Elder Law - Cozen O'Connor

01/06/2022

In an update on the Biden Administration's vaccine mandate for health care and long-term care facility staff members, the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration announced Jan. 4, 2022, that it would follow Florida law, which prohibits private employers from imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates unless certain broad exemptions are made available. This is counter to a Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services' memorandum from Dec. 28, 2021, stating that CMS would begin enforcing the vaccine mandate in 25 states, including Florida. According to AHCA, this new memorandum adds significant regulatory requirements to the CMS vaccine mandate rule and creates a lack of uniformity among health care providers.

The Agency is responsible for health facilities licensure, inspection, and regulatory enforcement; investigation of consumer complaints related to health care facilities and managed care plans; the implementation of the Certificate of Need program; the operation of the Florida Center for Health Info...

01/05/2022

The IRS has announced the gift and estate tax figures and exemption amounts for 2022. Visit the IRS for these and other inflation-adjusted amounts here.

Find the latest information and guidance on filing estate and gift tax.

01/04/2022

The new 2022 VA rates for pension and disability compensation are out and available here: http://ow.ly/C0IB50HjASB

12/31/2021

Wishing you a joyful and successful 2022!

12/30/2021

Medicare has released Part A & B premiums and deductibles and Medicare Part D income-related monthly adjustment amounts for 2022. Read more here.

On November 12, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2022 premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts for the Medicare Part A and Part B programs, and the 2022 Medicare Part D income-related monthly adjustment amounts. Medicare Part B Premium and Deductible

12/29/2021

In an alarming new statistic, one out of every 100 older American has died of COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many of those deaths occured in nursing homes. Read more here.

One out of every 100 older American has died of COVID-19 since the pandemic began as the nation moves toward a gruesome milestone of 800,000 deaths. At least three-quarters of the nearly 800,000 who have died of COVID have been over 65, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control an...

12/28/2021

Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will increase 5.9 percent in 2022 for approximately 70 million Americans. The new monthly federal SSI payment standard is $841/individual and $1,261/couple. The estimated average monthly Social Security retirement payment for individuals is $1,565 a month. And the maximum amount of earnings subject to Social Security taxation is now $147,000. Get benefit amounts for 2022 here.

Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Information

12/24/2021

From the Elder Law team at Cozen O'Connor, we wish you and your family a very happy and healthy holiday season!

12/22/2021

Cozen O'Connor attorneys Ellen S. Morris and Howard S. Krooks, CELA, CAP discuss the impact of income restrictions on community spouses in this new, helpful and informative video with captions. Our attorneys have ways to increase the amount of income that community spouses can retain, including bringing court proceedings. Please watch Ellen and Howie here.
http://ow.ly/eW3a50HgW4k

12/20/2021

As members of The Florida Bar Elder Law Section, our attorneys have been among the strongest advocates for legislation to help protect vulnerable adults in Florida from exploitation and abuse. We're making progress but there is still much to do.

Our highly trained attorneys are adept at navigating all the complexities of elder law and have received praise for their superlative work from clients, peers, and other professionals in the industry.

12/16/2021

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and state Democrats are holding talks about delaying the WA Cares long-term care payroll tax, originally set to begin in January 2022, until January 2023, citing the need for some changes to the program before the new tax takes effect.

Passed in 2019 by the Legislature and signed by Inslee, the WA Cares Fund creates a 0.58% payroll deduction on employees, set to begin in January.

12/15/2021

California Gov. Gavin Newsome has signed a revised version of the End of Life Option Act that loosens some restrictions, including reducing the 15-day waiting period to just two days and eliminating the final attestation.

Nearly 2,000 terminally ill Californians have used a 2015 law to end their lives with a doctor’s assistance. A revision of the law will make it easier to do so.