Traverse City Medicaid Attorney

Michigan will run out of CHIP funds to provide health insurance for children in February or March.  Michigan's 2018 budget assumed that it would receive these funds and the full Medicaid expansion cost sharing. For more details, follow the link below. State Plans for CHIP as Federal Funds Run Out

ROSEBURG, Ore. — An 81-year-old veteran hobbled into the emergency room at the rural Veterans Affairs hospital here in December, malnourished and dehydrated, his skin flecked with ulcers and his ribs broken from a fall at home. A doctor examining the veteran — a 20-year Air Force mechanic named Walter Savage who had been living alone — decided he was in no shape to care for himself and should be admitted to the hospital. A second doctor running the inpatient ward agreed. But the hospital administration said no. Though there were plenty of empty beds, records show that a nurse in charge of enforcing administration restrictions said Mr. Savage was not sick enough to qualify for admission to the hospital. He waited nine hours in the emergency room until, finally, he was sent home. “The doctors were mad; the nurses were mad,” said Mr. Savage’s son-in-law, Mark Ridimann. “And my dad, he was mad, too. He kept saying, ‘I’ve laid my life on the line, two years in Vietnam, and this is ...

The bill passed by Congress late Thursday to keep most of the federal government funded for another month also provided a temporary reprieve to a number of health programs in danger of running out of money, most notably the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP. Funding for CHIP technically expired Oct. 1. States have been operating their programs with leftover funds provided by the Department of Health and Human Services since then. But  nearly half of the states were projected to run out of money entirely by the end of January, putting health coverage for nearly 2 million children at risk by that point. The funding provided by Congress for CHIP — $2.85 billion — is for six months, but it is back-dated to Oct. 1, so it will run out at the end of March 2018. The program covers 9 million children across the country. Follow the link below for the full story. Childrens Insurance Other Health Programs Funded For Now In Bill

The Trump administration — reversing guidelines put in place under President Barack Obama — is scaling back the use of fines against nursing homes that harm residents or place them in grave risk of injury.  Follow the link below for the full sto ry. Trump Administration Relaxes Financial Penalties against Nursing Homes

Swogger, Bruce & Millar Law Firm, P.C. The deadline to pick a Medicare supplement or "Medigap" policy is fast approaching.  December 7th is the last day to choose a policy during the annual open enrollment and December 15th is the last day to get a subsidy for all of 2017. Many Traverse City seniors have been shocked by the rate increases to the Blue Cross Blue Shield Medigap policies, including the popular Medigap Legacy Plan C.  The rates have been frozen for 5-years and have been the same for all demographics.  Now rates will be based largely on age, sex and residence.  The rates will increase from $122.86 per month to up to $315.00 per month The Michigan Health Endowment Fund will now administer the subsidy program.  You are eligible for a subsidy if: (1) your household income is below 150% of the federal poverty level, (2) you qualify for Medicare, (3) you have a qualifying Medigap policy and (4) are a Michigan resident.  You do not get a sub...

Swogger, Bruce & Millar, Law Firm, P.C. I have brought my Traverse City Medicaid planning practice to the firm of Swogger, Bruce & Millar Law Firm, P.C.  I am excited for this opportunity to add first class office support to my Elder Law experience and skills.  The practice has five other great lawyers and an impressive support staff. Contact me at my new office if you have any questions about protecting your assets or receiving Medicaid or Veterans benefits. John J. Rizzo III

Rizzo Elder Law, PLC Beth Milligan at traverseticker.com wrote an interesting article on a Department of Veteran's Affairs program that seeks to improve benefits for northern Michigan veterans.  Project Cherry Tree would be a 25-county pilot program to improve healthcare, education and job training for more than 55,000 veterans.  I have linked to the article below, it is worth the read. Grand Traverse County Courts VA for Major Veteran's Project