Medicare recipients with changes in their drug needs, who want to explore less costly drug plans, or for other reasons desire to change their last year's plan, now have the chance to choose a new drug plan that better fits their needs.

Beginning November 15, the Medicard Part D enrollment window will re-open for seniors and other Medicare recipients. The window will close December 31. However, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services state that seniors need to enroll in a new plan by December 8, to ensure their new prescription drug card in early January 2007.

New plans will go into effect January 1, 2007, and remain in place for another year. Alternatively, a recipient satisfied with their current Part D plan does not have to re-enroll. For more information contact 1- 800-MEDICARE.

Margolis & Associates' First-Monday Lunch next month will be held on Monday, December 4, in our office at 535 Boylston at noon. At the lunch, Carol Crawford, of Elder Service Plan of Harbor Health, will explore the PACE program, a Medicaid and Medicare financed all-inclusive care program that provides medical and social services for in-home frail elderly.

The First-Thursday Breakfast will be held on Thursday, December 7, at Springhouse in Jamaica Plain. It will feature Dianne Savastano, President of Healthassist, on preparing for hospitalization and premature discharge. To register for either or both programs, call 617/267-9700 or email rsvp@margolis.com.

Recently, the United States District Court in Massachusetts allowed both 93A consumer protection claims and breach of fiduciary duty claims to proceed against a large Boston law firm in a suit for mismanagement of trust funds. The court accepted the possibility of liability under 93A for the firm's alleged negligence paired with unfair or deceptive acts.

Simply allowing this case to proceed could open doors to further consumer protection claims against trustees whose conduct may be negligent or reckless.

GROWING OLDer In Massachusetts: A Guide for the Family, 2007 Edition is now available for purchase. The guide provides hundreds of resources on aging services, elder law, independent living, adult day-care, geriatric medicine, home care, senior housing, and more in Massachusetts for families, caregivers, consumers, employers and providers of services for elders. GROWING OLD products strive to provide all-inclusive resources for family caregivers to explore options for themselves and make decisions based upon their individual situations. For more information contact 781/534-2669 or email contact@growingolderinfo.com.

Newly renovated downtown Boston office opposite Trinity Church now available. Ideal for solo practitioner, with utilities, conference rooms, fax and T-1 line included. Please contact Eugenia Kofitsas at 617/267-9700 for further information.