What’s the Difference between an Assisted Living Facility and a Nursing Home?
An Assisted Living residence (“ALF”) is a facility which is licensed by the Department of Health and Senior Services, and subject to the regulations in N.J.A.C. 8:36, to provide apartment-style housing and congregate dining and to assure that assisted living services are available when needed, to four or more adult persons unrelated to the proprietor. Apartment units offer, at a...
The 2022 “Medicaid Numbers” you need to know in New Jersey
The NJ Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services (DMAHS) has released Medicaid Communication #22-01 which provides the new numbers that are relevant to applications for Medicaid Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) benefits. 22-01_Income_and_Resource_Standards_for_Medicaid_Only (1) MLTSS pays for nursing home care (skilled nursing facilities), Assisted Living Facilities and...
Avoiding the Risk of Medicaid Liens
Individuals who receive Medicaid to pay for nursing home care, assisted living or in-home care must meet stringent financial requirements. The non-excluded or inaccessible resources cannot exceed $2,000 at the time of application, and as of the first day of each successive calendar month, must be below that limit in order to maintain eligibility. What resources are “excluded” or...
2021 Numbers are Out for New Jersey Medicaid/MLTSS
Some 2021 numbers are now published for New Jersey Medicaid’s MLTSS program. These apply to people who are applying for benefits under the MLTSS/ Medicaid program for long-term care services. These numbers relate to the resource limit for a married applicant and spouse, the income “cap” that would trigger a need to set up a...
Finally! A clear declaration on the snapshot date for NJ medicaid home care applications
When a married person applies for Medicaid benefits to pay for nursing home care (“institutional care”), the first day of the first month of continuous residence in the facility is often referred to as the “snapshot date.” On that date, a “picture is taken” of all of the non-excluded assets owned by the two spouses. A calculation is then made to see if a...
Employing Family Caregivers at this time when Home Care is More Necessary than Ever
You may wonder, “can I employ my daughter if she is living with me?” According to the National Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were over 3 million personal care aides and home health aides in the labor force in 2018, the most recent year for which data are available. In the State of New Jersey, over 41,000 people were employed in this occupation. AARP’s 2016 national survey...
Marinaro Joins NAELA Board, Continues as Co-Chair of Federal Policy Group
Lauren Marinaro has been selected for a two year term as National Board Member for the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) for 2020-2022. NAELA is a national membership organization for attorneys that keeps its members informed and up-to-date on fast-breaking changes in the law — legislation, agency rules and court decisions — that would affect seniors and people with...
FRE-L Attorneys have been busy teaching Continuing Legal Education
This has been a busy year for the elder law attorneys at our Firm in the realm of community education. We’ve been teaching at programs run by the NJ Institute for Continuing Legal Education almost every month. Among the topics of Linda and Lauren’s lectures were Representing Clients in Medicaid Fair Hearings at the Office of Administrative Law; Getting the Most out of...
What happens next if the Power of Attorney Resigns?
The resignation of the named agent under a signed Power of Attorney document can create mischief and delay in the management of the daily life and financial affairs of the person who has depended on that agent. Of course, ideally the document names a successor who is still available, and ideally, the agent won’t just drop the ball and leave the principal in the lurch. Ideally, they will...
A title search is a useful tool in elder care planning
“My Mother wants to transfer the house to us.” Preserving family assets through transfers of ownership is part of the big picture of elder care legal planning. We look at who owns what, how it’s owned, whether there are any restrictions or liens, and how to cover the costs of care after assets are transferred. From time to time a client has a different ownership interest in...