The End of the Medicare “Improvement Standard”
For decades, home-health care agencies and nursing homes have terminated Medicare coverage if patients did not show improvement. This policy was referred to as the Medicare “Improvement Standard.…
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Planning for Pets: Why a Will Won’t Ensure Your Furry and Feathered Loved Ones Are Taken Care Of
According to a recent survey by the American Pet Products Association, 68% of U.S. households include at least one pet. Those of us with pets often…
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Ancillary Probate: What It Is and How to Avoid It
Probate is the process by which a court grants a person authority to deal with property owned by a deceased individual (“decedent”). If this person was named in the decedent’s will, he or sh…
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Recent Case Raises Concerns about Certain Transfers of Assets by a Medicaid Applicant to a Community Spouse:
Many Medicaid applicants who need care in a nursing home have spouses who are able to continue living at home (“Community Spouses”). T…
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What to Consider When Firearms Are Part of Your Probate Estate
If you are a gun owner in Connecticut, you have probably been thinking about how the state’s new gun laws will impact you. As you take steps to ensure you are complying with the new l…
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Pre-Paid Funeral and Burial Contracts for Medicaid Recipients
You may have heard that you will have to “spend down” virtually all of your income and assets to qualify for Medicaid. However, there are some exempt assets that Medicaid applicants…
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Where Do I Live for Income Tax and Estate Tax Purposes?
Domicile vs. Residence
Many Connecticut residents live elsewhere for a significant part of the year. For example, you may stay in Cape Cod for the summer, or you may go down to Florida for the…
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Medicare Coverage: Observation vs. Inpatient Status
On September 23, a federal district court in Connecticut dismissed the case of Bagnall v. Sebelius. A group of Medicare beneficiaries, the Plaintiffs, filed this lawsuit to protest the use of …
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Estate Planning for Parents of Children with Special Needs:
Special Needs Trusts
Estate planning is important for all families. It is especially important for those responsible for the care of someone with special needs. The cost of caring for…
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Help Your Loved Ones by Keeping a Record of Online Accounts and Passwords
These days, we increasingly manage our financial and social lives online. Many of us pay our monthly utilities and credit card bills online as well as receive paperless bank…
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