UPOA Legal Services Now Offers Medicaid Planning Free of Charge

The Law Offices of Greenberg Burzichelli Greenberg P.C. (“GBG Law”) provides legal service benefits for active and retired UPOA members, at no or reduced costs.

Effective August 1, 2020, Medicaid Planning is now included as part of covered services free of charge! Medicaid planning is part of long-term health care planning for those who anticipate needing it in the future. Medicaid is different from Medicare. Medicare provides health coverage if you are 65+ years of age or under 65 and have a disability, no matter your income. It does not cover the costs of long-term care. Medicaid does cover those costs, but only if you have very little assets and low income. There is no age requirement to be qualified for Medicaid. If you anticipate needing long-term care in the future, you should start planning to qualify for Medicaid, so your hard-earned savings go to your loved ones rather than go to paying for long-term care. Medicaid has a 5-year look-back period, so you need to do proper planning in advance of your application for Medicaid. Assets transferred within the 5-year period will be counted and could potentially disqualify you for Medicaid. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions about this benefit. Review Legal Services Summary Sheet.

EAP - A Helping Hand

The NYC EAP is designed to assist employees and their families who are experiencing a wide range of personal problems. Areas of services include marital or family conflict, mental health or emotional stress, problems with alcoholism and substance abuse, elder care, and traumatic events. The NYC EAP offers all employees and their families non-discriminatory counseling, information, and referrals to help resolve personal problems efficiently and confidentially.

 The Employee Assistance Program will provide the following services to employees and their families:

  • Individual interviews to assess and evaluate the nature and scope of problems.

  • Crisis counseling, where appropriate.

  • Referral to treatment and/or other problem-solving resources in the community.

  • Periodic follow-up with employee and referral agency.

  • Work site visits to debrief groups of employees who have been affected by a traumatic loss or event at work.

 The first step in receiving assistance from the NYC EAP is to call 212-306-7660 or e-mail eap@olr.nyc.gov to schedule an appointment. The Program is located at: 250 Broadway, 28th Floor. Remember, all information is free & confidential.

EAP - Takeaways - Click on link for one- pagers with information on some of the most common issues the EAP addresses.

As per the Chief’s article published 7-20-20, “there was no evidence of any tears being shed among local labor leaders over the arrest of longtime Law Enforcement Employees Benevolent Association President Kenneth Wynder July 13 on charges that he embezzled more than $500,000 from his union's welfare fund and members' individual retirement accounts”. Just image if we entrusted our pension and welfare fund to FEDOP who tried to get members to sign up with LEEBA, our nest egg would have probably been pilfered and looted. Read the article and then contemplate do you want a union with experience or amateurs? If you said, experience, then stick with UPOA and let’s get down to business.