Legal issues that affect aging Americans
and individuals of all ages with disabilities
are growing in number. Our laws and
regulations are becoming more complex,
and each state has different laws. Actions
taken with regard to a single matter may
have unintended legal effects.
Hear Elder Law attorneys discuss topics
like Health Care Decision Making,
Guardianship, Medicare, and Medicaid.
Announcing
NAELA Members: Make Your Nomination for the NAELA Elder Leadership Award
Nomination Deadline: September 7, 2009
Announcing the third annual NAELA Elder Leadership Award to be presented at the NAELA Public Benefits and Guardianship Institute, November 5-8, 2009, in Jersey City, N.J.
The award ceremony will highlight the recipient's life and work for the benefit of seniors and will include a monetary contribution in the recipient’s name to a charitable organization with whom the award recipient has worked closely.
The award is designed to encourage and promote activism and involvement for the betterment of the lives of seniors. Go to the Elder Leadership page for more information and to download a nomination form.
NAELA Makes Learning Easy With Online Education Library
Keep up with Elder Law and Special Needs Law issues with the new NAELA Online Education Library - without leaving your office! You'll find instant access to online and telephonic seminars, webinars, podcasts, MP3's and session materials. The Online Education Library is user friendly, features simple online ordering as well as value-priced programs. Continued Legal Education credits apply to some programs.
To visit the Online Education Library click here
NAELA's New CareerCenter
Let our focused job center help match qualified legal staff with your office needs. The new NAELA Career Center is open to any job seeker interested in Elder and Special Need Law. Post your job at NAELA Career Center at a fraction of the cost.
For more information on NAELA's CareerCenter click here
Register to watch Aging in America: How to Plan for it.
AARP and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) conducted “Aging in America: How to Plan for it” on October 30. In the Webcast, AARP's William Stoner and NAELA's Ronald Fatoullah and Bernard A. Krooks discussed what families can do now to prepare for the future.
The Webcast is now available in a recorded, archived version. Register here, select your media player and you'll link directly to the Webcast.
Headlines
| $500 Million Settlement for Social Security Beneficiaries Who Were Unjustly Denied Benefits |
| Posted: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 |
| The National Senior Citizens Law Center joined other advocates for the poor, elderly and disabled in winning a $500 million class-action settlement for hundreds of thousands of Social Security beneficiaries whose benefits were wrongly suspended. |
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| White House Reaches Out to Older Adults and Advocates |
| Posted: Monday, August 24, 2009 |
| On Friday, August 14, Nancy Ann Min DeParle, Director of the White House Office of Health Care Reform, convened a meeting with representatives of national organizations which serve older adults. NAELA Members Vicki Gottlich and Gene Coffey ... |
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| CMS Proposed Changes in Home Health Reimbursement |
| Posted: Friday, August 21, 2009 |
| The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a proposed 2.2 percent home health market basket update to the home health prospective payment system (HH PPS) rates for calendar year (CY) 2010. |
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| Lack of Affordable Housing for Seniors Nears Crisis Proportions |
| Posted: Thursday, August 20, 2009 |
| A Congressional report done earlier this decade by a commission on affordable housing and health needs for seniors said one in six people will be age 65 or older in 2020. Today, the ratio is one in 12. |
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| Premium Hike for Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Policy Holders |
| Posted: Wednesday, August 19, 2009 |
| On Thursday, August 13, the Washington Post reported on action by the Office of Personnel Management to raise long-term care insurance premiums for about 150,000 members of the federal LTC insurance plan. |
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| Health Care Reform and Older Adults: Good? Bad? Ugly? |
| Posted: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 |
| Relaxation has been elusive for many members of Congress during this year’s August recess as they meet with constituents who have concerns about health care reform. Older adults are voicing many concerns, including on issues such as advance care planning. |
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| Part D beneficiaries cannot sue contract provider for high drug costs |
| Posted: Friday, August 14, 2009 |
| Court dismisses Part D beneficiaries claims against contract provider for allegedly violating Medicare rules. |
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| New CMS Regulation Will Cut Medicare Funding to SNFs by $360 Million in FY 2010 |
| Posted: Thursday, August 13, 2009 |
| The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services late Friday (7/31) issued a rule that will cut $360 million in Medicare payments to skilled nursing facilities for fiscal year 2010. |
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| Inaccurate and Misleading Talk Radio Campaign About "Euthanasia" Frightens Seniors |
| Posted: Monday, August 10, 2009 |
| A campaign on conservative talk radio, fueled by President Obama's calls to control exorbitant medical bills, has sparked fear among senior citizens that the health-care bill moving through Congress will lead to end-of-life "rationing" and "euthanasia". |
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| Data Released for Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy Outreach |
| Posted: Thursday, August 06, 2009 |
| The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) continues to try to locate beneficiaries who might be eligible for the Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS). |
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| Report On End of Life Care Sent to Congress |
| Posted: Wednesday, August 05, 2009 |
| The Secretary of HHS has sent a comprehensive report to Congress entitled “Advance Directives and Advance Care Planning.” |
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| Obama Proposal Regarding Medicare Savings Would Cut Only $2 Billion Over Ten Years |
| Posted: Tuesday, August 04, 2009 |
| President Obama continued his campaign on behalf of health-care reform Saturday (7/25) by focusing his radio and Internet address on the impact of insurance costs on small businesses. |
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| Funding for Aging Programs in Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Bill |
| Posted: Monday, August 03, 2009 |
The Fiscal Year 2010 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill was passed by the House of Representatives on Friday, July 24, 2009. The bill includes funding for a number of programs of interest to older adults, including: |
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| Justice System Doesn't Always Regard Elder Abuse as a Serious Crime |
| Posted: Thursday, July 30, 2009 |
| If getting victims to report abuse is difficult, so is persuading the judicial system of its seriousness. |
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| Things Are Looking Up for Legal Services |
| Posted: Wednesday, July 29, 2009 |
| Though still in process, the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bills making their way through Congress this year may offer welcome relief for long-beleaguered legal services programs, by increasing funding and lifting restrictions. |
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