Everyday People Matter
Frequently, someone contacts me who is recently disabled due to a traumatic accident and has no access to healthcare. A similar scenario was depicted recently in a New York Times article on healthcare. Oregon resident Wendy Parris shattered her ankle. Because she was uninsured, the emergency room doctors did not operate on it, but rather placed the ankle in an…
In previous posts, I reported how Georgia was considering an overhaul of Medicaid this summer to account for anticipated budget shortfalls. However, last week’s ruling on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will likely cause the state to put off an overhaul while it contemplates the expansion of Medicaid eligibility in Georgia. Under the ACA, Medicaid is expanded to cover those…
Today the United States Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the controversial Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) also referred to as “Obamacare.” In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court justices upheld the majority of the law. Today was a good day for uninsured Americans. Today was also a good day for Americans with disabilities. Persons with disabilities will benefit from the…
Yesterday, I was discussing how hard it is for older Americans to gain new employment in today’s difficult economy. I touched on the subject of whether the United States was having a jobless recovery. Many are arguing today that business should be unrestrained to do what business does best – create jobs. And no one certainly wants to…
The Sunday New York Times reported on the how the present economy is causing some workers to take – albeit reluctantly – early retirement. Social Security allows citizens to claim Social Security benefits at age 62. However, this results in a lifetime decreased benefit. The decreased benefit is significant, at twenty percent less than what one would receive if he/she…
I decided not to abandon yesterday’s topic on the budget shortfalls of Medicaid because so much remains to be said regarding this. In my practice, I frequently am asked about fraudulent claims. It seems everyone jumps to the handy conclusion that anyone applying for Social Security benefits must be gaming the system. This public perception has absolutely nothing to do…
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Sunday that Georgia is expected to announce a plan this summer that would dramatically expand the use of for-profit insurance companies in a new approach to managing Medicaid in Georgia. Georgia’s Medicaid program costs $7.8 billion annually with the federal government covering seventy-five percent of the cost. Georgia pays approximately $2.3 billion dollars in Medicaid coverage.…
Rates of obesity continue to increase across America. In 2010, The American Medical Association reported that rates of adult obesity in men had risen 7.1% in a twenty year period and 8.1% for women during the same time frame. The State of Georgia Department of Public Health issued a report in 2010 that showed that 30% (approximately 2 million) of…
According to the 2012 Board of Trustees Report for the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds, released on April 23, 2012, the funds, though relatively stable, are being impacted by the recession. The 2012 report finds that, if no Congressional action is taken, the Social Security Old Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) will be able to pay 100% of scheduled…
If you are wondering whether you are eligible to apply for disability benefits through the Social Security Administration, you may want to check out the information contained in the Social Security Administration’s website. You may be eligible for disability benefits if: You are a disabled worker and have earned enough credits to become “insured.” This usually means that you have…