{"id":674,"date":"2008-07-28T00:00:29","date_gmt":"2008-07-28T00:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/collitonlaw.com\/?p=674"},"modified":"2017-12-13T13:30:36","modified_gmt":"2017-12-13T18:30:36","slug":"news-flashes-from-the-pennsylvania-elder-law-institute","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/collitonlaw.com\/news-flashes-from-the-pennsylvania-elder-law-institute\/","title":{"rendered":"News Flashes from the Pennsylvania Elder Law Institute"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every year for the past 11 years in July, \u00a0I pack my belongings and trek to Harrisburg for what I refer to as \u201cElder Law Boot Camp, \u201d joining hundreds of lawyers for two days to brush up on hot new changes in elder law and to network with the lawyers who comprise the Pennnsylvania statewide elder law bar.\u00a0\u00a0 This year was no exception and, on July 24 and 25, I ventured to the Pennsylvania Bar Institute\u2019s 11th<\/sup> Annual Elder Law Institute at the Harrisburg Hilton.<\/p>\n

For two days we immerse ourselves in every conceivable Medicare, Medicaid, estate and elder law topic attending a smorgasbord of seminars and sharing stories from our practices.\u00a0\u00a0 It is best not to miss the first session of the first day at 8:30 am.\u00a0 That is when seasoned elder law attorneys, Jeffrey Marshall of Williamsport and Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania and Robert Clofine, of York highlight the \u201cYear In Review\u201d\u00a0 as to new legislation, regulations, and cases.\u00a0 The session provides a flavor for the rest to come.\u00a0 The\u00a0 best features of the Institute are the flashes of insight, the seminars, the sharing of information and solutions, and the camaraderie.<\/p>\n

We used to cap off the first day with a dinner followed by a \u201ctournament\u201d of miniature golf, mocking the practice, I suppose, of the organized bar. \u00a0\u00a0Now we continue talking into the night and go to dinner in smaller groups.<\/p>\n

This year was especially helpful and Sally Schoffstall, an Oreland, Pennsylvania attorney and one of the organizers, may have identified the reason why in a final comment to me.\u00a0 \u201cThis year we have answers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sure, we do not have all the answers but, finally, after three continuous years of upheaval and change in laws and regulations beginning with Pennsylvania\u2019s Act 42 and Act 43 in 2005 and the Federal Deficit Reduction Act in 2006 which only began to be implemented in Pennsylvania in 2007, this year we have a stronger grasp of where the laws are going and can use that information to advise clients.<\/p>\n

Here are some of the most significant news flashes, trends, and predictions for readers in this volatile field.<\/p>\n

Family Agreements.<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0\u00a0 Family agreements will be part of the wave of the future.\u00a0 I have written about these in previous columns.\u00a0 See, for instance,\u00a0 www.collitonlaw.com\/07\/080607.htm<\/a>. The clouds have lifted and family agreements, if they are in writing, if they are entered into before services are provided or costs are incurred, and if the amounts are reasonable, are becoming a regular accepted means whereby parents may pay adult children or others to assist them.\u00a0 \u201cPay as you go\u201d written agreements are receiving the widest acceptance.\u00a0 Lump sum agreements may carry more risk.\u00a0 Families should not venture into written family agreements alone and should seek professional assistance to assure that they are doing this right including consideration of the tax and later Medicaid issues.<\/p>\n

Immediate Annuities.<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 \u00a0Discussion strongly implied that immediate annuities will occupy a larger role in elder law practices.\u00a0\u00a0 Immediate annuities must be differentiated from deferred, variable or equity indexed annuities where money can and usually is tied up for years and owners must pay surrender penalties during the first several years of the contract to take their own money back.\u00a0 With an immediate annuity, there is an immediate monthly payout. \u00a0\u00a0Before the Deficit Reduction Act, immediate annuities had an uncertain status.\u00a0 Now, they are being used more regularly to provide cash streams even where assets cannot be protected.\u00a0 There are specific defined criteria more detailed than can be covered here.<\/p>\n

Assisted Living Update.<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 \u00a0Assisted Living facilities are being seen by government as a way to house many residents of the sort currently residing in nursing homes.\u00a0 This has both positive and negative aspects.\u00a0 Assisted living may have more of a long term \u201chotel\u201d feel to it but employees may experience difficulty while trying to safely maintain seriously ill residents.\u00a0 The trade off contained in Act 56 of 2007 is referred to as \u201cinformed consent\u201d or \u201cnegotiated risk.\u201d which could waive a facility\u2019s liability.\u00a0 There is currently no obligation for the government to pay assisted living expense under the Medicaid program.<\/p>\n

Other issues discussed included use of Irrevocable Grantor Trusts for both tax saving and Medicaid purposes, expansion of the Medicaid At-Home Waiver Program, Pennsylvania\u2019s transitioning to home program and concerns with the program specific to Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania\u2019s Long Term Care Insurance Partnership Program, claims against adult children under Act 43 of 2005 and defenses, update on Medicare D, PACE and prescription drug coverage. \u00a0\u00a0We were busy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Every year for the past 11 years in July, \u00a0I pack my belongings and trek to Harrisburg for what I refer to as \u201cElder Law Boot Camp, \u201d joining hundreds of lawyers for two days to brush up on hot new changes in elder law and to network with the lawyers who comprise the Pennnsylvania […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[181],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nNews Flashes from the Pennsylvania Elder Law Institute -<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/collitonlaw.com\/news-flashes-from-the-pennsylvania-elder-law-institute\/\" \/>\n<meta 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