We’re working on an appeal of another attorney’s client’s case that was lost at a Social Security Adminsitration Administrative Law Judge hearing.  In reviewing the twelve page decision, we find the judge wrote the following (the typos are ALL his):

"Rather, when examined by Dr. Miguel xxxx, a psychiatrist at the request of the office of

When a person on SSI and Medicaid concludes a lawsuit for personal injuries, the Florida Medicaid agency swoops in and takes a big bite of the settlement or jury verdict to reimburse itself for the doctor and hospital bills caused by the person or corporation that hurt the disabled SSI/Medicaid recipient.  This action is based on the Florida Medicaid Third Party Liability Act, Florida Statutes, Section 409.910.

A few years ago, the U. S. Supreme Court substantially and appropriately reduced what Medicaid can get.  Click here for the Alhborn case.  Florida Medicaid has resisted the Supreme Court’s decision, but its position is now substantially weakened by a new U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision.

Based on a March 22nd U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision, more net settlement money is going to go to diasbled plaintiffs.  The court’s decision completely eviscerates the Florida Medicaid agency’s defense to avoiding the reduction in the Medicaid lien based on the U.S. Supreme Court Ahlborn decision in 2006. This is going to allow substantially MORE money to go into plaintiff’s Special Needs Trusts funded from  Personal Injury/Medical Malpractice settlements or jury verdicts.Continue Reading Prediction: Florida Medicaid Liens will be reduced

Each year the Social Security Administration announces in October if there will be any changes in the amount of payments of SSI and SSDI due to Cost of Living Adjustments.  The new payments for SSI for 2012 are $698 to and individual, and $1048 to a married couple who are both on SSI.  SSI is

New POMS may change the way retained funds may be used by Pooled Trust Administrators
Continue Reading New POMS are potentially in the pipeline regarding Pooled Special Needs Trusts’ Use of Retained Funds after Death of SSI Beneficiary

The new 2008 Deeming Chart should be used by banks and other Special Needs Trust Administrators judiciously.  Pay particular attention to the qualifications indicating when the trust may not be used, which appear at the end of the chart.  Also be aware that these numbers increase annually, but a slight amount, due to changes in

The organizers of the Florida State Guardianship Annual Convention asked me to prepare some comments on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid – It Just Keeps Changing.  The ten page paper highlights changes in how  attorneys and guardians of disabled individuals will have to change the way they interact with SSA, video hearings, “paperless” medical

There are no clear instructions from the Social Security Administration on whether a trustee of a Special Needs Trust can use a disabled person’s d4A Special Needs Trust to support a healthy spouse and dependent children. 

For statutory and policy reasons, we argue, not only can a trustee use a disabled beneficiary’s self-settled SNT funds in

An attorney asked us, "How does the Social Security Administration treat Worker’s Compensation benefits for SSI eligibility purposes?"  

WC weekly wage replacement payments.  The SSI financial eligiblity rules require that a claimant have low income and few assets, which they call "resources."  Weekly worker’s comp wage payments are treated as "unearned income" for SSI

The four major programs fall nicely into a Matrix: the two columns are the monthly SSA payments (either RIB/DIB or SSI) which trigger the two major medical programs, Medicare and Medicaid.  The two rows indicate which two programs are insurance-based (RIB/DIB and Medicare) and which two are welfare programs with monthly means-testing for income

On May 15, 2008, the California Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriages.  The ruling took effect on June 17, 2008.   On June 6th, the Social Security Administration issued EM-08061, an Emergency Message telling the 61,000 member staff to "wait for instructions" before answering any questions about the effect of the ruling on certain Social Security benefits