We don’t always give a shout out for symposiums sponsored by others, but we’ll make an exception here. The 2022 Special Needs Planning Symposium looks like an all-star cast for anyone on the west coast who works with special needs individuals (especially if you can’t make it to Stetson). Two sessions look especially interesting: (1) […]
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Cooperative federalism is not license to re-write clear federal rules (Co. App.) Ruth Koehler sued the Department after it terminated her benefits under its Medicaid Home and Community Based Services for the Elderly, Blind and Disabled (HCBS) program. Ruth, an elderly disabled woman, received HCBS as an alternative to nursing home care. Her husband resided […]
On July 29, 2016, the Elder Law Practice of David L. McGuffey hosted a Special Needs Roundtable in Dalton, Georgia. Our Key Note speaker was Hal Wright, author of the Complete Guide to Creating a Special Needs Life Plan: A Comprehensive Approach Integrating Life, Resource, Financial, and Legal Planning to Ensure a Brighter Future. The […]
In Great-West Life & Annuity Ins. Co. v. Knudson, 534 U.S. 204 (2002), an ERISA plan bought an action to recover funds paid to settle an MVA involving Janette Knudson. The plan spent $411,157.11 on Janette’s medical expenses; all but $75,000 was paid by Great-West under a stop loss agreement. The plan included a reimbursement […]
In Sereboff v. Mid-Atlantic Medical Services, Inc., 547 U.S. 356 (2006), an ERISA Plan sued the plan beneficiaries when funds were distributed to the Sereboffs without first satisfying an ERISA lien. The ERISA plan sued for injunctive relief, requesting a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction requiring the couple to retain and set aside at […]
This case presents the question whether a trust created with reference to the Federal Medicaid statutes — the Valerie R. Pecce Supplemental Needs Trust (2001 trust) — should be reformed due to mistake. According to the petitioner, Gino DiGiacomo, the 2001 trust incorrectly and unnecessarily provides that trust assets must first be used to reimburse […]
Sonya Lotzer and Bobbi Lerud were in separate collisions. After settling their negligence claims, they funded special needs trusts without first paying Medicaid liens asserted by the State of Minnesota. Norwest Bank filed a declaratory judgment action alleging that Medicaid’s right to recover is deferred until the beneficiary’s death where a third party recovery is […]
A tort plaintiff sought to fund his special needs trust without first repaying the Medicaid lien. Citing Norwest, the Court concluded that 1396p(d)(4) does not alter Medicaid’s right to recover on its lien prior to funding a special needs trust. The recipient’s rights against the third-party tortfeasor were assigned when he applied for and received […]
A 51 year old nursing home resident assigned her Social Security Disability check to a special needs trust. She then argued that the SSD payment was not subject to Medicaid’s co-pay requirement. The Department rejected her argument, requiring that she pay her SSD (less her personal needs allowance) toward the cost of nursing home care. […]
