Spousal refusal is a legally valid Medicaid planning option in New York. By way of background, certain income and assets are exempt from Medicaid if there is a spouse. Generally, the spouse at home, known as the “community spouse” may keep about $3,850 per month of the couple’s combined income…
For 2024, the exemptions for estate taxes rise to 6.94 million for New York estate taxes, and to 13.61 million for Federal estate taxes. The annual gift tax exclusion rises to $18,000. If your estate is, or may become, greater than the New York threshold, early intervention can avoid the…
Home care paid for by New York State is known as “Community Medicaid”. Paying your own living expenses, plus the cost of caregiving services, is beyond the means of many. Since 2020, there have been numerous attempts to create a new thirty month look-back period for Community Medicaid eligibility. So…
Happy New Year to all! There have been significant changes in the law in a number of areas as of January 1, 2023. The gift tax exclusion, which many people still think is $15,000, is now $17,000, up from $16,000 in 2022. Each person may give up to $17,000 to…
State audits have the potential to impact 15 million individuals including 6 million children losing their health insurance. Some state workers are concerned that they might lack the resources to aid people in finding new insurance coverage. The existing federal public health emergency will expire this year, which will subsequently…
Congressional efforts to revise the country’s mail service might come at the cost of an even more nuanced issue involving Medicare. The Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 would help to free post office costs by resolving the unusual and challenging legal requirement to fund 75 years of retirement health…
Over the last few years, Covid-19 has caused many people to think deeply about health issues. Now that the height of the pandemic has passed, many people are left wondering how this has impacted long-term care insurance. A noticeable increase in long-term care insurance has occurred following the summer of…
Current federal regulations require Medicaid programs run by states to try to recoup the cost from estates of recipients who have since passed away even if the state would rather not pursue such recovery. Medicaid programs must pursue compensation for the cost of nursing home services as well as home…
With more people approaching the age of 65, a growing number of people are considering the potential benefits available from Medicare as well as other insurance options. Medicare A plays the critical role of paying for hospital stays as well as other services like skilled nursing facilities and hospice care.…
On February 11, 2022, the appellate court for the 11th circuit reversed a decision by a lower court. The appellate court in Dobson v. Secretary of Health and Human Services held that Medicare must provide coverage for a beneficiary’s off-label use of a medication. How the Case Arose The case…