Law Office of Christina Lesher, P.C.

04/02/2025

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/04/01/g-s1-57716/hhs-layoffs-seniors-disabled-liheap-acl

Staff that administer programs to help the elderly, disabled people and poor families with basic needs lost their jobs amid the Trump administration's layoffs.

03/27/2025

As a Gen Xer, I am ready for community living with an option to office on the property. It will be interesting to see how long-term care providers respond to the needs of Generation X compared to Boomers.

Retirement communities are courting members of Gen X, who will outnumber baby boomers in 2028.

03/18/2025

Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, or professional in the field , this webinar by Consolidated Planning Group will provide valuable insights on Special Needs Trusts. Register now to join the webinar!
REGISTER HERE: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NXxqf_MuQ2aDAResHxACtA

03/06/2025

The House GOP has ordered the Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicare and Medicaid funding, to cut $880 billion in a bill to advance Trump's agenda.

03/04/2025

Join attorney, Christina Lesher and care manager, Robert Pierce to learn more about Medicaid and how the recent budget cuts will affect many Texas families.

03/03/2025

March commemorates Brain Injury Awareness Month! Learn more with Health and Human Services Brain Injury Programs. They are hosting a free weekly webinar series with the underlying theme of "Creating a Foundation of Resiliency and Recovery. Providing Support, to Grow and Connect.”

02/26/2025

Medicaid is NOT a handout: 92% of Medicaid recipients are either actively employed, retired, under the age of 15, have a major disability, are a full-time caretaker for a loved one who is sick or elderly, or are a single parent with a young child. This is why Republican arguments about "work requirements" are made in bad faith -- the vast majority of beneficiaries who can work are working and those who aren't working are actively looking for work. It is a guise to rip away care from people who need it and would force single mothers and caretakers to choose between caring for their loved ones and having health insurance.

Medicaid is a lifeline for tens of millions – many of which are the most vulnerable among us – and Republicans are stealing from them in order to finance a tax giveaway for the most well-to-do in our society.

This resolution is not law yet and can still be defeated: Add your name if you OPPOSE cutting Medicaid benefits and coverage to pay for tax cuts for the rich.

02/26/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/166CziXrHB/

🆘 🚨 ACTION ALERT 🚨 🆘
Make your voices heard TODAY. Take 2 minutes NOW to call or email your US House of Representatives congressional member, and tell them you value people with disabilities and oppose budget cuts to Medicaid. Call your congressional representative and say: “please do not make any cuts to Medicaid.” Make sure to include your name and full address so your call gets recorded. Congressional budget vote took place tonight, but the details will still have to be hammered out and agreed upon by lawmakers.

Click to call https://caring.nu/no-medicaid-cuts or dial 866-426-2631. Find your Congressional representative here: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

Despite promises not to cut Medicaid, the current U.S. House proposal includes $880 billion dollars in cuts, and would inevitably lead to steep cuts to an already underfunded Medicaid program, according to both Republican and Democrat lawmakers. People with significant disabilities comprise too much of the Medicaid budget to remain unscathed.

Many Americans don’t realize what a lifeline is for people with disabilities. Below is a brief summary:

The vast majority of people with significant disabilities use Medicaid as their primary or secondary health insurance, typically through TEFRA/Katie Beckett or Medicaid waivers (which go by different names in different states). These are special Medicaid waivers for people with disabilities that can be used as their primary or secondary insurance and is important because it covers things like speech and physical therapy, nursing care, medical equipment, and other services that are usually not covered by regular health insurance policies.

Home and Community Based Service [HCBS] waivers, which compromise about 37% of all Medicaid spending, are the real life blood for people with disabilities. These waivers are super hard to get--requiring reams of documentation validating that a person is significantly disabled. These waivers cover things that are medically necessary for people with significant disabilities and their families to function: day programs, community support staff, diapers and formula for adults who use feeding tubes, specialized nursing care, and so much more.

In 1960s, people with disabilities were shuttled off to institutions where they lived in awful conditions and were segregated from the rest of society. When the terrible conditions of filth and neglect at these institutions were exposed, people started fighting to keep their loved ones with disabilities at home and families together. This was much less expensive than the government paying for institutionalized care and much better for people with disabilities, but it does cost money because our kids require more support than a typical family can afford alone. Our kids and families have inherent worth and value and contribute to the world in individual and meaningful ways.

Many people don't realize the infrastructure of support that it takes for us to thrive and be vital members of communities across the US. And now we are calling on you to let us know you really, truly care about what makes it possible. Please contact your Congressperson NOW and tell them you love us and don't want any budget cuts that would impact Medicaid.

Some may say that we're overreacting and surely these cuts won't apply to people with disabilities, but here's a thought to consider: if you call and express your support for people with disabilities and Medicaid to members of Congress who never intended to cut our programs, then you've just affirmed support for us and no harm done. If, however, these Congress members either intentionally or inadvertently do cut our programs, and you said nothing, the consequences are catastrophic for families like ours. People with disabilities lose community access and vital medical services; people with disabilities, parents, and caregivers lose jobs; and our communities miss out on people who matter. The risk of inaction is profoundly worse than the risk of proactive advocacy.

https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/how-many-people-use-medicaid-long-term-services-and-supports-and-how-much-does-medicaid-spend-on-those-people/

*With gratitude to Stephanie Hall Meredith, a parent of a child with disabilities, for select excerpts shared from the heart

02/22/2025

Interested in planning for a special needs person? Come see me next week on why you need a special needs attorney and special needs financial planner on your team!

02/13/2025

Understand what is observation status and why it is important with Attorney Christina Lesher. Check out our video on observation status on our Instagram.

02/04/2025

01/29/2025

Gong Xi Fa Cai! Happy Lunar New Year! May the Year of the Snake bring you success and joy in all aspects of life.

01/24/2025

Thank you so much to my friends at UT Health Houston/ McGovern Medical School Department of Pediatrics for having me speak at the 2025 LEND Conference! What a treat to meet special needs, parents, and providers!

Christina Lesher provides comprehensive legal advice on Long-Term Care Plans, Elder Law, & Medicaid.

01/02/2025

Aging Life Care Managers® offer relief to caregivers facing burnout by providing tailored solutions.

01/02/2025

Wishing everyone a year filled with success, happiness, and good health. As we welcome 2025, we want to thank everyone for their continued support. 🎉

12/11/2024

Hi everyone, as we enter into the holiday season, be sure to check on the older adults in your life. Your visit will bring them joy and comfort, but your eyes and ears may also detect issues with their care, financial abuse, or maybe memory loss. The family and friends that see them daily may not recognize these slow changes in decline, so if you see something, say something!
A great place to start for help is the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys at naela.org

12/11/2024

If you or a loved one has a Medicare Advantage Plan or HMO or are contemplating enrolling in one- read this!

Abstract. While many Medicare beneficiaries are enrolling in Medicare Advantage (MA), some beneficiaries may want to return to traditional Medicare and pur