Senior Planning Services Resources

Medicaid Made Simple – Senior Planning Case Manager Care

Post author By sps
Post date March 28, 2018

The Medicaid eligibility application process can be very stressful for applicants and their families. Allow Senior Planning to take on the comprehensive Medicaid eligibility process for you or your loved one. Thousands of Medicaid applicants and their families have relied on the expertise of Senior Planning Services. We’re here to help.
Allow Senior Planning’s skilled case managers to handle your entire Medicaid eligibility application process from start to finish. This video demonstrates our case managers’ role in the Medicaid process.

Transcript: We don’t just offer a financial service. You’re assigned a case manager who is going to hold your hand through the entire process and be your point of contact. It makes it a really simple and enjoyable process for the seniors, the families and the organizations that are providing the care.

Learn more at: https://www.seniorplanning.com/ or call us at 1-855-775-2664.

Michael Steinberg Speaks with the Huffington Post about the Medicaid Application Process

Post author By sps
Post date January 1, 2018

Our own Michael Steinberg was featured in a Huffington Post article earlier this month. He offers information and advice on the two eligibility categories related to Medicaid applications: clinical eligibility and financial eligibility.

Clinical Eligibility

Clinical or medical Medicaid eligibility and reimbursable services are determined by individual state criteria. Michael explains that proof of clinical eligibility is not a complicated process.

Financial Eligibility

On the other hand, proving an individual qualifies for Medicaid services based on their financial standing is a daunting task. Applicants must gather financial documentation for five years – which is known as the five year look back. Every cash-value asset must be reported to show proof of financial eligibility.

The Problem faced by Skilled Nursing Facilities

What does this mean to skilled nursing facilities? If a patient is having trouble obtaining Medicaid approval, the facility is no doubt having trouble getting paid. About 55 percent of nursing home patients are on Medicaid, delays in reimbursements based on eligibility could be a big financial hardship to the nursing home business.

Michael advises that the best way to prepare for what’s ahead is to be well versed in Medicaid rules and guidelines. An even better idea is to leave it to the experts, such as the team at Senior Planning Services.

Read Michael Steinberg’s entire Huffington Post Interview Here.

Company News

Allow Senior Planning Services to Take on the Medicaid Application Process from Start to Finish

Post author By sps
Post date October 26, 2017

Learn more at: www.senior-planning.com. Or call us at 1-855-775-2664.

Transcript: To some people it comes as a shock they’ve just been sitting at the breakfast table and on the next day end up in a hospital and have to go to a nursing home. And the families are almost paralyzed over what’s ahead of them and what they’re gonna need to face. We’re really here to help you, it’s not easy getting someone on to Medicaid but that’s really what we’re here for. We’re completely devoted to do a Medicaid application, that’s all that we do every day.

I’m Melissa Grassman, admissions director at Hampton Ridge Healthcare. The Medicaid application is very, very stressful, having to consistently go back and forth to the banks, to pension companies, to the board of social services, so Senior Planning takes a huge burden off the family.

Once somebody retains our services, they are assigned a designated caseworker. You don’t have to worry about, OK did this one get my bank statement, and this one you’re assigned the case manager who is going to hold your hand through the entire process and be your one point of contact and it makes it a really simple and enjoyable process for the seniors, the families and the organizations that are providing the care.

We are a large company but yet we’re still a mom-and-pop operation in a sense that we still provide the highest level of customer service to both our clients and to the facilities. Customer service is really key because when you have family members that are going through a tough time where they’re putting a loved one into a skilled nursing facility or they are already there, they need that extra love, they need that extra communication, they need to know that there’s always going to be somebody there to answer their question.

So once an application is approved it’s extremely exciting and you call the families and you tell them and you can just feel the joy that they have and the relief that this person’s now nursing home bill is going to be paid. It’s, you know, $10,000 or more a month and it’s gonna be taken over by Medicaid and they’re not gonna be responsible for that. You could really feel the relief and the appreciation that the families have for Senior Planning for taking over and really taking the burden off of their shoulders.

About Us:
Senior Planning Services’ Medicaid specialists are well versed in all of Medicaid’s guidelines and will handle the entire Medicaid application process from start to finish. Allow us to take on the stressful burden ofobtaining Medicaid, knowing you or your loved one is in good hands with our knowledgeable staff. The services we offer in Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut are all the same; our goal is to simplify the Medicaid application process and alleviate the anxiety associated with it. Call us for a free consultation: 1-855-775-2664.

Company News

Register For #HealthcareSummit17!

Post author By sps
Post date May 15, 2017

What You Need To Know

This year’s Healthcare Summit is bigger than ever. It’s on June 19 – 20 at The Coaches Club at MetLife Stadium. We had a Q&A with Ovadyah Stavsky, Director of Marketing at SPS and LTC, to find out what you need to know to get the most out of the packed agenda.

Q: This is the sixth annual Healthcare Summit. What’s new this year?

We’ve taken the learnings from each of the previous Healthcare Summits and have built them into this year’s event. The Healthcare Summit started outfairly small, but due to overflowing classes and increased success year after year, we’ve scaled the program to a full two-day event. We are offering attendees up to three CEUs per day for a total of six, and all workshops are approved LNHA’s, CALA’s, DON’s and SW’s, and for all states.

The Healthcare Summit is all about appreciation and learning opportunities for our clients and healthcare professionals. I’m sure attendees won’t be disappointed.

Q: Can you tell us about the informative CEU sessions?

On Monday, June 19th, there are two sessions on “Utilization Review Today – Everything You Need to Know…And Then Some!” The UR process controls costs and quality of care, which protects both patients and facilities. Each session earns 1.5 CEUs, for a total of 3 CEUs for the full course.

Tuesday’s two-part program is on a topic that doesn’t receive enough attention: “From High School to Old School: Elders Who Bully and Strategies to Intervene.” Some seniors in facilities undergo the same unfair treatment as high school students. Again, each session earns 1.5 CEUs.

Attendees do not have to go to all sessions to get credits. New Jersey social workers should be aware that they must attend part one and two of a course for three credits. They can’t receive 1.5 for half of a course.

Q: Who are the platinum sponsors?

We are very excited about our platinum sponsors! They are:

Mobilex USA, America’s leading provider of mobile imaging services. Mobilex brings x-ray and sonogram technology to your facility. For over 35 years, they have been serving patients in over 7000 facilities throughout most of the United States.

Brian Patten and Associates specializes in assisting organizations in the explanation in enrollment of core and ancillary employee benefits. Their management team has over 54 years of benefit and rolling and consulting experience, and the service over 1.5 million employees throughout all 50 states.

APS Marketing Group is a full-service marketing agency. They help companies make a good first impression and work with brands on reputation control.

Tech-Keys is your one-stop destination for everything IT. From IT Consulting through system design, implementation and ongoing maintenance, Tech-Keys provides all the technological support your facility or organization needs to stay relevant in today’s digital world.

We encourage Summit attendees to visit with our platinum sponsors during the event.

Q: Bo Dietl is your guest speaker this year. What can attendees expect from his address?

With Bo, one thing I’m sure we can expect is the unexpected. Bo is a force of nature and is always memorable. He is one of the most highly decorated NYPD detectives in the history of the NYPD and he runs one of the most successful private investigation firms in the country. He’s quintessentially New York, and he’s currently running for mayor of New York.

Q: Who should attend the Healthcare Summit?

The daytime courses are designed for healthcare professionals, such as administrators of nursing homes and assisted living facilities, social workers, and directors of nursing. Others in the industry, such as BOM’s etc., will enjoy and benefit from the networking events. We look forward to seeing you there!

To register for this event visit www.njhealthcaresummit.com.

Health and Wellness

Continuity of Care for SeniorsPlan a Smooth Transition from Hospital to Nursing Home

Post author By sps
Post date April 27, 2017

Pre-planning for a patient or family member’s move from a hospital into a skilled nursing facility (nursing home) will make the transition easier for everyone involved.

Helping the patient with worrisome financial arrangements will ease the family’s mind and placate the patient.

You may need to learn or get assistance with Medicare guidelines. For example, a patient must be admitted to a hospital and treated as an inpatient for at least three days before being transferred to a nursing home. Otherwise their initial nursing facility care will not be covered under Medicare.

Medicaid qualifications may vary state to state, but there are general guidelines to know. Eligibility for Medicaid is based on the financial income and assets of the patient. But, people who are not qualified based on their finances may be eligible for Medicaid assistance if they have high medical expenses that “spend down” their income levels. Also, if the patient has a spouse, it’s important to understand spousal protection rules.

With finances secure, you can help a patient have a safe and healthy move by providing all necessary information to the nursing home. It’s unfortunate, but depending upon the facilities involved, you may need to assist with communications between the hospital and nursing home. The most critical information to verify is that the hospital provides accurate and complete medical history and treatment records. If the proper prescriptions are not included with the patient’s transfer, they may not have immediate access to important medications. The continuity of care also includes any ongoing medical treatments that are essential to the patient’s health and comfort, such as dialysis, physical therapy, and pain management.

There is information other than medical records that is vital for a smooth transition. Confirm that the nursing home is aware of cultural needs that will affect the patient’s well-being. Medical transfer records may not include essentials such as language(s) spoken, diet restrictions, and religious practices.

Finally, decorate the patient’s new room with items from home. Family pictures, knick-knacks, and a quilt or linens will make the new surroundings comfortable and familiar.

Many agree that there is a great deal of room for improvement in the patient transition process. It certainly can be overwhelming for family caregivers to handle. If you feel unsure about the process, ask a professional. ‘

Find out more about how Senior Planning Services can help. We provide the assistance needed for a well-planned and stress-free transition for both the patient and their family.

Health and Wellness

Understanding Sundowning

Post author By sps
Post date April 24, 2017

Sundowning is the term for daily symptomatic personality changes that dementia patients experience. Sundowning occurs around the same time every day; usually at dusk. You may notice your patient or loved one experiencing some or all of these symptoms in the evening.

• Intensified confusion
• Agitation
• Pacing and wandering
• Restlessness
• Sleeplessness
• Combative behavior

Since our clocks shifted ahead an hour and the days are getting longer, your family member or patient may experience sundowning symptoms a bit later in the day, which could require a change to their caregiver’s schedule or adjustments to the patient’s evening routine.

The most important thing is that you understand that Sundowning is real, and you should treat it as you do other dementia symptoms. It’s helpful to know that there are things you can do to help minimize the patient’s symptoms.

Some theories state that mental and physical fatigue brings on sundowning symptoms. However, if a fatigued patient is treated with a familiar evening routine in peaceful and calm surroundings, they will wind down with minimum stress and be prepared for a good night sleep. To reduce sleep disturbances, encourage daytime activity and exercise, and discourage excessive daytime napping.

The right eating habits can also help reduce sundowning symptoms. Be sure to limit late day caffeine and sugar.You may even shift your patient’s eating habits by serving a larger meal earlier in the day, and prepare a lighter fare for dinner. This will make them more feel more comfortable and will help provide a more restful sleep.

As the day comes to an end, the darkness itself can cause problems for dementia patients. Increased shadows can make them unsure of what they see. This could cause agitation and fear. Be sure to turn on indoor lights as soon as daylight begins to fade. Keep a nightlight on when your patient goes to bed. If they awake during the night, they will not feel as frightened or confused if there is light in the room.

For more information on sundowning and sleep disturbances, visit the Alzheimer’s’ Association website.

resources

Clinical Eligibility

Financial Eligibility

The Problem faced by Skilled Nursing Facilities