Goldman Schwartz, LLC

11/24/2025

07/06/2025

Important NY Medicaid Home Care Update.

In 2020 New York passed laws making eligibility for Medicaid Home Based Care more restrictive. The elder law community until now has been told that although the law was passed, Medicaid was not yet ready to implement these new requirements.

These new eligibility requirements include: (1) a 30 month lookback period and (2) an increase in the number of required ADLs needed for assistance to 2 for those with Dementia/Alzheimer’s Disease, and 3 for everyone else.

Although New York Medicaid has not yet given notification of implementing the 30 month lookback, it has announced that it will begin implementation of the increased ADL requirements for eligibility beginning September 1, 2025.

Below is a link from WNYLC with information on how they believe the implementation will work. For legal advice regarding the implementation and its effect on you, please contact your personal elder law attorney.

This article gives updates on the Medicaid changes enacted in the 2020 NYS Budget under the "Medicaid Redesign Team II" or MRT-2. These are the:

05/26/2025

Invest a Little of Your Time to Educate and Support The Seniors In Your Lives With The Tips And Tricks You Use to Avoid Online Scammers And Everyone Will Benefit.

Technology has become an essential part of everyday life for most people. Although, intended to be beneficial, it has caused many of our senior population (even those with college and graduate level educations) to become: anxious, frustrated, depressed, and isolated. The article below illustrates just one example of why seniors have a very good reason to feel this way.
"Be very cautious when clicking on any links." This is something I often say to my mother, who is in her 80s. It is no wonder why so many seniors do not like to do online banking, shopping, book medical appointments, or connect with friends and family on social media. Daily, the scams get more and more sophisticated. I have seen and heard many occasions when seniors have gotten scammed by phone calls and online. Many seniors who are the victims of scams remain silent about it. They isolate themselves from the people who love them most because they are ashamed of falling victim to a scam. Some seniors also become concerned that their family may take their independence away. In order to counter this, in my family we spend time when we are together: discussing the tricks we use to try to be vigilant before clicking on a link; practice how to order things online; and identify social media profiles that we are not sure are real or fake. We always discuss calling someone on the phone to verify if a request from them is authentic before acting on it. Having a family code word or phrase is another way we create a feeling of security in the event there is an emergency call in the middle of the night.
The point is that we need to educate, encourage, and empower the seniors in our lives to use technology as safely as possible. We also need to take the time to support them when they ask for our assistance to do things online. And most importantly, we need to reassure them that we are all subject to the same risks by these sophisticated scammers out and if they do become a victim of a scam at some point, that they are not to blame.

10/03/2024

Transform your financial outlook! Many individuals with disabilities mistakenly think working means losing benefits, but that's not true. With ABLE accounts and expert resources like the ABLE National Resource Center, you can increase income and assets while preserving benefits. Take the first step towards financial freedom at the free webinar below, and consider partnering with a seasoned special needs planning attorney to create a tailored plan for a fulfilling life.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month! Good jobs change lives and all workers—including disabled workers—deserve the opportunity to prepare for, obtain and thrive in them.

Join us on October 23rd for a Webinar on Employment and ABLE accounts! Explore how an ABLE account, combined with federal benefit services and other federal programs and initiatives, such as SSA’s Ticket to Work program, can lead to gainful employment outcomes for people with disabilities. Hear from subject matter experts on ABLE accounts and the American Dream Employment Network (ADEN), a qualified Ticket to Work provider.

Join us to support Access to Good Jobs for All! Register at https://www.ablenrc.org/oct-23-employment-able-account/.

Image description: Square green graphic with white text rounded in a circle reading: National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The ABLE NRC logo is centered at the top of the graphic. In the center of the graphic are nine hats representing different occupations: a hard hat, a hard hat with a lamp, a police hat, a surgical cap, a chef's hat, a park ranger hat, a captain hat, a black baseball cap and a graduation cap.

07/09/2024

With Special Olympics New York – I just made it onto their weekly engagement list by being one of their top engagers! 🎉

07/05/2024

Many clients rely on family members to act as the trustee of their trust after they have passed away. This is not always a good idea, especially in the case of second spouses and families. It may seem appealing to use a family member rather than pay the fees for a professional trustee, but consider situations like the Bennett Family. The potential cost savings will be worthless compared to legal fees paid to the attorneys to straighten out this mess, not to mention the mental anguish all of the parties will endure. Discuss with your estate planning attorney whether a professional trustee should be appointed to manage your estate plan. Although it may seem expensive upfront, not utilizing a professional trustee may end up being a lot more costly.

His two daughters accuse their brother of mishandling their late father’s assets

07/01/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/obepxP2b6mGUXdYN/

Join us for an informative workshop on Supplemental Needs Trusts, presented by Renee Schwartz, Esq. This event is designed for families who are proactively planning for the future of their loved ones with disabilities. Gain valuable insights and guidance on how to secure a stable and fulfilling future for your loved one and assess if their existing trust aligns with their current needs. Hosted by Nor-West for educational purposes only and not affiliated with Nor-West services.

Light refreshments served. Please rvsp [email protected]

06/30/2024

Congratulations Zach!!!!

Congratulations to our 2024 Athlete of the Year! Who is it? You'll just have to watch the video to find out...

04/12/2024

SSI and SSDI are often misunderstood. Learn everything you need to know about how these two federal benefits programs, including how they differ, eligibility, pay out amounts, and how to apply.

02/24/2024

The feeling is mutual, Bethlehem PA🤩 Thank you for voting us best specialty coffee shop! Come see why it’s more than a cup of coffee☕️

12/08/2023

Make certain to keep an eye on your mail.

People with disabilities receiving Supplemental Security Income can expect to receive two payments this month, but one will be higher than the other.

12/07/2023

The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) is a fabulous organization that helps keep attorneys in the practice of Elder Law at the top of our game. Thank you NAELA for sharing the following article from AARP to help us protect our senior community...

Eight Senior Scams That Medicare Fraud Patrols Are Seeing Right Now

Senior Medicare Patrol volunteers are often the first to identify new Medicare scams because they meet one-on-one with Medicare beneficiaries. These are some of the top scams they’re seeing:

A new round of COVID-19 fraud
Bills for diabetes supplies
Flimsy medical equipment
Bogus genetic testing
Hospice fraud
Medicaid "unwinding"
Next generation Medicare cards
Telemedicine sessions
Access the article for information on how to avoid being scammed.

SOURCE/MORE:

Old cons are recycled to take advantage of news reports