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Legal Links And General Information
Sources
Elder Law
Access to Health Care
- TexasLawHelp.org:
Information on various legal topics, including
health. Also available in Spanish. Visit www.TexasLawHelp.org,
click on health, click on needed topic.
- Texas Attorney
General: Information on access to health
care, selecting a nursing home, and filing a
consumer complaint. Site also available in Spanish.
Visit http://www.oag.state.tx.us,
click on consumer protection, click on consumer
protection brochures, click on access to health
care. For information on selecting a nursing
home, click on Senior Texans on the home page,
and click on selecting a nursing home.
Consumer Issues & Scams
- TexasLawHelp.org:
Information on various legal topics, including
consumer matters. Also available in Spanish.
Visit www.TexasLawHelp.org
and click on consumer.
- National Consumer
Law Center: Information on various consumer
matters, including common consumer scams. Visit
http://www.consumerlaw.org,
click on for consumers, click on free consumer
information.
- Texas Attorney
General: Information on door-to-door
sales, telephone fraud, giving to charities,
mail order sales, and other scams. Site also
available in Spanish. Visit http://www.oag.state.tx.us,
click on consumer protection, click on consumer
protection brochures, click on the publication
that you need. Also click on senior Texans and
consumer alerts for more information on scams.
- Texas Department
of Insurance: Information on insurance
fraud and insurance scams. Visit http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/consumer/index.html
and click on consumer publications.
- Texas Young
Lawyers Association: Information on living
trust scams, telephone fraud, and other consumer
matters. Visit www.tyla.org,
click on serving Texas citizens, and click on
topic.
Grandparent Caretakers of their
Grandchildren
- Texas Access:
A website for parents who don’t have primary
custody of their children. Frequently asked
questions section on paternity, parent’s
rights, grandparent’s rights, protective
orders, crime victims’ funds, back child
support, and changes to custody, visitation,
child support, and medical support. Site also
available in Spanish. Visit http://www.lanwt.org/txaccess/.
- Texas Attorney
General: Under certain circumstances,
grandparents who are raising their grandchildren
can apply for child support services through
the Office of the Attorney General. Visit http://www.oag.state.tx.us/,
click on child support.
- Texas Young
Lawyers Association: Information on grandparent
custody and access in their Family Law Handbook
under custody and conservatorship. Excellent
resource for legal terms used in Texas family
law. Visit http://www.tyla.org/pdfs/2005FamilyLawBrochure.pdf
for brochure.
- Texas Department of State Health Services:
In most cases, grandparents can apply for public
assistance for the grandchildren that they are
raising; for example, getting Medicaid for the
children, food stamps, temporary assistance
for needy families (TANF). TANF also has an
additional one-time lump payment to grandparent
caretakers of grandchildren. Excellent site
for information on adolescent health, audiology
services, children with special health care
needs (CSHCN Program – including application
form), epilepsy, hemophilia, newborn screening,
prenatal and postnatal depression, school vision
and hearing programs, children’s spinal
screening, Texas Health Steps program for children
on Medicaid (including dental), food assistance
and nutrition for pregnant women through Women,
Infants, Children Program (WIC). Visit http://www.dshs.state.tx.us,
click on family and community health. Search
site using “Medicaid” for additional
information on Medicaid managed care in Texas.
Search PACT for information on hearing loss
program for children of low-income families.
Under the CSHCN program, see Insurance Premium
Assistance Program (IPPA) for help paying health
insurance premiums for special needs children
and the Parent/Provider Relations program (PPR)
for help determining who is responsible for
paying bills for special needs children.
- Texas Department
of Transportation: For information on
transportation services for Medicaid recipients
with no other means of transportation (for example,
disabled grandparents caring for disabled children),
visit http://www.dot.state.tx.us/ptn/mtp/mtphome.htm.
- TexCare Partnership:
Apply on-line for children’s Medicaid
for very low-income families or Children’s
Health Insurance Program (CHIP), a flexible
rate program for low-income families that do
not qualify for Medicaid. Listing of CHIP providers
and pharmacies. State employees are not eligible
for CHIP but may qualify for SKIP (see above
for State Health Insurance Program). Available
in Spanish. Visit http://www.texcarepartnership.com/CHIP-Main-Page.htm.
- The State
of Texas Assistance and Referral System (STARS):
Self-screen your eligibility for variety of
Texas assistance programs. Visit http://www.txstars.net/servlet/HSGServlet?page=Home
- Call 2-1-1
to apply for Children’s Health Insurance
Program (CHIP), food stamps, Medicaid, Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and long-term
care in Travis County.
- DivorceNet:
Information on various legal topics, including
family law matters such as grandparent access
to grandchildren. Visit www.divorcenet.com,
click on Texas, click on child custody issues.
Legal Documents for Medical
Treatment Decisions
- TexasLawHelp.org:
Information on various legal topics, including
legal documents. Also available in Spanish.
Visit www.TexasLawHelp.org
and click on health, click on Powers of Attorney/advanced
directives/living wills.
- Texas Department
on Aging and Disability Services (DADS):
For legal documents regarding medical treatment,
including Consent to Medical Treatment form,
Declaration for Mental Health Treatment form,
Directive to Physicians and Family or Surrogate
form, Medical Power of Attorney form, Out-of-Hospital
Do Not Resuscitate form, visit http://www.dads.state.tx.us/news_info/publications/handbooks/index.html.
For help understanding these forms for those
who are disabled or 60 years and older, call
the Legal Hotline for Texans and talk with an
attorney at no charge at (877) 526-9953 or (512)
381-1179.
Medicaid
- TexasLawHelp.org:
Information on various legal topics, including
Medicaid. Also available in Spanish. Visit www.TexasLawHelp.org
and click on health, click on Medicaid.
- Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services of U.S. Department
of Health & Human Services: Information
on Medicaid and Medicare coverage, including
extensive frequently asked questions. Visit
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/.
- Legal Hotline
for Texans: Information on several topics,
including low-cost or free prescription drug
programs for low-income individuals. Visit http://www.tlsc.org/hotline.html,
click on needed topic.
- Texas Department
of Assistive & Rehabilitative Services:
Information on childhood intervention services,
vocational rehabilitative services, services
for blind, deaf, and hard of hearing. Has disability
determination services including frequently
asked questions. Visit http://www.dars.state.tx.us/.
- Texas Department
of State Health Services: Excellent site
for information on adolescent health, audiology
services, breastfeeding, children with special
health care needs (CSHCN Program – including
application form), epilepsy, hemophilia, newborn
screening, prenatal and postnatal depression,
school vision and hearing programs, children’s
spinal screening, Texas Health Steps program
for children on Medicaid (including dental),
food assistance and nutrition for pregnant women
through Women, Infants, Children Program (WIC).
Visit http://www.dshs.state.tx.us,
click on family and community health. Search
site using “Medicaid” for additional
information on Medicaid managed care in Texas.
Search PACT for information on hearing loss
program for children of low-income families.
Under the CSHCN program, see Insurance Premium
Assistance Program (IPPA) for help paying health
insurance premiums for special needs children
and the Parent/Provider Relations program (PPR)
for help determining who is responsible for
paying bills for special needs children.
- Texas Department
of Transportation: For information on
transportation services for Medicaid recipients
with no other means of transportation, visit
http://www.dot.state.tx.us/ptn/mtp/mtphome.htm.
- Texas Health
and Human Services Commission: For information
and assistance on Medicaid, including managed
care, visit http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/.
Find local office near you at http://www.hhs.state.tx.us/maps/listing.shtml.
- Texas Young
Lawyers Association: For information
brochure on Medicare, Medicaid, and SSI, visit
www.tyla.org,
click on Serving Texas Citizens, click on Senior
Issues.
- Call 2-1-1
to apply for Children’s Health Insurance
Program (CHIPs), food stamps, Medicaid, Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and long-term
care in Travis County.
Medical Transport
- TexasLawHelp.org:
Information on various legal topics, including
medical transport. Also available in Spanish.
Visit www.TexasLawHelp.org
and click on health.
- Texas Department
of Transportation: For information on
transportation services for Medicaid recipients
with no other means of transportation, visit
http://www.dot.state.tx.us/ptn/mtp/mtphome.htm.
Medicare
- TexasLawHelp.org:
Information on various legal topics, including
Medicare. Also available in Spanish. Visit www.TexasLawHelp.org
and click on health, click on Medicare.
- Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services of U.S. Department
of Health & Human Services: Information
on Medicaid and Medicare coverage, including
extensive frequently asked questions. Visit
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/.
- Texas Young
Lawyers Association: For information
brochure on Medicare, Medicaid, and SSI, visit
www.tyla.org,
click on Serving Texas Citizens, click on Senior
Issues.
- U.S. Government
Medicare Website: Information on Medicare,
long-term care, Medigap, prescription drug benefits,
Medicare billing and appeals forms, Medicare
and You 2006 Handbook, and more. Visit http://www.medicare.gov/.
Nursing Homes, Long-Term Care,
& Assisted Living
- TexasLawHelp.org:
Information on various legal topics, including
nursing homes, long-term care, and assisted
living. Also available in Spanish. Visit www.TexasLawHelp.org
and click on health, click on Nursing Homes
and/or Insurance and/or Medicare.
- Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services of U.S. Department
of Health & Human Services: Information
on finding a nursing home, Medicaid and Medicare
coverage, including extensive frequently asked
questions. Visit http://www.cms.hhs.gov/,
click on people with Medicare & Medicaid
at top of home page and scroll down to compare
nursing homes.
- Texas Attorney
General: Information on selecting a nursing
home, and filing a consumer complaint. Site
also available in Spanish. Visit http://www.oag.state.tx.us,
click on Senior Texans, click on selecting a
nursing home.
- Texas Department
on Aging and Disability Services (DADS):
For information on long-term care, nursing homes,
assisted living facilities, services available
through local area agencies on aging, Medicare,
Medicaid, prescription drug assistance, and
legal documents regarding medical treatment,
including Consent to Medical Treatment form,
Declaration for Mental Health Treatment form,
Directive to Physicians and Family or Surrogate
form, Medical Power of Attorney form, Out-of-Hospital
Do Not Resuscitate form, visit http://www.dads.state.tx.us/,
click on Services. For long-term care information,
click on Find and compare long-term care facilities.
For other information, click on Older Texans
and choose appropriate topic; choose “where
you can receive care” for information
on nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
- Texas Department
of Insurance: Information on long-term
care, long-term care insurance, long-term care
rate guide, financing long-term care and more.
Visit http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/wc/indexwc.html,
click on long-term care, scroll down and click
on needed topic. Also click on Senior Issues
for information on Medicare prescription drug
program, Health Information Counseling and Advocacy
Program (HICAP), how to contact a benefits counselor
for help with private or public benefits.
Prescription Drug Benefits
- TexasLawHelp.org:
Information on various legal topics, including
prescription drug benefits. Also available in
Spanish. Visit www.TexasLawHelp.org
and click on health, click on prescription drug
benefits.
- Texas Department
on Aging and Disability Services (DADS):
For information on prescription drug assistance,
long-term care, nursing homes, assisted living
facilities, services available through local
area agencies on aging, Medicare, Medicaid,
and legal documents regarding medical treatment,
including Consent to Medical Treatment form,
Declaration for Mental Health Treatment form,
Directive to Physicians and Family or Surrogate
form, Medical Power of Attorney form, Out-of-Hospital
Do Not Resuscitate form, visit http://www.dads.state.tx.us/.
Click on prescription drug information. For
others, click on services and choose needed
topic. For long-term care information, click
on find and compare long-term care facilities.
For other information, click on Older Texans
and choose appropriate topic. For information
on nursing homes and assisted living, click
on Older Texans and click on Where you can receive
care.
- Texas Department
of Insurance: Information on Medicare
prescription drug coverage and what to do when
Medicare coverage falls short. Visit http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/wc/indexwc.html,
click on senior issues, click on Medicare prescription
drug program.
- U.S. Government
Medicare Website: Information on Medicare
drug benefit and options for people with limited
income and resources. Visit http://www.medicare.gov/medicarereform/drugbenefit.asp.
Retirement Benefits & Social
Security
- TexasLawHelp.org:
Information on various legal topics, including
social security. Also available in Spanish.
Visit www.TexasLawHelp.org,
click on elder law, click on social security.
- Social Security
Administration: For information on applying
for social security retirement, disability,
spouse/widow(er) benefits, visit http://www.ssa.gov/,
click on needed topic. Excellent information
and easy to use site.
Wills
& Estate Planning
Attorney
Referral Sources
- Lawyer Referral
Service of Central Texas: Provides referrals
to attorneys in central Texas. The referral
service is free. The attorneys will charge for
their services. If you are low-income and need
help with a family law matter or will, you might
qualify for referral to an attorney who has
agreed to take cases at a reduced rate. Visit
www.austinlrs.com
or call (512) 472-8303 or toll-free at (866)
303-8303.
- State Bar
of Texas: Statewide referral service.
The referral service is free. The attorneys
will charge for their services. Visit www.texasbar.com
and click on Additional Information for the
Public, then click on Selecting a Lawyer, then
click on Lawyer Referral Service. Or call toll-free
at (800) 252-9690 or (877) 9TEXBAR
- Legal Aid
Offices: For very low-income individuals
who cannot afford an attorney only. For a list
of organizations providing free civil (not criminal)
legal assistance in each county in Texas, please
visit www.texaslawhelp.org,
click on Legal Aid Directory in the top blue
bar, then click on the By Service Area tab,
and then click on your county.
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