FIA Transmittal 11-26 The Department of Human Resources just released an update changing the document requirements for a Medical Assistance application. The changes for what is required in the initial application is a profound change in terms of the financial statement documentation that is initially needed. Instead of a full five years worth of documentation, what would be needed…
A Power of Attorney Holder’s Breach of Fiduciary Duty There is no question that a financial power of attorney holds what is called a “fiduciary duty” to act in the best interests of the grantor. But what if that power of attorney holder breaches that duty and takes “mom’s” funds for herself? What if her…
Congress passed and President Obama has signed into law the deal extending the Bush tax cuts that he struck with Congressional Republicans. The legislation restores the estate tax for two years at a 35 percent tax rate, with estates up to $5 million exempt from paying any tax ($10 million for couples). If Congress does…
Normally, for every $6,800 transferred out of a Medical Assistant’s name or their spouse, it will result in a penalty of one month of ineligibility. However, a frequent question is what happens if my parent transferred funds when they were healthy but during the five year look back period? Maryland case law on this is…
Metlife recently released their study confirming that nursing and assisted living rates increased nationwide between 2009 and 2010. For Maryland, in the Baltimore region nursing home costs for semi-private rooms ranged from $6,200/month to $8,742/month. Nursing home costs for private rooms ranged from $6,510/month to $11,005/month. Statewide, assisted living costs in 2010 ranged from $2,800/month…
Use of Medicaid Recipient’s Income to Pay Existing Nursing Home Expenses The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene released a critical Medical Assistance eligibility update (MR 154). The changes in this update are profound. It now allows a nursing home Medical Assistance recipient to use her income to pay for nursing home related expenses (up…
Once a resident is settled in a nursing home, being told to leave can be very traumatic. Nursing homes are required to follow certain procedures before discharging a resident, but a facility may occasionally attempt to “dump” an undesirable resident by transferring the resident to a hospital and then refusing to let the him or…
Transferred to Pooled Trust Can Be Used to Save Assets For the past number of years there have been questions as to whether Medicaid transfer-of-assets penalties would apply to transfers to pooled trusts by individuals age 65 and older. A Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) memo dated April 14, 2008, from Gale Arden…
Online Legal Forms Company Sued LegalZoom, one of the most prominent sellers of do-it-yourself wills and other estate planning documents, is the target of a class action lawsuit in California charging that the company engages in deceptive business practices and is practicing law without a license. The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court,…
Maryland Power of Attorney Upon review of the new financial power of attorney statutory language for both the short and long form, there are many good aspects with the new provisions. There are enforcement provisions in this new law. Before, a bank could refuse to honor your power of attorney and there would be virtually…