Heard in the Office: “I Don’t Want the Nursing Home to Take My House.”

Posted on August 6, 2012

I hear this a lot. Let’s be clear on the very basics. If you’ve watched friends go to a nursing home and “lose the house,” it’s not the nursing home forcing them to sell. Like all medical providers, nursing homes need to be paid. Your Medicare and supplemental health insurance policy (ex. MediGap) will pay...

Testifying at the State House

Posted on September 7, 2011

Earlier this summer, I made the big trek to Boston, all the way to the State House. (We are so lucky on the South Shore, we get to take a boat to Boston!) Along with some colleagues, I testified on some bills that we have before the legislature. “We” being the

Looking at Continuing Care Retirement Communities? Look Closely.

Posted on December 3, 2010

There are a lot of benefits to Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC’s), also called “Buy-In’s.” These are the places where you put down a substantial sum (maybe $250,000 or more) as an entrance fee, and you plan to stay there for life – they have independent apartments, various levels of assisted living,...

Single Elders Who Will Soon Need MassHealth Nursing Home: Act Fast to Set Aside a Cushion

Posted on December 4, 2009

To qualify for MassHealth to pay for nursing home care, a single elder can have only $2,000 in his name. A big problem with allowing such a small reserve fund is that MassHealth doesn't cover many needed services and medical items - like hearing aids, routine dental care, and eye glasses - and the...

What Happens to My Special Needs Child’s Health Care Coverage When She Turns 18?

Posted on February 6, 2009

The idea of a special needs kid turning 18 can be scary – that is when she is legally an adult and things start to change. In another post I will address her legal decision-making power. This post looks at health care coverage. If your child is on your private health insurance policy (i.e.,...

MassHealth (Medicaid) Programs for Kids

Posted on February 4, 2009

Some children don’t have private health insurance coverage through their parents, as a matter of fact, lots of kids – one in four Massachusetts children is on MassHealth (Medicaid). Applying for MassHealth is very confusing – there are several programs, they each have different enrollment criteria, and they provide different levels of coverage. Check out...

Being Paid to Care for Your Parents

Posted on January 28, 2009

As their parents have needed increased hands-on care and errand-running, many “Boomers” have been squeezed trying to juggle caring for their parents and performing well at work. Our current economy has produced a mixed blessing for some – lost jobs means time to address their parents’ needs, but without economic security. One solution is...

Rising Unemployment Means Rising Uninsured

Posted on January 12, 2009

Rising numbers of unemployment inevitably lead to a significant number of people losing their employer sponsored health insurance. Where do these people turn for insurance? States provide Medicaid for people who meet their income and asset requirements. Medicaid is much more generous with children, even the children of parents who themselves have too much...