HEALTH HAPPENINGS
New Device Reduces Hip Fractures by 84%
Hip fractures have been a constant worry for many frail elderly citizens and their families. Every year, American seniors suffer 300,000 hip fractures, and about one in four of them die within one year after the injury due to complications. The survivors are often permanently disabled.

MEDI-MINUTES
WV Fights Medicaid Estate Recovery
The attorney general of West Virginia has filed suit in a Charleston, WV federal court seeking a declaratory judgment to end the Medicaid Estate Recovery program, under which the federal government requires state governments to recover the expense of care from the estates of deceased Medicaid recipients.

MONEY MATTERS
Look Before You Give
Making a gift to any qualifying charity will provide a tax deduction, but many donors want more than just tax advantages. They want to know their money will be put to good use. So how do you find out whether or not the charity you’re considering is worthy of your gift?

NATIONAL NOTES
HCFA Asks States to Help Seniors Get Flu Shots
A  new bill with wide support would give Medicare beneficiaries several new benefits, including coverage of mammography, pap smears, pelvic examinations for women, colonoscopies, and tests for glaucoma.

RESOURCE CORNER
Because We Care
The Administration on Aging (AoA) has launched a new Because We Care guide to help family caregivers to deal with the day-to-day challenges associated with caregiving. Caregivers can receive immediate access to information about services and educational tools by logging into www.aoa.gov/wecare.

TAX TID-BITS
Asking Santa for an Income Tax Charitable Deduction?
It’s the season of giving, but not just because of holiday spirit. During the month of December, many donors, anxious for charitable deductions, scramble to make gifts that will qualify before the end of the year. 

TRUST TALK
Spouse Does Not Have Power of Appointment
The IRS recently issued seven nearly identical PLRs regarding a decedent’s four irrevocable trusts with identical terms but different beneficiaries.