August 2018 | Grady H. Williams, Jr. LL.M, Attorneys at Law

Monthly archives:August 2018

Proposed New Medicare Payment System May Affect Beneficiaries
5 years ago
Medicare is proposing a new flat rate reimbursement system for doctors who treat Medicare patients. Some worry that the plan may reduce payments to specialists and cause fewer doctors to accept Medicare patients. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) says the proposed changes a... [read more]

Helping Clients Find Resources For Aging
5 years ago
One question we're often asked by clients is if we can help them find resources to help cover the high costs that can often be associated with aging; such as at-home care or a skilled nursing facility. Our answer is that we are happy to help clients address these concerns by evaluating benefits such... [read more]

Are State ABLE Programs Sustainable? Disability Advocates Raise Concerns
5 years ago
In the past two years, nearly every state in the country has passed legislation enabling people with disabilities and their families to open new savings accounts, modeled after popular 529 college savings plans, to save for disability related expenses. But early projections indicate that many of ... [read more]

SSA Liberalizes Rules on When Special Needs Trusts Can Reimburse Family Members for Travel
5 years ago
Travel is sometimes necessary when a family has a child with special needs. Family members may need to visit the person with special needs, or a medical emergency may require travel to care for the loved one, or the family may simply want to take the child with special needs on vacation. For... [read more]

Estate Planning for Adult Children
5 years ago
Did you know that Elder Law starts at age 18? Most legal rights attach to an individual when they turn 18 years old. If you are supporting an adult child or college student it may be difficult to assist them with academic, financial, or health care decisions without some essential documents. To e... [read more]

Promissory Notes and Medicaid
5 years ago
A promissory note is normally given in return for a loan and it is simply a promise to repay the amount. Classifying asset transfers as loans rather than gifts can be useful because it sometimes allows parents to "lend" assets to their children and still maintain Medicaid eligibility. Before ... [read more]

Alison E. Hickman Serves As Committee Leader of the Jacksonville Bar Association
5 years ago
Associate Attorney Alison E. Hickman is pictured with another Clay County Attorney, Lisa Dasher, at their orientation today for Committee Leaders of the Jacksonville Bar Association. Alison is serving in her third year as co-chair of the Elder Law Committee, and Lisa is Co-Chair of both the F... [read more]

Why Young Families Need Estate Planning
5 years ago
We are often asked why young families need Estate Planning. Our response is that there are numerous, important reasons why young families need Estate Planning to protect themselves, their families, and their futures. Some of these Estate Planning considerations include: naming Beneficiaries for y... [read more]

Where’s My New Medicare Card? How to Find Out the Status
5 years ago
The federal government has begun mailing new Medicare cards to 59 million Americans. You should keep track of when your new card will arrive and contact Medicare if you don't receive it. To prevent fraud and fight identity theft, the federal government is issuing new cards to all Medicare ben... [read more]

Looming Deadline for Electronic Check-in for Home Care Workers Raises Concerns
5 years ago
Starting in 2019, providers of home health care services will be required to clock in electronically with Medicaid prior to performing services. However, disability rights advocates and a bipartisan group of senators are calling for the state-by-state rollout of these Electronic Visit Verification (... [read more]

The Importance of Designating a Health Care Surrogate
5 years ago
The Importance of Designating a Health Care Surrogate We're often asked by clients how they can make sure that their medical wishes are carried out in the event of illness or injury. The designation of a Health Care Surrogate addresses this concern by giving a person you select the ability to mak... [read more]

Lawsuit Targets Education Department’s Handling of Discrimination Claims
5 years ago
Each year, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) receives tens of thousands of discrimination complaints, of which disability discrimination is by far the largest category. For example, complaints can allege that students with disabilities are not being given accessible textbooks, are being denied ... [read more]