Ohio NAELA News
Welcome to the news blog of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys Ohio Chapter. Here we share news related to Elder Law, Estate Planning, Probate and Special Needs Planning, Veterans Benefits and more — for the benefit of our Chapter members, and the general public seeking more information about Elder Law.
CMS moves to rein in prior authorization, a system that can harm and frustrate
From the Kaiser Family Foundation — By Lauren Sausser — When Paula Chestnut needed hip replacement surgery last year, a pre-operative X-ray found irregularities in her chest. As a smoker for 40 years, Chestnut was at high risk for lung cancer. A specialist in Los...
Know this about the Medicare hospice benefit
From NAELA News Journal — By Terry Berthelot, MSW, JD — Elder law attorneys should have a comprehensive understanding of the Medicare hospice benefit for three reasons. I. Introduction Elder law attorneys should have a comprehensive understanding of the Medicare...
Pay attention to assisted living: Navigating nursing-home-centric public policy
From NAELA News — BY ERIC M. CARLSON, ESQ. — Everyone always wants to talk about nursing facilities. I should know. Most prominently, President Biden has proposed a reform package that includes numerical minimum staffing standards.1 To prepare for implementing...
Social Security and Medicare: Troubling math, tough politics
From U.S. News & World Report and The Associated Press — It seems no one wants to cut Social Security or Medicare benefits. Not President Joe Biden, who is already telling voters his upcoming federal budget proposal will “defend and strengthen” the programs. Not...
Medicaid benefits to end for nearly 200,000 Ohioans beginning in April
From The Columbus Dispatch — By ANNA STAVER — For nearly 200,000 Ohioans, the end of the federal government's public health emergency for COVID-19 will likely mean the end of their Medicaid benefits. It's called an unwinding, and it basically means that a...
Feds to investigate nursing home abuse of antipsychotics
From The Associated Press — By AMANDA SEITZ — The federal government says it will begin a targeted crackdown on nursing homes’ abuse of antipsychotics and misdiagnoses of schizophrenia in patients. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is launching...
CMS reworks the Medicare cost report for hospitals
From JD Supra — By Alek Pivec — On December 29, 2022, CMS posted on its website Transmittal 18, which implements sweeping changes to the Medicare cost report for hospitals and its accompanying instructions. The revisions affect nearly every facet of Medicare...
Medicaid HCBS study: We still know very little about COVID in senior living
From McKnights Senior Living — By KIMBERLY BONVISSUTO — A new study reporting higher mortality rates among Medicaid home- and community-based services recipients — including assisted living residents — during the pandemic compared with people not receiving those...
New Alzheimer’s disease drug gets FDA green light
From AARP.org — By Rachel Nania — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Jan. 6 granted accelerated approval to lecanemab (brand name Leqembi), a drug that in initial clinical trials slowed the rate of cognitive decline in patients in the early stages of...