Caregiving

Feds Issue Warning about Denying Care to Individuals with Disabilities

Published on: July 7, 2022 | by Ettinger Law Firm

Federal workers are currently reminding the country’s health care workers that withholding treatment due to an individual’s disability is frequently illegal. Withholding services in such a way is illegal even if resources are few.

The US Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights is currently informing providers that civil rights liberties for disabled individuals are still “full force” despite the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of a statement, the Department stated that civil rights law remains regardless of what happens including pandemics and that it is vital that the country works to make sure that fairness exists for all patients.

Additionally, the Department stated that the pandemic has illuminated the disparities that exist in the healthcare system and provided healthcare workers with the chance to resolve these disparities.

The Impact Covid Has on Long-Term Care Insurance

Published on: June 16, 2022 | by Ettinger Law Firm

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 2020 as reported by many medical experts. Many people who previously rejected long-term care coverage have since changed their opinions.

What Is Long-Term Care Insurance?

Nursing Homes See Loss of Deficiency Appeals

Published on: June 12, 2022 | by Ettinger Law Firm

Nursing Homes See Lost of Deficiency Appeals

The Nursing Home regulations permit nursing homes to appeal a deficient issue for which they are cited for not meeting federal care standards in situations where the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services implements a fine against the deficiency.

The Center for Medicaid Services often focuses on financial penalties for nursing care centers whose deficiencies directly harm or jeopardize residents. The Center for Medicare Services success in most appeals involving administrative issues, but it seems other harms, as well as deficiencies as well as associated penalties, are resolved away from the appeal process. Consequently, more details about transparency with the nursing facility process are more plainly needed.

Additional State Oversight Needed to Improve Hospice Care for Assisted Living Population

Published on: June 12, 2022 | by Ettinger Law Firm

Assisted living has become a more popular residential selection for elderly individuals who need help performing daily living tasks. Regulations that apply to these populations, however, vary between states. Meanwhile, little study has been performed on care outcomes.

New studies evaluated end-of-life care provided at assisted living facilities. These studies determined that in states with less restrictive regulations, people who reside at assisted living facilities are less likely to pass away at hospice or home. This stands as an important gauge of the quality of care provided by assisted living facilities.

The Role of Assisted Living Communities

State-Run ACA Exchanges Create Alternative Plans

Published on: May 19, 2022 | by Ettinger Law Firm

In 2020, President Biden and his administration as well as states throughout the country recently celebrated unprecedented gains in enrollment for the Affordable Care Act. Meanwhile, state-operated exchanges are striving to create alternative plans addressing outreach in the event that Congress fails to extend the Act beyond 2022. A substantial motivator for these enrollment gains in the Affordable Care Act.

The Role of State-Run Exchanges

Exchanges operated by the state are focused on plans for outreach and marketing in the event that Congress does not increase beyond 2022 a driver for enrollment gains. Some legislatures and healthcare experts have already warned that individuals could discover they are dropped off coverages and consumers might even end up in less advantageous plans addressing healthcare provided Congress fails to act within the corresponding window of time.

Biden Regulations Do Not Qualify Families As Essential Caregivers

Published on: May 5, 2022 | by Ettinger Law Firm

When the Biden administration proposed new nursing home regulations recently, some people were content while others were confused.

The regulation establishes minimum staffing requirements as well as advocates for stronger regulatory oversight and improved public details about the quality of nursing homes. These measures have been the subject of advocate campaigns for years. These regulations, however, do not address the right that residents have to contact family members and friends who provide caregiving services.

What Is an Informal Caregiver?

Instability in Nursing Home Staffing Impacts Resident Quality of Care

Published on: April 18, 2022 | by Ettinger Law Firm

Nursing home staffing levels frequently decreased on weekends. In 2018, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services distinguished facilities with low staffing on weekends and ordered states to perform surveys in a section of those locations on weekends.

In January 2022, the Center started posting weekend staffing levels at nursing homes. Besides single staffing measures citing two reports about the need for additional staffing details on the Care Compare website.

Study Shows Value of Providing Public with Staff Information

National Institute of Health Bill Widens Medicare Telehealth

Published on: April 10, 2022 | by Ettinger Law Firm

A recent National Institute of Health (NIH) grant will make the most of electronic health records (EHRs), as well as intelligent machine learning, to better diagnose circulatory illnesses. The package in question will bolster access to telehealth and increase its benefits for several years. This is not the only measure proposed to increase funding for necessary care and support for the country’s elderly population. This other measure will widen access to telehealth and widen its benefits for the next few years. Additionally, a third Senate bill is focused on increasing waivers for acute hospital-at-home care. This article reviews some of these potential measures to support the elderly in our country.

Increase Funding for Covid-19 Testing and Vaccination

The National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Disease recently awarded almost a million dollars to a part of Illinois to lower barriers associated with testing and vaccinating for COVID-19. This funding will aid an effort run by various academics throughout the country designed to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. The project leader academic intends to speak to a group of people who reside in East St. Louis in Illinois. This meeting will primarily be a face-to-face method of learning common reasons why people hesitate to get a vaccination or fail to follow government suggestions regarding Covid-19 precautions.

7 Limitations to Medicare

Published on: April 7, 2022 | by Ettinger Law Firm

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. Meanwhile, Part B assists with physician visits and outpatient care.

If you’re close to enrolling in Medicare, you should consider what Medicare covers. By learning what Medicare covers now as well as what it doesn’t, you can begin thinking of alternate strategies to make sure that you receive all of the appropriate care that you need.

Prescriptions

Coronavirus Deaths Encourage New Elder Law Guidelines

Published on: April 7, 2022 | by Ettinger Law Firm

Delegates for the Association for Behavioral Analysis’ recently approved several guidelines related to the news of older people in the United States during the Covid-19 pandemic.

One of these proposals, Resolution 603, adopts recommendations from a Guardian Summit and ultimately encourages all regulators to incorporate these measures when revising guardianship laws. The spokesperson who introduced the measure stated that more individuals have grown cognizant of it, but that guardianship is a widespread issue.

The proposals made during this meeting are best divided into several areas: the rights of guardianships, assisted decision-choosing, restricted guardianship, arrangements providing protection, diversions of pipelines, monitoring guardianships, facing abuse, fiscal responsibility, fiscal hardships, and guardianship improvement.