Caregiving

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.

Geriatric Guidelines Suggest How to Improve Elderly Care

Published on: March 14, 2022 | by Ettinger Law Firm

The substantial growth of elderly adults in the United States leads to more emergency room visits and complications from injuries and diseases. To meet this challenge, the Geriatric Emergency Department Guidelines were published in 2014 and later received support from several large medical organizations including Emergency Nurses Association and the American Geriatrics Society.

The guidelines characterize the nuanced needs of older emergency department patients and current best practices to promote more cost-effective and patient-focused care. These recommendations require more staff as well as more resources.

What Researchers Discovered

How Medicare and Medicaid Are Addressing Long-Term Care Issues

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

Deciding how to receive the medical care that a person needs is a critical part of the elder law process. Unfortunately, the unpredictable nature of aging and medical issues can make it challenging to determine what lies ahead. Various states have also begun to attempt to resolve financing challenges associated with elder care that a growing number of Americans will face in the next couple of decades as a growing portion of the baby boomer generation requires medical care.

The Growing Need for Assistance

Any person can end up needing assistance as they age. This is true regardless of whether a person ends up facing dementia, a significant drop in eyesight, or mobility issues. The degree of assistance and how long a person faces these issues can vary substantially. A person might end up needing assistance with meals, other daily living activities, or total care for the months or years before they pass away. Other times, people end up needing total care for years. The unpredictable nature of a person’s future makes it challenging to plan ahead.

Answers to Commonly Asked Medicare Home Health Questions

Published on: March 1, 2022 | by Ettinger Law Firm

The Center for Medicare Advocacy recently published a document answering various questions about Medicare’s home health benefits. In addition to a document answering frequently asked questions, the Center also published recordings of two webinars, “Medicare Coverage of Home Health Services”, which reviews the eligibility basics for Medicare coverage of home health services.

What Do Home Health Agencies Do?

Medicare’s home health benefits are known as the Mediacertified home health agencies. These benefits have been approved by Medicare to provide the home health services that Medicare covers. The agency has agreed to receive payment from Medicare. Additionally, Medicare only pays for home health services administered by home health agencies that are Medicare-certified.

Federal Agency Increases Visibility about Fines Faced by Nursing Homes

Published on: February 21, 2022 | by Ettinger Law Firm

The federal department tasked with overseeing nursing homes throughout the country recently announced it is revising its policy and will now publicly post details online about all fines received by care facilities regardless of payment status.

This new policy’s announcements occur during a period of increased criticism due to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMMS) Care Compare website. The agency describes its website as existing to provide American citizens with details regarding matters of the level of care at nursing homes.

Changes to Nursing Home Fines

Court’s Expansive Interpretation of Abuse Act Widens Protection for Elder

Published on: February 21, 2022 | by Ettinger Law Firm

As 2022 begins, one court case highlights the role of the Elder Abuse Act as well as the prevalent nature of elder abuse cases litigation involving trusts and estates. In the Ring case, an appellate court considered a loan scheme utilized to empty equity from a house retained as part of an estate proceeding through probate.

Even though a loan was withdrawn by a person acting in the role of the estate’s personal representative, the court held that the representative could pursue a claim of elder abuse connected to the loss of the representative’s interest in relation to the estate.

The Basis of the Case

How to Help an Elderly Loved One Without Overstepping Boundaries

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

New variants of COVID-19 including Omnicron and most recently IHU have led many people to prolong social distancing. Understandably, this extended isolation has had a detrimental impact on the mental health of many elderly adults. While you understandably want the best for your loved one, it’s critical to approach discussions about care with the utmost respect for your elderly loved one’s independence. This avoids not overstepping your elderly loved one’s boundaries.

Decide If Your Family Member Needs Assistance

One of the best places to start is to create a mental checklist of what you should examine about how your elderly loved one lives. Some of the most important details you might decide to examine include:

Center for Medicaid Services Revised FAQ

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

At the beginning of January 2022, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services revised the organization’s “Frequently Asked Questions” sections. This FAQ addresses the agency’s Nursing Home Visitation Guidance.

The revised FAQ emphasizes that visitation must be allowed at all times and states that visitation is essential for all residents. The FAQ also acknowledges that previous limitations on visits led to a decline in the physical as well as psychosocial health of residents.

The Primary Updates