. The frail, dependent aged and disabled people in our communities are having a tough time of it. Starting today, Social Security Offices are only accepting telephone contacts and online contacts. COVID – 19 SSA press release     Health care providers are overwhelmed. County welfare offices are urging people to do their...