New Alzheimer's Law

From the ALZ.ORG website:

On January 4, 2011, President Obama signed the National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA) into law. For the first time, we will have a coordinated national strategy to combat Alzheimer's.

Click here to read more about NAPA.

Medicare's policy on therapy comes under attack - Medicare & Insurance News - AARP Bulletin

Please clink on the link below to read about a lawsuit recently filed against Medicare by the Center for Medicare Advocacy.

Medicare's policy on therapy comes under attack - Medicare & Insurance News - AARP Bulletin

Tax code estate planning changes made in 2010

2010 ended with Congress passing new laws that have significant impact on estate planning. Under the new laws, there is a $5 million estate tax exemption, a $5 million lifetime exemption for gifts, a 35% tax rate for both estate and gift taxes, and full basis adjustment to date of death value.

Executors for those who died in 2010 will have the option of electing no estate tax with a modified carryover basis (unlimited step-down for loss assets and a limited step-up of $1.3 million plus $3 million for assets passing to a spouse). Executors have an additional nine months after the enactment date to decide, file and estate tax return, pay taxes and make disclaimers.
The executor of an estate in 2010 with less than $5 million can elect to administer the estate under the new laws that provide full step-up basis for all property, including property in which a life estate was reserved by the decedent or property held in a wholly owned irrevocable grantor trust.

The above changes expire on January 1, 2013. If Congress does not act again, the gift, estate and GST exemptions will be $1 million (adjusted for inflation).

-Posted by Lisa Joyce, JD

Governor-Elect Nominates Shawn Sullivan as Secretary for the Kansas Department on Aging

In Wichita today, Governor-Elect Brownback introduced his nominee for the Secretary of the Kansas Department of Aging. His nominee is Shawn Sullivan, executive director of the Kansas Masonic Home, and he will lead the Department of Aging.

(Information provided by Kansas Area Agencies on Aging Association, www.k4a.org)

Free Ethics CEU for Social Workers

Ethics of End-of-Life Decision Making:

Training for Case Managers, Social Workers,

and Geriatric Care Managers

1 Ethics CEU for Social Workers
Lunch and Learn Webinar
Thursday, February 17th, 2011
11:30 AM- 12:30 PM

This course will address the legal and ethical issues surrounding end-of-life decision making. The course has been approved by the State of Kansas Regulatory Board as a CEU for social workers at all levels of accreditation. As such, this CEU will also be accepted for social workers licensed in Missouri.

To register, please contact Georgina Green, Director of Community Education, at 816-979-3533, georgina@shepherdelderlaw.com.

News You Can Use: 2011 Figures for Medicare

Medicare Premiums, Deductibles, and Copayments:

Inpatient hospital- $1,132 deductible for first stay during a year (was $1,100)
Day 1 through Day 60- $0
Day 61 throughDay 90- $283 per day
60 Day Lifetime Reserve- $566 per day
Skilled Nursing Day 1-20- $0
Skilled Nursing Day 21-100- $141.50 per day

MO HealthNet:
For the second year in a row, there will be no increase in the community spouse resource allowance (CSRA) and the maximum monthly maintenance needs allowance for 2011, spousal impoverishment figures for 2009 will remain in effect.

(Information provided by the Missouri Bar Courts Bulletin, December 2010)