Laws are often passed that provide some form of protection while simultaneously creating impediments that were really not intended, and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is one of these. The HIPAA was originally passed back in 1996, and the letter of the law was completed and passed down by the Department of Health and Human Services in 2001. Health care providers and medical insurers are in possession of the medical records of the people they treat and insure, and the … [Read more...] about Patient Privacy & The HIPAA
Five Wishes Provide A Framework
Modern estate planning involves more than just the financial realities that go along with aging, and more and more people are coming to realize this. Living wills and durable powers of attorney for health care are now typically included in estate plans, and this is a very positive step. In our culture we tend to shy away from discussions surrounding death, but it is important to let your family know your thoughts concerning the way that you would like to be treated at the end of your … [Read more...] about Five Wishes Provide A Framework
Purcell & Amen Announce a New Attorney has Joined the Team
The law firm of Purcell & Amen, L.L.C. announces a fourth attorney to join its staff, Jacquelynn M. Capriano. Capriano has been working for the law firm for the past three years as a paralegal while attending law school. She will now help sustain the business of estate planning, trust administration and probate while providing an avenue to grow in the areas of elder law, Medicaid and special needs planning. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to stay on staff at Purcell & Amen,” says … [Read more...] about Purcell & Amen Announce a New Attorney has Joined the Team
What is a Durable Power of Attorney?
A Power of Attorney is a legal document that enables you to give someone you trust the authority to act on your behalf. This is most commonly seen in real estate negotiations, where one or both parties assign authority to their attorneys to negotiate on their behalf. But a Power of Attorney can also be a handy thing to have on a personal level too. A general Power of Attorney would allow your spouse to pay your bills for example, access your checking account and even discuss payment options … [Read more...] about What is a Durable Power of Attorney?
Preparing Yourself for the Possibility of Disability
No one wants to think about the possibility of becoming disabled. However, like death, disability can occur without warning at any time. You might want to consider having a plan in place in the event of an unexpected disability. A good estate planning attorney can help you create a plan that meets your needs, using a variety of incapacity planning documents. Create a Living Will A Living Will is designed to describe what sort of medical treatment you want prior to death. It is not used to … [Read more...] about Preparing Yourself for the Possibility of Disability
What is a Power of Attorney?
A lot of you may have heard of a "Power of Attorney", also known as "attorney-in-fact", but perhaps not all of you really know what it is exactly. There are two broad categories of powers of attorney: 1) Property Power of Attorney; and 2) Health Care Power of Attorney. We'll address the health care power of attorney in a future blog, one that deals with a few separate documents that deal with health care matters. What I want to talk about here is the property power of attorney. By … [Read more...] about What is a Power of Attorney?
