Hello Friends, Many of you may not know this, but I have a pretty strong fear of heights.  However, a friend managed to convince me to try a little mountain climbing recently.  All I can say is I tried never to look down and managed to make it to the top.  As they say, the [...]

Hello Ben! I am working with someone who is currently receiving SSI benefits (he became entitled in March of 2009). We just found out this person will probably become eligible for Disabled Widower’s Benefits, retroactive to September of 2008. His Disabled Widower’s Benefit will be about $847.00 per month. The consumer is very concerned about [...]

Hi Everyone: It’s been difficult to stay in touch lately and I hope you are all doing well. Here’s a recent pic from my travels from the Erg Chebbi Dunes, in the Sahara, Morocco. It was a beautiful sunset but I don’t mind saying I was a little afraid of this camel who’s name was [...]

Happy belated Thanksgiving everyone! As I indicated in my last post, some warmth was in the plans for my next travel destination. I’m happy to be checking in with you from paradise – Kauai, Hawaii. Even more exciting, my sister Quimby was able to join me for part of this trip and experience her first [...]

My friend Nate from ERI is always asking me when I’m going to take a trip to someplace interesting like Antarctica so I’m very excited to give him a shout out from that very place! “Hey Nate! Thanks for the suggestion.” I can report that I have not seen any polar bears from land, air [...]

Hi Ben, I have a question about 1619b, earning and CIP1b funding. If a single adult on SSI earns approximately $20,000 per year and has the option of taking company “private” insurance would this person be ineligible for Medicaid (1619b)? Let’s consider this person meets all other eligibility requirements for MA. Also, If this person [...]

Hi Ben I am working with a couple who are planning to get married in August. They are both working and are both in 1619(b) status. He also receives an SSDI payment on his own record of $618.00. She is earning around $1450 per month and he is earning around $450 per month. They want [...]

Visiting Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China where they recently marked the 20th anniversary of the military crackdown on student protesters who gathered demanding democracy. Tiananmen Square is the world’s largest public square, and the very heart of modern China. Oddly, we lunched at a McDonald’s nearby which sported a “famous western people” theme – including [...]

Hi Ben! I had a question recently about State-Only 1619(b) and assets. In getting the answer I was told State-Only 1619(b) works “just like federal 1619(b)” yet I am unclear exactly how that works as well. So, my question is this: If a person is receiving Medicaid under 1619(b) and goes over $2,000 in assets [...]

It’s always been a dream of mine to explore the Great Barrier Reef in the Coral Sea along Australia’s northeastern coast. This week, I am doing just that! Yesterday, I sailed off the coast of Cairns and did some diving with a crew of eight. I saw some amazing things including a giant sea turtle [...]