Friday, March 9, 2012

Medicare Beneficiaries: Make Sure Your Equipment Supplier Works With Medicare

Attention Medicare Beneficiaries

Read original HERE

In October, Medicare beneficiary David P. (not his real name), was shocked to see a charge of more than $1,000 on his credit card statement. The charge was for the complete cost of renting a machine he needed to help him recover from knee replacement surgery. The equipment is covered by Medicare, so Mr. P. thought he would be responsible only for his 20 percent co-payment.
But it turns out that the equipment supplier who rented him the machine never informed him that it is not a registered Medicare provider and that therefore Mr. P. may be responsible for the full cost of the rental.

"It is a problem that beneficiaries often do not know that they are using a non-participating supplier," says Alfred J. Chiplin, Senior Policy Attorney at the Center for Medicare Advocacy and co-author of The Medicare Handbook (Wolters Kluwer).

The good news is that Chiplin says a new Medicare program that has been launched in a few areas of the country will keep people like Mr. P. from unwittingly being liable for the full cost of such "durable medical equipment (DME)," which includes oxygen equipment, wheelchairs, walkers, and similar devices.

In the few areas of the country with the new program, which is called the “Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program,” Medicare beneficiaries who expect any reimbursement may rent or buy certain durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) only from suppliers who contract with Medicare. In addition, non-contracting suppliers are required to tell Medicare beneficiaries that they don't work with Medicare and the beneficiaries must sign a waiver form stating they are aware of this. If the supplier fails to do this, the beneficiary is not liable for the charge.

Chiplin told ElderLawAnswers that equipment suppliers in the DMEPOS program areas are getting better at providing Medicare beneficiaries with the required notice that they are not contracting providers, and he says Medicare is stepping up its fraud and sanctions activity. (For more on the DMEPOS program, click here. To see if your zip code is in a coverage area, click here.)
Seek Medicare Reimbursement Anyway

But in the vast majority of the country not currently covered by the DMEPOS program, it is unclear whether suppliers who don't work with Medicare are under any obligation to alert Medicare beneficiaries of this fact. The best defense, then, is for beneficiaries to always make certain the supplier has a relationship with Medicare – something Mr. P. had no idea he should do.
If you are caught in the situation Mr. P. found himself in, you can submit your bill from the supplier and seek as much reimbursement as you can get, Chiplin says. (Mr. P. is still awaiting word from Medicare.)

"Once the DMEPOS program is fully implemented, beneficiaries should experience a greater reduction in DME out-of-pocket expenses as they will be required to use certified and registered DMEPOS providers in order to obtain Medicare-covered items," Chiplin says.
"It’s always best for beneficiaries to use certified suppliers and those who are Medicare participating suppliers," Chiplin counsels.

------------------------------------------
The Law Offices of Jeremy W. Howe, LTD. are ElderLaw attorneys in Rhode Island who specialize in wills and trusts, estate planning, guardianship, probate, and Veterans Aid and Attendance Benefits.

They also are Newport Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers, Attorneys, Mediators, and Arbitrators providing services for family law issues such as divorce, child custody and visitation, support, and military family law. 

Call them today at 401-841-5700 or visit them on the web at http://www.CounselFirst.com.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

When Should You Update Your Estate Plan?

Is it Time to Update Your Estate Plan?

Read original post HERE

Once you've created an estate plan, it is important to keep it up to date. You will need to revisit your plan after certain key life events.

Marriage

Whether it is your first or a later marriage, you will need to update your estate plan after you get married. A spouse does not automatically become your heir once you get married. Depending on state law, your spouse may get one-third to one-half of your estate, and the rest will go to other relatives. You need a will to spell out how much you wish your spouse to get.

Your estate plan will get more complicated if your marriage is not your first. You and your new spouse need to figure out where each of you wants your assets to go when you die. If you have children from a previous marriage, this can be a difficult discussion. There is no guarantee that if you leave your assets to your new spouse, he or she will provide for your children after you are gone. There are a number of options to ensure your children are provided for, including creating a trust for your children, making your children beneficiaries of life insurance policies, or giving your children joint ownership of property.

Even if you don't have children, there may be family heirlooms or mementos that you want to keep in your family. For more information on estate planning before remarrying, click here.

Children

Once you have children, it is important to name a guardian for your children in your will. If you don't name someone to act as guardian, the court will choose the guardian. Because the court doesn't know your kids like you do, the person they choose may not be ideal. In addition to naming a guardian, you may also want to set up a trust for your children so that your assets are set aside for your children when they get older.

Similarly, when your children reach adulthood, you will want to update your plan to reflect the changes. They will no longer need a guardian, and they may not need a trust. You may even want your children to act as executors or hold a power of attorney.

Divorce or Death of a Spouse

If you get divorced or your spouse dies, you will need to revisit your entire estate plan. It is likely that your spouse is named in some capacity in your estate plan -- for example, as beneficiary, executor, or power of attorney. If you have a trust, you will need to make sure your spouse is no longer a trustee or beneficiary of the trust. You will also need to change the beneficiary on your retirement plans and insurance policies.

Increase or Decrease in Assets

One part of estate planning is estate tax planning. When your estate is small, you don't usually have to worry about estate taxes because only estates over a certain amount, depending on current state and federal law, are subject to estate taxes. As your estate grows, you may want to create a plan that minimizes your estate taxes. If you have a plan that focuses on tax planning, but you experience a decrease in assets, you may want to change your plan to focus on other things. For more information about estate taxes, click here.

Other

Other reasons to have your estate plan updated could include:
  • You move to another state
  • Federal or state estate tax laws have changed
  • A guardian, executor, or trustee is no longer able to serve
  • You wish to change your beneficiaries
  • It has been more than 5 years since the plan has been reviewed by an attorney
------------------------------------------
The Law Offices of Jeremy W. Howe, LTD. are ElderLaw attorneys in Rhode Island who specialize in wills and trusts, estate planning, guardianship, probate, and Veterans Aid and Attendance Benefits.

They also are Newport Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers, Attorneys, Mediators, and Arbitrators providing services for family law issues such as divorce, child custody and visitation, support, and military family law. 

Call them today at 401-841-5700 or visit them on the web at http://www.CounselFirst.com.


Friday, March 2, 2012

Medicare Part D Alternative

Medicare Part D Alternative

I came across this note that might be of interest to our clients and friends who have or could qualify for Medicare Part D. The Medicare options are confusing, little known, and difficult to navigate. Robin Smith can help!

The blurb below is from Robin's monthly newsletter at Robin G Smith Consulting. Insurance Advice and Advocacy for Seniors. Call them at 888-363-3914 Or Email her at robin.g.smith@att.net

As announced last month, I now offer a “credible coverage” alternative to a stand alone Prescription Drug (Part D) plan. If you know a senior who is spending over $5K/year out of pocket DE­SPITE having a Part D plan, I might be able to save them several thousand dollars a year. What kind of client spends that much? A patient with a chronic disease (MS, ALS, certain cancers, etc.) may be spending many thousands, even in the catastrophic coverage phase. I may have an alternative, so have them call me for a cost comparison.
- Robin


Please call our office for more information about Robin, or if we can help you, your family members or friends with long term care planning, estate planning, or other elder law and care issues. 401-841-5700.

------------------------------------------
The Law Offices of Jeremy W. Howe, LTD. are ElderLaw attorneys in Rhode Island who specialize in wills and trusts, estate planning, guardianship, probate, and Veterans Aid and Attendance Benefits.

They also are Newport Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers, Attorneys, Mediators, and Arbitrators providing services for family law issues such as divorce, child custody and visitation, support, and military family law. 

Call them today at 401-841-5700 or visit them on the web at http://www.CounselFirst.com.