The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services says that it reviews more than 100,000 complaints and appeals every year. Beneficiaries of the programs file around 16,000 complaints relating to hospital care and discharge orders as well as 18,000 complaints against nursing homes, home health services, and hospice programs. Another 30,000…
When Medicare was expanded in 2003, the expansion that established prescription drug coverage was called a “promise, a solemn promise, to America’s seniors.” Part D Medicare officially took effect in 2006, but still some seniors were afraid of falling into the infamous “doughnut-hole” coverage gap. Initial Benefits of Part D…
The Jewish Home Lifecare nursing home is starting a new program later this month geared towards patients suffering from both elderly ills and addiction issues. This unusual rehabilitation program is the first of its kind in the country. Traditionally, nursing home patients that have the complication of alcohol or prescription…
With the name “nursing home” most people assume that registered nurses are always on the premises. However, some of the time that is not the case and in certain nursing home facilities, most of the time. This is because of an old law from 1987, and lawmakers today are attempting…
Whether it is moving to a retirement community, nursing home facility, or simply closer to the kids the changes associated with moving an elderly parent or relative can be fraught with stress and logistically challenging. There are few transitions in life more difficult for a person than when a senior…
The California Supreme Court ruled that people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease are not liable for injuries that they may cause to paid, in-home caregivers. The court ruled in favor of a couple sued by their in-home caregiver when she was hurt by the wife, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. Facts…
One of the most confusing aspects of the Medicaid program is the look back period for asset transfers and how it can affect the eligibility for applicants to the program. The Medicaid program is different than the Medicare program, although people often think of the two terms as interchangeable. Medicare…
Over 1.4 million seniors are currently living in a nursing home in the United States. While most dislike or fear nursing homes, it is usually the best option for a senior that needs 24-hour care. Nursing homes typically have a reputation for being smelly, unfriendly, and indifferent places where the…
This summer, one nursing home settled a massive class action suit against the facility for using powerful and dangerous drugs on its residents without their informed consent or consent from family members. One member of the suit was a daughter whose mother entered the facility for eighteen days for physical…
The Massachusetts Senate just passed through a bill adopting the model set of rules for the Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act (UAGPPJA). The bill now goes to the state House of Representatives, and if it is passed then Massachusetts will be the thirty-ninth state in the country…