Federal Nursing Home Site Now Notes Troubled Facilities
The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that its Web site comparing nursing homes will now identify facilities that are …
Married Couples for Purposes of Estate Recovery
On March 12, 2008, Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire signed into law House Bill 3104, extending 170 legal rights and responsibilities to couples in …
Taking a Second Look If You Elected Early Social Security Benefits
Did you elect to take Social Security benefits before your full retirement age? If you did and are now looking for extra income, there …
Ohio Appeals Court Determines That Resources in Trust Are Countable
An Ohio appeals court rules that assets held in an irrevocable trust are available to a Medicaid applicant because the trustee has the discretion …
Identifying and Dealing With Financial Abuse of the Elderly
It is not uncommon for the elderly to become victims of financial abuse. They may be losing — or already have lost — some …
Cost of Long-Term Care Continues to Rise, 2008 Survey Finds
Costs for nursing homes, assisted living facilities and some in-home care services have risen for the fifth consecutive year and might continue to rise …
Protecting Your House After You Move Into a Nursing Home
While you generally do not have to sell your home in order to qualify for Medicaid coverage of nursing home care, it is possible …
Genworth: LTC Costs Continue To Rise
The average annual price of a private U.S. nursing home room has increased to $76,460 this year, up 2% from the 2007 average. Researchers …
More Year End Tax Changes
Besides cancellation-of-debt relief, the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007 has other provisions that might prove helpful to you. More time for surviving …
Long Term Care Insurance Under the DRA
The general goal of Medicaid under the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA) is to restrict the access of middle-class taxpayers to state medical …
Is Your Memory Normal? Part II
Use It or Lose It; Ways to Cope With Memory Loss No matter how “normal” memory lapses may be, let’s face it, that doesn’t …
Is Your Memory Normal? Part I
Before you diagnose yourself with Alzheimer’s disease, take heart: Experts say some memory lapses are actually normal. They say that memory is the second …
Senate Chooses Middle Road on Estate Taxes
Members of the Senate indicated that they want to reduce estate taxes without eliminating estate taxes. Senators delivered that message through votes on a …
Longer Lifespans, Less-Taxing Jobs Lead More Older Workers to Shun Retirement
Millions spend golden years making green Cecil Lawrence’s friends tease him that he’s crazy to work at his age. The 90-year-old glass salesman just …
VA Announces $4.7 Million to Help Caregivers Department Enhancing Education, Training and Resources
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced it will provide nearly $4.7 million for “caregiver assistance pilot programs” to expand and improve health …
New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act
There are numerous federal and state laws that protect “whistleblowers” who report unfair or illegal practices of their employers, of which New Jersey’s CEPA …
Fair Labor Standards Act
The FLSA requires that employers pay employees a certain minimum wage and pay certain “non-exempt” employees overtime at the rate of one-and-one-half-times their regular …
Employee Rights Law
There are numerous federal, state and local laws and regulations that protect employees from unfair and discriminatory practices in the workplace. Some of them …
Family Medical Leave Act
Most Employers with 50 or more employees must provide eligible employees with 12 weeks of unpaid leave during a 12-month period for one or …
Whistleblower Protection
Many different federal laws protect employees who complain, testify, or otherwise assist in having proceedings initiated for violations occurring in the workplace. Some of …
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) is a federal law that sets minimum standards for most voluntarily established pension plans, health …
Disability Discrimination
Under federal law, a “disability” is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. The Americans with Disabilities …
Religious Discrimination
Employers may not be familiar with their obligations concerning an employee’s religion or religious practices. Under federal anti-discrimination laws, religion does not mean only …
Age Discrimination
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and various state laws make it illegal for employers to make decisions that are motivated by an …
Racial Harassment/Discrimination
Almost any decision an employer makes that is premised on an employee’s race that adversely affects the employment of an employee creates a viable …
Sexual Harassment
There are basically two kinds of sexual harassment recognized by federal law: (1) Hostile-work environment sexual harassment – This kind of harassment occurs …
Wrongful Termination
Generally, at-will employees can be fired for any reason or no reason. There are several statutory exceptions to the at-will employment rule though. For …
Severance Packages
Employees should usually have proposed severance packages reviewed by an experienced and knowledgeable employment attorney. Employees may be waiving claims they are not aware …
Another Sc**w Job By a Disability Insurance Company
Some of the major disability insurance carriers will stop at nothing to keep sticking it to claimants. Its tax time and the insurance companies …
Doctor Called “Immediate and Serious Threat To Public Health”
Finally, a state getting serious about a doctor with a history of inadequate care. The board of medicine in Boston, Massachusetts has suspended an …