The Biden administration has announced far-reaching nursing home reforms, targeting staffing and accountability at facilities with deficient care. Advocates are calling the proposals, which include the first-ever federal minimum staffing levels, the most significant reforms in decades. Why Is Nursing Home Reform Necessary? Nursing homes have been plagued by chronic understaffing and high turnover rates…
Working seniors without dependents may qualify for the earned income tax credit when they file their 2021 tax returns. The tax credit assists those with low incomes but was previously primarily available to people with young children. How Will The Earned Income Tax Credit Benefit Seniors? If you file taxes and your earned income is…
Recently I had the honor of serving as the co-chair of the Legislative Task Force to Study Ways to Protect Senior Citizens from Fraud. The Task Force was created pursuant to a bill enacted by the Connecticut legislature in 2021 and was comprised of ten individuals appointed by various legislative leaders. Besides myself, the members…
Americans’ ability to quickly and easily test for Covid-19 is one of the most important tools for stopping the infection’s spread, unfortunately, Medicare is still behind the ball. This is why the Biden administration recently announced it is requiring private insurers to cover the cost of up to eight rapid at-home Covid tests a month…
Most couples have what I call “I Love You” Wills, which state that all of their assets pass to the surviving spouse. Moreover, many couples own all of their assets jointly, so the assets pass to the surviving joint owner even without a Will. This is usually the outcome that couples want, but there are…
Medicare premiums are rising sharply next year, cutting into the large Social Security cost-of-living increase. The basic monthly premium will jump 15.5%, or $21.60, from $148.50 to $170.10 a month. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the premium and other Medicare costs increased on November 12, 2021. The steep hike is attributed…
