May
17
2013
White Plains, NY (Law Firm Newswire) May 17, 2013 – The state of New York has several major public health insurance programs, including Medicaid, commonly known as “Regular Medicaid.” While Regular Medicaid in New York offers extensive health care services including: dental care; diagnostic testing; home care; hospitalization; mental health support; out-patient care at hospitals and community clinics; and physical therapy, clients of Medicaid in New York must receive their prescription drugs via Medicare Part D. Any individual currently receiving or about to begin receiving New York State Medicaid must join a Medicare prescription drug plan, or they will lose [...]
May
6
2013
Moorestown, NJ (Law Firm Newswire) May 6, 2012 – On May 11, Begley Law Group attorney Kristen Behrens is speaking at a public seminar about estate planning, guardianship and special needs trusts. Ms. Behrens has extensive expertise in the areas of special needs trusts, estates and trust planning. The event is hosted by Special Parents of Exceptional Children (SPEC), a group founded and run by parents of children with special needs. SPEC meets monthly throughout the school year to provide support and information, and welcomes parents and caregivers of children of all ages and types of needs. Newcomers are always [...]
May
3
2013
White Plains, NY (Law Firm Newswire) May 3, 2013 – Bernard A. Krooks, Esq., was a featured speaker on Saturday Night Café with Laura Smith. Mr. Krooks spoke on the importance of financial and legal planning for a child or loved one with autism. The interview aired on 770 WABC-AM and WABCRadio.com on Saturday, April 27, 2013. To listen to Mr. Krooks’ full interview, please go here. Mr. Krooks is a nationally-recognized expert in all aspects of special needs planning, elder law and estate planning. He is a past President of the Special Needs Alliance, a national, invitation-only, not-for-profit organization [...]
Apr
25
2013
Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) April 25, 2013 – The 2013 sequester has many people concerned about what the cuts will mean for their Social Security payments. The AARP has begun running informational ads to explain what the impact of the Chained CPI Social Security benefit cuts may look like. Many Social Security advocates are deeply concerned about how those cuts may adversely affect whole groups of people. Social Security does not only help the elderly and disabled, the benefits also go to children who have lost a parent and need financial support. And, says the AARP, women will be [...]
Apr
22
2013
White Plains, NY (Law Firm Newswire) April 22, 2013 – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is now offering assistance to travelers with special needs. The disabled, the elderly and individuals with medical conditions are now being offered special assistance with airport security as part of a new push by the TSA. In light of numerous complaints by travelers, the TSA has implemented a cadre of specially trained airport security screeners to assist passengers with disabilities. More than 2,600 TSA officers, supervisors and lead staff have been trained specifically to address the issues that travelers with special needs may face. Each [...]
Mar
26
2013
Moorestown, NJ (Law Firm Newswire) March 26, 2012 – The Special Needs Task Force worked with Social Security to change how it reimburses third parties. Historically, the Social Security Administration (SSA) permitted parents or other family members of disabled beneficiaries of special needs trusts to buy items for the beneficiary and be reimbursed from the special needs trust. Of course, the family members were required to keep receipts and records of these purchases and furnish them to the trustee. Items might include clothing and other relatively small items that were easier for the parent to pick up and pay for [...]
Mar
26
2013
White Plains, NY (Law Firm Newswire) March 26, 2013 – There has been a renewed call for an examination of the country’s mental health system. Currently, according to a recent government report, there are approximately 7,500 psychiatrists working with mentally ill children and adolescents, but it is estimated that there is a need for closer to 20,000. Meanwhile, families are hard-pressed to get reimbursement from public or private insurers for short-term mental health services that are available. In a study released by the National Institute of Mental Health in 2005, researchers found that as much as 50 percent of chronic [...]
Mar
19
2013
White Plains, NY (Law Firm Newswire) March 19, 2013 – The Treasury Department is asking that all federal benefit recipients opt-in to receive their benefits electronically. Two years ago, the Treasury Department initiated a “green” campaign, urging people who receive federal benefits such as Social Security, Veterans Affairs, and Social Supplemental income in check form, to accept direct deposit instead. Officials estimated that they were sending out close to 11 million checks per month. The campaign included sending notices along with monthly checks inviting people to use direct deposit and releasing public service announcements and reminders via the AARP, banks, [...]
Mar
18
2013
Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) March 18, 2013 – The Social Security Administration (SSA) has launched some new features and rules for 2013. Social Security has asked that beneficiaries switch to a paperless system; though they will continue to send paper checks to those who insist on them, payments can be directly deposited or sent to an issued debit card, accessible wherever MasterCard is accepted. By not mailing out checks every month, the Social Security Administration estimates that it will see significant savings as well as reduce the incidents of lost or stolen checks. The online system includes an electronic [...]
Mar
7
2013
Moorestown, NJ (Law Firm Newswire) March 7, 2013 – Many of the clients of Begley Law Group who receive personal injury settlements are receiving SSI and Medicaid. There are limitations on those funds. SSI is an income stream that pays an individual monies intended to be used for food and shelter. For 2013, the maximum federal benefit rate is $710. In New Jersey, there is a state supplement of $31.25. In Pennsylvania, the supplement is $27.40. Medicaid pays for medical and pharmaceutical services for Medicaid recipients. It covers services that private insurance will not provide, including and most importantly, home [...]
Mar
6
2013
Zephyrhills, FL (Law Firm Newswire) March 6, 2013 – Social Security checks will soon be phased out in favor of direct deposits. Beginning on March 1, nearly all Social Security checks will no longer be sent by mail. The change, a cost-cutting measure by the Treasury Department, has irked some, but may benefit others. Zephyrhills Social Security lawyer Robert Alston commented, “Some 5 million Americans still receive their Social Security benefits by mail. For many of them, this is not a welcome change.” The two options that will continue to be available for receiving benefits are direct deposit into a [...]
Feb
13
2013
Waxahachie, TX (Law Firm Newswire) February 13, 2013 – Medicare has changed its standards to allow therapeutic services for conditions which previously had to “improve.” The Parkinson’s Action Network (PAN), together with the Center for Medicare Advocacy, has filed a class action lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The lawsuit is asking that Medicare’s Improvement Standard measurement for Parkinson’s and other degenerative diseases be removed; Medicare has been accused of denying therapy services to patients when it was determined that their condition had not “improved.” The administration, spurred by the class-action lawsuit, has agreed to alter [...]
Feb
7
2013
Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) February 7, 2013 – Many people are wondering if there will be new changes to Social Security. While the ongoing debate about the U.S. debt ceiling has many people concerned about government spending, the economy, and tax rates, some analysts are watching to see if the lawmakers skip making new changes to the Social Security program. The Social Security system provides for the disabled and the elderly with much-needed funds; some 14 million elderly individuals live just above the poverty level. If changes are made to Social Security, says analysts, it will likely be made [...]
Jan
31
2013
Zephyrhills, FL (Law Firm Newswire) January 31, 2013 – There are new Compassionate Allowance conditions, says Social Security. The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently announced 35 additions to its list of Compassionate Allowances (CAL) conditions, serious ailments allowed for an official determination of eligibility for Social Security Disability benefits in a matter of days instead of months or years. The additions bring the total number of CAL conditions to 200. Zephyrhills social security attorney, Robert Alston praised the news, saying, “The Compassionate Allowances program is a huge help to individuals suffering from certain highly debilitating diseases. Applying for social security [...]
Jan
22
2013
Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) January 22, 2013 – The debate over eligibility ages for Social Security and Medicare continues. While proposals to raise the eligibility ages for Social Security and Medicare stay in the news, social scientists and other longevity researchers have found that not everyone is living longer. While higher-income, well-educated individuals are showing extended life expectancies, many other demographic groups are not. Caucasian men and women in the U.S. who have 16 or more years of education have life expectancies far beyond African-American men and women with less than 12 years of education. Caucasian men are living [...]
Dec
12
2012
Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) December 12, 2012 – A recent survey shows that most people support Social Security Disability Insurance . The survey, conducted by Lincoln Park Strategies, discovered that 83 percent of the 1,000 U.S. citizens polled agreed that any Social Security Disability Insurance benefit cuts would be an unfair policy shift. Eight percent of those polled in a survey commissioned by the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives (NOSSCR) said they favored a reduction in benefits available to eligible disabled workers. Most poll respondents indicated that they would prefer that Washington lawmakers kept their focus on [...]
Dec
7
2012
Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) December 7, 2012 – Female vets are having an especially difficult time re-entering the workforce. Although women make up some 15 percent of the military troops re-entering the U.S., and 15 percent of the entire U.S. armed forces, few Americans seem aware of women as veterans. The unemployment rate for post-9/11 female vets is currently at 19.9 percent, up from 14.7 percent in 2011. “Many factors may be contributing to the unemployment numbers, including the largest-ever enlistment by women, ” says David Magann, a Tampa veterans attorney. “More women in the military means more women [...]
Nov
27
2012
Moorestown, NJ (Law Firm Newswire) November 27, 2012 – New Jersey elder law attorney, Thomas D. Begley, Jr., of Begley Law Group presented to families at “Tools for Meeting Life’s Challenges,” an informational seminar held in Philadelphia, PA., November 17, 2012. The seminar covered topics such as the critical medical, legal, nursing and funding issues that face families of children with cerebral palsy or catastrophic physical disabilities. As one of a select group of top speakers with expertise in the areas of special needs trusts, guardianships and powers of attorney, Begley spoke to families about how to select the ideal [...]
Nov
26
2012
Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) November 26, 2012 – There is a cost-of-living (COLA) adjustment going to 56 million U.S. residents receiving Social Security benefits and 1.9 million federal retirees. However, it is too small of an increase to change many budgets, senior advocates say. The 1.7 percent increase may be one of the last for a while, if concerned Social Security advocates are correct. The latest cost-of-living adjustment increase known as 2013 COLA was recently announced by the Social Security Administration, and was just over half the 3.6 percent increase introduced for last year. Advocates are concerned that the [...]
Nov
12
2012
Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) November 12, 2012 – An Iraq War veteran recently brought suit against the Department of Veterans Affairs. The former Marine has alleged that he received poor treatment from the VA for his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and has requested more than $5 million for what he claims was medical malpractice. Stanley Laskowski III brought suit against the VA in 2010, claiming that the medical center based in Pennsylvania prescribed him medications that were not appropriate for treating his PTSD. His lawyer stated that it was an uncomplicated matter, as the VA has extensive experience medicating [...]
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