Tag: #MedicaidRoslyn

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Scott B. Silverberg, Esq.

Scott B. Silverberg, Esq. Elected President New York Chapter Of National Academy Of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA)

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We are extremely proud to announce that Scott Silverberg has been elected President of the New York chapter of NAELA.

Scott is dedicated to elevating the profession and has been active with NAELA as well as other national and regional legal organizations.

“My goal as President is to build NAELA in terms of impact and membership. Our work with the New York Legislature focuses on protecting seniors and special needs individuals, at the same time we seek to improve the skills of Elder Lawyers,” he commented recently. “I’m excited about taking this leadership role and look forward to a busy and fulfilling term.”

NAELA is a professional organization of attorneys dedicated to  helping clients with the legal issues associated with aging, including probate and estate planning, guardianship/conservatorship, public benefits, health and long-term care planning and special needs.  Scott is a member of the National Board of Directors of NAELA and was previously Vice President of the New York Chapter.

Scott is a member of The Estate Planning Council of Nassau County, a member chapter of the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils (NAEPC).  For the New York State Bar Association, Scott is Chair of the Technology Committee and Vice-Chair of the Practice Management Committee of the Elder Law and Special Needs Section Executive Committee. He is also a member of the Nassau County Bar Association.

Scott focuses his practice on estate planning, Elder Law, and special needs planning. He has attained the L.L.M. (Master of Laws) in Elder Law from the prestigious Stetson University School of Law and is a graduate of Fordham Law School (J.D., 2013). He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

Scott is admitted to practice in New York State.

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Elder Law Attorney Stephen J. Silverberg Named To 2022 Super Lawyers and Scott B. Silverberg Named Rising Star 2022

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For the sixteenth consecutive year, Stephen J. Silverberg has been named to the New York Metro Super Lawyers list as one of the top New York metro area lawyers for 2022. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers selects only five percent of the lawyers in the state to receive this honor. Super Lawyers has named Silverberg to its select list of attorneys for sixteen consecutive years, from 2007 to 2022.

Stephen J. Silverberg is recognized nationally as a leader in estate planning, estate administration, asset preservation planning, and Elder Law. He is a past President of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), an organization of almost five thousand Elder Law attorneys throughout the country. He was named a NAELA Fellow, the highest honor bestowed by NAELA to “attorneys… whose careers concentrate on Elder Law, and who have distinguished themselves both by making exceptional contributions to meeting the needs of older Americans and by demonstrating a commitment to the Academy.” Mr. Silverberg was a founding member of the New York State chapter of NAELA and served as President of the chapter.

He is a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA), designated by the National Elder Law Foundation under the auspices of the American Bar Association. To obtain this designation, an applicant must pass a full-day written examination and is subject to rigorous blind peer review. Since 1993, fewer than 525 Elder Law attorneys in the United States have earned the designation. Martindale-Hubbell has rated Mr. Silverberg AV Preeminent (5.0 out of 5.0), the highest possible designation.

Scott B. Silverberg, for the third consecutive year, was named to the 2022 New York Metro Rising Stars list. To qualify, New York Metro Rising Stars must be younger than 40 or have been practicing for less than ten years. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers designates no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state to receive this honor.

He is a member of the National Board of Directors of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and the Board of Directors and Treasurer of the New York State Chapter of NAELA. Scott is Vice-Chair of the Practice Management Committee of the Elder Law and Special Needs Section Executive Committee of the New York State Bar Association. In 2022, he became a member of the Estate Planning Council of Nassau County, a member chapter of the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils (NAEPC). He is also a member of the Nassau County Bar Association.

Scott has attained the LL.M. (Master of Laws) in Elder Law from Stetson University School of Law. This rigorous program is offered only to Elder Law practitioners who have provided legal services in Elder Law matters in complex areas of the law. Stetson’s L.L.M. Elder Law program faculty comprises many leading attorneys in Elder Law.

Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from over 70 practice areas who have attained substantial peer recognition and professional achievement. A patented multiphase process includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area to create the list. The result is a credible, comprehensive, and diverse listing of exceptional attorneys. The Super Lawyers lists are published nationwide in Super Lawyers Magazines and leading city and regional magazines and newspapers across the country. Super Lawyers Magazines also feature editorial profiles of attorneys who embody excellence in the practice of law. For more information about Super Lawyers, visit SuperLawyers.com.

The Law Office of Stephen J. Silverberg, PC, represents clients in estate and tax planning, estate administration, asset preservation planning, and Elder Law and related issues. The Law Office of Stephen J. Silverberg, PC is at 185 Roslyn Road, Roslyn Heights, NY 11577, 516-307-1236, and online at www.sjslawpc.com.

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Stephen J. Silverberg Named a Top Business Leader by Prominent Nassau Publisher

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I am honored to be named to Blank Slate Media’s first Top Business Leaders of Nassau County Award and invite you to join me on Thursday, February 18, at 7 PM for a virtual awards event with Michael Dowling, CEO of Northwell Health as a fellow honoree and keynote speaker.

As if being honored along with Michael Dowling wasn’t enough, I am pleased to find myself in such good company. Other local luminaries being honored that night include:

  • Stuart Rabinowitz, President, Hofstra University
  • Andrew Malekoff, CEO North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center
  • Michael N. Rosenblut, President & CEO, Parker Jewish Institute
  • Jeffrey L. Reynolds, President & CEO, Family and Children’s Association
  • Phil Palumbo, Founder, CEO, Palumbo Wealth Management
  • Jan Burman, President, The Engel Burman Group
  • Edward Blumenfeld, President & Founder, Blumenfeld Development Group
  • Richard Kessel, Chairman, Nassau County IDA/LEAC

We were asked about the business impact of the pandemic in March 2020 when the state placed all but essential services on “pause.”

We transitioned to remote work smoothly, as our firm’s management, document storage, and communications systems were all internet and cloud-based even before the pandemic, allowing attorneys and staff to work in the office, at home, or anywhere. Investing in technology has always been a high value at the firm, and clients benefited from our ability to keep working without interruption. Since returning to the office, we have followed all CDC guidelines, including masks and sterilization requirements.

To see the complete list of honorees and register for this virtual event, click here.

To see the journal for this event, click here.

We hope to “see” you on Thursday, February 18!

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How Do the New Rules for Community Medicaid for Home Care Work?

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While October 1, 2020 may feel like it’s a long way off, it will be here before you know it. October 1 is the date when a host of new rules go into effect regarding Medicaid home care and all community based long term care services. It is essential to plan now if this is on the event horizon for you or a member of your family.

Perhaps the most significant change is the 30 month look-back for Community Medicaid. It provides care for people at home and other benefits for people living in the community. After October 1, 2020, anyone who wants to receive Community Medicaid benefits must submit financial statements for the past 30 months, or 2.5 years, when applying for benefits. Any funds transferred by the applicant or a spouse may create a period when the person will not be eligible for Medicaid benefits. That starts on October 1, 2020.

Until October 1, 2020, there is no look-back period and no penalties for transfers, so now is the time to talk with our office so we can create a plan.

Next, there are changes to the CDPAP – Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) and PCS (Personal Care Services) program. The CDPAP allows recipients to hire a non-licensed person to provide services in the home, instead of through a home healthcare agency. The person can be a family member, friend, or someone the family knows to provide caregiving, and Medicaid pays for that care.

The New York State Department of Health is creating a new assessment tool to determine how much care a person will receive through Medicaid.

And instead of your treating doctor giving you the go-ahead, after October 1, 2020, the plan of care will need to be determined by an independent physician approved by the Department of Health.

The PCS program allows Medicaid recipients to receive care services through home healthcare agencies who have contracts with the local department of social services.

Changes that also begin on October 1, 2020:

Eligibility requirements change – you must require help with three (3) ADLs (Activities of Daily Living). It is an increase from the previous requirement of needing help with two (2) ADLs, meaning people will require more care to be eligible for Community Medicaid. Those diagnosed with dementia, including Alzheimer’s, need require only help with one (1) ADL. The Activities of Daily Living include bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, walking, turning, positioning, and feeding.

For those who believe they will need help, an application for Medicaid must be completed and submitted soon. Many people will likely wait until September, but that’s a mistake. Wait too long, and you or a loved one may not get the services needed.

If you have questions about Medicaid and these changes, please call our office at 516-307-1236. We are open and able to serve you through phone, email, and videoconferencing.

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Spousal Refusal Saved – But Look Back for Homecare Timeframe Shrinks

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Good news for New Yorkers regarding Medicaid and Spousal Refusal – the New York State Education and Health Budget Bill is making progress through the New York State legislature. Due to the efforts of the NYS Bar Association Elder Law Section and the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the state legislature has rejected proposals to eliminate Spousal Refusal and severely reduce the minimum Community Spouse Resource Allowance (CSRA).

However, it is not all good news. Beginning October 1, 2020, there will be a 30 month (2 ½ years) look back for all home care services. Any asset transfers made during or after that date will cause a penalty period determined the same way as for Skilled Nursing Level Medicaid. This change will mainly affect single people. Married couples can still use Spousal Refusal, and transfers between spouses are not subject to the look back or penalty periods.

The earliest effective date for the Home Care Look Back is October 1, 2020. If we are still in a New York State-declared state of emergency (and let’s hope we are not),  the Director of the Budget can delay the effective date for another 90 days.

Some of the other changes are not great.

To determine whether a person is eligible for care, they must need assistance performing three (3) Activities of Daily Living (ADL); previously, the requirement was the inability to perform only two (2) ADLs.  There are exceptions for individuals with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or other Dementia diagnoses; in those cases, they will need to show a need for assistance with only one ADL. That also starts on October 1, 2020.

Effective October 1, 2020, the individual’s personal treating physician necessarily may not be permitted to approve their treatment plan for Medicaid Personal Care Services (PCS) and Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) services. A “qualified independent physician” selected or approved by the Department of Health must determine the plan of treatment. There is no guidance as to what this means.

Finally, there is a long-range plan for Local Departments of Social Services (LDSS), Managed Long Term Care (MLTC), and Medicaid Managed Care (MMC) for the assessment and approval of the number of hours. It will require using a Task-Based Assessment Tool developed, starting on April 1, 2021, and the date for the full takeover of the Assessment and approval process by DOH is October 1, 2022.

The above are significant changes. There are still questions about implementing these changes. My colleagues and I are reviewing these provisions, and I’ll continue to keep you posted.