Community Resources and Elder Care News
Kansas City-area Community Resources:
National Resources:
State and Local Resources:
Whats New With:
Medicare and Medicare Part D -- Medicare Part D has proven to be a real cost-saver for seniors with a lot of prescriptions. This, of course, has contributed to the ever-present legislative pressure to reduce overall Medicare costs. There are current efforts in Congress to streamline the structure of the variety of standard Medicare Supplement policies that providers can offer. This Fall will be a good time to review your overall coverage, including medications and your coverage by your current provider -- and consider changing to another provider if you can reduce your total Medicare costs (Supplement premiums, prescription costs, and Part D premiums). Be sure to work through the worksheet under the www.Medicare.gov/SearchTools website, starting with accurately entering your current prescriptions.
Preventive medicine under Medicare? Did you know that you can get a physical exam paid for by Medicare (subject to your Part B deductible) within the first 6 months of signing up for Medicare? There are also several screening tests and shots that you can receive. See www.medicare.gov.
Medicaid eligibility -- Under a Federal Budget reconciliation bill signed into law February 8, 2006, Medicaid eligibility criteria was significantly tightened, including extending the "look back" period for ineligible asset transfers from three years to five years, starting the look-back period at the time of Medicaid application rather than at the time of asset transfer, and adding new restrictions on excludable assets like high home equity values and certain annuities. As a consequence, skilled nursing homes are being much more diligent in reviewing the financial status of potential residents, trying to insure that they do not accept somebody whose funds are likely to be exhausted but who would still be ineligible for Medicaid due to asset transfers or ineligible assets. The pressure on nursing homes is starting to build, now that both Missouri and Kansas have enacted the related state legislation. Some CCRCs, with a limited number licensed skilled nursing beds, are taking a proactive approach with their non-life-care residents who are not yet ready for full skilled nursing care (but are likely to run out or money and possibly planning to apply for Medicaid under the "old" rules) and advising them to start looking elsewhere for another skilled care residence.
