Life In Sherman Oaks

Who is this Ayn Rand that Republicans like Paul Ryan (the author of the 2013 GOP budget) follow and what did she teach that some Republicans like so much? Sometimes we can understand what people believe when we know a little bit about their background. And that’s probably the case with Ayn Rand. Ayn Rand was born in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1905. A city of starvation during World War [...]

Conservatives are telling Americans that health care in America is worse off since Medicare was passed. That Medicare actually caused the cost of health care to rise. That before Medicare, doctors and hospitals would take care of the poor for free and would again, were it not for Medicare. So let’s look at these claims, one by one. 1. In 1962, approximately 51% of all persons over the age of [...]

Some politicians, in the summer of 20010, told seniors that The Affordable Care Act would (a) slash Medicare by $500 billion and (b) implement death panels. Some politicians are continuing these claims during the Presidential campaign. Neither of these claims are correct. If you are conservative, you can be angry at me for saying that. But it is the truth and after all, isn’t the truth what is really important? [...]

Rep. Paul Ryan and the GOP began attacking AARP this week as a “left wing” group. CLICK HERE FOR ARTICLE. And I took particular personal issue with this, because I was able to become a gerontologist because of AARP back in 1975. So — what is AARP and what does it do? The American Association of Retired Persons, has 40 million members and acts as an advocate for seniors citizens [...]

Are you 55 or older? You have a 50% chance of needing Long Term Care/Nursing Home Care one Day. The cost today averages $250 a day and contrary to popular misconception, MEDICARE DOES NOT PAY FOR LONG TERM CARE. And if you need Long Term Care, your average stay will be 2.4 years. Do the math. This book “Long Term Care: How to Plan and Pay For It” is a [...]

In June, 2010, the Federal government extended the Family and Medical Leave Act to cover gay and lesbian employees who need to take time off to care for a sick partner or for their partner’s child. The Department of Labor is responsible for enforcing this act.

The Patient Affordability Act Provided For a $250 Doughnut Hole Rebate this year. Seniors with Medicare Part D who reach the gap in their prescription drug coverage in 2010 will automatically receive a $250 rebate check. This one-time payment in 2010 will help three million people to pay for the prescription drugs they need. The first group of rebate checks were mailed starting June 10, 2010. Checks will continue to [...]

The Deficit Commission has proposed cuts in Medicare and Social Security. However, some feel that rather than cutting Social Security, we need to eliminate the cap on payroll taxes so that wealthy Americans pay their fair share and stabilize the system. Instead of cutting Medicare, we need a public option and, ultimately, single-payer health care to dramatically reduce deficits. And instead of austerity, we need to levy much greater taxes [...]

What Is a POD (payable on death) account? A POD is an inexpensive way to avoid probate. POD stands for Payable On Death and many banks, brokerages will offer a POD service free of charge. A POD account ensures that your family has cash for immediate expenses without having to go through Probate. You need to have a beneficiary in order to setup a POD account. To setup your account [...]

What are the 20 Preventive Services Medicare pays for? • Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening • Bone Mass Measurement • Cardiovascular Screenings • Colorectal Cancer Screenings • Fecal Occult Blood Test • Flexible Sigmoidoscopy • Colonoscopy • Barium Enema • Diabetes Screenings • Diabetes Self-management Training • EKG Screening • Flu Shots • Glaucoma Tests • Hepatitis B Shots • Mammogram (screening) • Medical Nutrition Therapy Services • Pap Test and [...]

In Washington, Koch is best known as part of a family that has repeatedly funded ruthless attacks on the federal government, and on the Obama Administration in particular. With his brother Charles, who is seventy-four, David Koch owns virtually all of Koch Industries, a conglomerate, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, whose annual revenues are estimated to be a hundred billion dollars. The Koch Brothers operate oil refineries in Alaska, Texas, and [...]

One of the reasons that job are going overseas is that the education of our country is sinking. This was the opinion of 4 CEO’s who spoke on Fareed Zakaria in his Sunday morning show (Great CNN informational show, by the way). As the rest of the world outpaces us in education, and Indian and Chinese workers demand very low pay, jobs will continue to be outsourced. We used to [...]

State 2010 Exemption Amount Connecticut $3,500,000 Delaware $3,500,000 District of Columbia $1,000,000 Hawaii $3,600,000 beginning May 1, 2010 Illinois State estate tax repealed due to repeal of federal estate tax Kansas State estate tax abolished Maine $1,000,000 Maryland $1,000,000 Massachusetts $1,000,000 Minnesota $1,000,000 New Jersey $675,000 New York $1,000,000 North Carolina State estate tax repealed due to repeal of federal estate tax Ohio $338,333 Oklahoma State estate tax abolished Oregon [...]

What is Hospice? What is hospice care? The goal of hospice is to enable terminal patients to continue an alert, pain-free life and to manage other symptoms so that their last days may be spent with dignity and quality, surrounded by their loved ones. Hospice affirms life and does not hasten or postpone death. Hospice care treats the person rather than the disease; it focuses on quality rather than length [...]

What is a MEDIGAP Policy and why do you need one? A Medigap policy is health insurance sold by private insurance companies to fill the “gaps” in Original Medicare Plan coverage. There are 10 levels of coverage labeled A-N, each with a different price. The rule of thumb for purchasing one of these policies would be, “better safe than sorry.” These Medigap policies must follow Federal and State laws which [...]

What is the Difference Between An Estate Tax and An Inheritance Tax? 1. Inheritance Tax is the amount of taxes that the person who inherited must a pay. 2. Estate taxes are based on the value of the deceased person’s estate. In 2009, an individual did not pay any federal estate taxes, unless their estate was worth $3.5 million or more. A couple could pass on $7 million without paying [...]

If you have a senior who needs help, a Geriatric Care Manager can help. Generally speaking, a Geriatric Care Manager who is certified by the Geriatric Care Association, will come to your home and make an assessment of the needs of the senior. After that, they can: * Make a professional assessment * Arrange care services * Find community resources * Assist with a residential placement when the time comes [...]

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, BARACK OBAMA, A PROCLAMATION – NATIONAL CAREGIVERS MONTH Every day, family members, friends, neighbors, and concerned individuals across America provide essential attention and assistance to their loved ones. Many individuals in need of care — including children, elders, and persons with disabilities — would have difficulty remaining safely in their homes and community without the support of their relatives and caregivers. [...]

1. Places caps on the price of health insurance premiums 2. Provides for a Patient’s Bill of Rights. 3. Provides tax incentives to businesses for providing health insurance. 4. Provides new support for medical and long term care research. 5. Extends the life of Medicare 6. Provides support for the education of new doctors. 7. Subsidizes premiums for persons who have lost their employment 8. Phases out the coverage gap [...]

I’m heading to Aberdeen, North Carolina at the end of the month, to visit my dad. He’s 97 and just recently moved from his assisted living facility, into a nursing home. He loved his assisted living facility; but was tired of going to rehab and decided for himself it was time to go to a nursing home. He likes the fact that he shares his room with another guy. My [...]