Think Medicare HMO Advantage Covers Everything? Think Again!

If you’re enrolling in Medicare, you need to know the facts about out-of-pocket costs associated with HMO Advantage plans. Make no mistake – these plans can be appropriate for a lot of people. But you’d better make sure you’re one of them. And you should know the risks before you sign up.

To many of us, “out-of-pocket” costs mean co-pays to primary-care physicians and specialists. But, if you need services such as out-patient rehabilitation for physical, occupational, or speech therapies, or cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, your co-pays can balloon up to $100 per session. And these payments could be considered “out-of-pocket” – which means they could be part of your annual deductible.

Healthcare professionals tell me they’re seeing an increasing number of seniors go without the therapies they need, because they just can’t afford them. Apparently, they never really thought about longer-term therapies that might be needed for serious injuries or illnesses, or they thought those conditions would be covered the same way as others. But it ain’t necessarily so!

These plans can have a low up-front cost…but before you pick one, you’d better be truthful with yourself about any potential health problems. You’d better have a full understanding of the co-pays, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs. And you’d better know exactly what’s covered; after a cardiac event, for example, exercising at a local gym is not quite the same as cardiac rehabilitation!

The best money-saving tip of all, though, is this: Take care of yourself! Exercise, eat right, get enough sleep, and “live well” before you get any older…and you’ll automatically cut your future medical expenses.

Trying to figure out the best Medicare plan for yourself can be a very intimidating process. And it generally leads to more questions than answers. But we can help.

At The Law Offices of Alice Reiter Feld & Associates, we practice Elder Law. And we’ve been practicing it in South Florida for 33 years. We can answer your questions about Medicare. And we can help you prepare for the future, with comprehensive estate planning, wills, trusts, powers of attorney, long-term care planning, asset-protection plans, and assistance with Medicaid (and Medicare!) and the VA.

If you’ve got questions, we’ve got answers. And we’re just a phone call away.

Your College-Age Child Needs A Durable Power Of Attorney - Believe It Or Not!

By now, we've all heard the news - again. At a college, this time, rather than a mall or a movie theater or a high school. But mass-shootings at colleges, unfortunately, are not new.

In February, 2008, five students died and 16 were wounded in a shooting at Northern Illinois University. In August, 1966, 18 people were killed and 30 wounded at the University of Texas. In April, 2007, at Virginia Tech, 33 dead (including the shooter) and 15 injured. July, 1976, seven dead and two wounded at Cal State University. November, 1991, at the University of Iowa, five dead, one wounded.

On Tuesday frantic parents who were unable to reach their children besieged the school with phone calls. And they were all told pretty much the same thing: "Sorry, we can't tell you anything." "Sorry, we can't confirm..."

In these situations, parents are often unable to get information from the schools. Not because the schools don't want to give it - but because they're not allowed to give it.

If your child is 18, he or she is protected by the same privacy laws that protect you. If - God Forbid - your child is injured, and you need information on his/her condition, you won't be able to get it without a Durable Power of Attorney on file. And if you have to make decisions about medical care for your child...you won't be able to do it without a Durable Power of Attorney on file.

You'd have to go to court to get guardianship documents, which could take weeks or even months...which your child may not have.

We're parents, too. And we know this is a difficult thing to discuss. But it's a big, scary world out there. And we all - including our college-age children - have to live in it.

But we can help ease your worries...and answer your questions.

At The Law Offices of Alice Reiter Feld & Associates, we've been answering questions like these for 33 years, and we've helped many South Florida families protect their children with DPA's.

We're Elder Law attorneys, and we help families with comprehensive estate planning, wills, trusts, powers of attorney, long-term care planning, and asset-protection plans. But we can help with your over-18 children, too.

We're just a phone call away.

 

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Save the Date!

"To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan," Abraham Lincoln, 2nd inaugural address

 

You are cordially invited

to a rare opportunity to an update on how we can assist our senior veterans and their surviving spouses with the honor and dignity they deserve.

 

 

Long time VA attorney and nationally known expert on Veteran's benefits, 

Ronald Abrams, Esq. *

has accepted our invitation to come from Washington

to speak to our community about Veteran's Pension Benefits including current Aid and Attendance issues.

 

Date:       March 21st

Where:   South County Civic Center, Delray Beach

When:     10:00 am

 

Seating is limited

 

More information to follow. 

To reserve your place please call Tracy at [954]-861-2681

 

For information about Ron Abrams and NVLSP click here.

 

Eleanor Roosevelt Believed In Dying With Dignity

Through our nation's most difficult time - the Depression and World War II - Eleanor Roosevelt was our First Lady. But, in reality, she was so much more. She was our First Mother, as well... a calm, comforting presence who carried herself with grace and dignity no matter the burdens.

She remained an iconic figure for the rest of her life... a sort of First Lady-Emeritus.

Mrs. Roosevelt became ill in April, 1960, at the age of 75. She was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, in which the bone marrow doesn't make enough red blood cells. Over the next two years doctors performed frequent tests, to try and figure out the cause.

In the summer of 1962, she took a turn for the worse, requiring frequent transfusions and running 104-degree fevers. Doctors hospitalized her for a week. When she didn't recover, they wanted to re-admit her. They were shocked when she refused.

That September, she agreed to be re-admitted, but only under the condition that when she wanted to leave, her doctor would agree. So Mrs. Roosevelt stayed in the hospital for three weeks of invasive, spirit-draining testing.

In October, Mrs. Roosevelt was told that she probably had a form of tuberculosis. When given the news, she didn't ask for aggressive action. She didn't ask for miracle drugs. She didn't ask for more tests.

"I want to go home," she said simply. And her doctor abided by his promise. So on Oct. 18, she went home... and through her beloved Central Park one last time.

A week later, the tuberculosis was confirmed. Her doctors were overjoyed, because TB was considered treatable. But when they told her the good news, they were - again - stunned by her reply. She told them she wanted to remain at home... and that she did no wish to be treated medically any more. She told them she was ready to die.

On Nov. 4, 1962, Eleanor Roosevelt went into a coma. Three days later, the "First Lady of the World" passed away. But not before writing in one of her final newspaper columns about "the articles of torture" - the tests she had undergone.

Baron H. Lerner, Professor of Medicine at the NYU School of Medicine, recently wrote about Eleanor Roosevelt's last days on The Huffington Post.

"Just because someone is admitted to the hospital or has a condition that can be temporarily ameliorated does not mean that we must blindly forge ahead," Professor Lerner wrote. "There is something to be said for dying at home like Eleanor Roosevelt did - unattached to any machines."

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At The Law Offices of Alice Reiter Feld & Associates, we're Elder Law attorneys. And this is a story we thought you should know. Because we believe in the concept of Dying with Dignity... in leaving the decision up to the patient and family, rather than the doctor.

If you have questions about the Elder Law Journey, we have answers. We're just a phone call away.

Feed Your Brain

What if someone told you there were certain "super-foods" that could increase your brain health...for the rest of your life? Would you eat them?

Here are some foods which can do just that...

BLUEBERRIES - Blueberries may help protect the brain from oxidative stress, and may reduce the effects of Alzheimer's and dementia.

WILD SALMON - Deep-water fish such as salmon are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids - essential for brain function. And they also contain anti-inflammatory substances.

NUTS AND SEEDS - Great sources of vitamin E, which helps slow cognitive decline as we age. The best: walnuts, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, filberts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seed, and peanut butter.

AVOCADOS - A rising superstar. Experts believe avocados may be almost as effective as blueberries in preserving brain health. They help increase blood flow, and decrease blood pressure. Enough said.

WHOLE GRAINS - Oatmeal, whole-grain breads, and brown rice can reduce the risk of heart disease. If you have a healthy heart, you have healthy blood flow. And if you have healthy blood flow, you have a healthy brain.

BEANS - Beans help stabilize blood sugar levels. Some nutritionists consider lentils and black beans the best.

POMEGRANATE JUICE - It contains potent antioxidant benefits, among them protecting the brain from free radicals. Keep in mind, though, that juice has added sugar. So keep your portions small.

TEA (FRESHLY BREWED) - Two to three cups a day of freshly-brewed tea -- hot or iced - can help enhance memory, focus, and even mood, and its antioxidants promote healthy blood flow. But not bottled or powdered!

DARK CHOCOLATE - YES! Dark chocolate has powerful antioxidant properties, enhances focus and concentration, and helps improve mood. But more than an ounce is too much.

Didn't think of us as nutrition experts, eh? Well, at The Law Offices of Alice Reiter Feld & Associates, if it's important to you...it's important to us.

For the past 33 years, we've been advising South Florida families on a variety of issues important to them, including comprehensive estate planning, wills, trusts, powers of attorney, long-term care planning, asset-protection plans, and assistance with Medicaid or the VA.

We're here for you. And we're just a phone call away.