The ShowMe Times is offering a new series of informational articles from A-Z on many topics including Abuse and Neglect of the Elderly, Human Trafficking, Health and Wellness and many more topics. Stay tuned and see what's next!
The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit has two principal objectives. Its primary mission is to investigate allegations of fraud committed by Medicaid providers.
Additionally, the Unit investigates and prosecutes allegations of abuse or neglect in Medicaid funded facilities. The Unit does not investigate allegations of fraud committed by Medicaid participants and it does not investigate fraud perpetrated against the Medicare program.
Possible Signs of Abuse and Neglect
Victims
Unexplained burns, welts, bruises or cuts, especially on non-ambulatory patients Fractures, dislocations, sprains
Weight loss; symptoms of malnutrition Dehydration
Bedsores (decubitus ulcers)
Untreated medical conditions or lack of necessary medication
Lack of basic hygiene
Lack of necessary dentures, glasses, hearing aids, etc.
Fearfulness or mistrust of caretakers
Facilities
Unnecessary use of restraints
Lack of supervision / insufficient staff Isolation; no participation in activities Strong odors of urine or feces
Financial Abuse
Sudden change in financial status Unusual bank account activity Frequent checks written for cash or to a caregiver/stranger
Unpaid bills
If the victim is in the care, custody, or control of the alleged perpetrator, call 911. Once local law enforcement has been notified, please contact the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Call toll free at (800) 286-3932
Email: attorney.general@ago.mo.gov
Write to us at:
Missouri Attorney General’s Office
Medicaid Fraud Control Unit
P.O. Box 899
Jefferson City, MO 65102
You may also contact the Department of Health and Senior Services Elder Abuse & Neglect Hotline toll free at (800) 392-0210 to report suspected abuse of the elderly or disabled adults.
What’s new in Medicare for 2025
Things, they are a changing in Medicare, especially the prescription drug programs. Every year there are some changes to particular plans but 2025 will have big changes for Medicare Part D.
Open Enrollment for Medicare Part C and Part D plans is every year from October 15 through December 7 so now is the time to look at your current plan and see what will be best for the coming year. Medicare Part D plans send out an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) in September to give you a heads up about what is changing with your plan. You should look over that form and take into consideration what will change with your current plan. Plans can change the monthly premium amount, one plan will be increasing from $9.90 each month to $44.90, that is a huge difference and you don’t want that surprise in January when you can’t make a change. The deductible maximum is also going up to $590, some plans will have a lower one and some have no deductible. The most important yearly change is plans can change their formulary, which is what medicines are covers under a plan and what the co-pay amount is. You do not want to go fill a prescription in the New Year and find out it is not covered.
Some big changes for Medicare Part D is there will be an out of pocket spending cap on medicine for all Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage Plans. This cap is $2,000 for 2025 and includes the amounts paid for the deductible, copayments and coinsurance on all covered medicines. It does not include the monthly premiums or anything paid for non-covered Part D drugs. This cap will eliminate the donut hole in its entirety.
In addition, in 2025, there will be a Prescription Payment Plan; this will allow Medicare Beneficiaries to spread out the cost of their prescriptions over the entire year. This could be beneficial for those with high drug costs; it allows you a set amount each month instead of the highs and lows when paying of the deductible. There will not be any additional fees or interest charged for this and it is open to all beneficiaries, no income guidelines. You will need to contact your prescription drug company to enroll. It is best to contact them earlier in the year so the amount can be spread out over a longer period. The payments are made directly to the plan, not the pharmacy and you will still need to pay the monthly premium for the plan.
Medicare.gov is the website to help determine what drug plan will be best for next year. At Aging Matters, we also look at which drug plan will best suit the beneficiaries’ needs for next year. Prescription information such as name of medicine, dosage and frequency are entered along with preferred pharmacy and zip code. The available plans are sorted by least expensive coverage. The costs for each medicine, the premium amount and the deductible are easy to see. You can also compare the Advantage Plans and see the different benefits they offer. This will allow you to make an educated choice about what coverage you want for next year.
When reviewing Medicare coverage for 2025 it is also a great time to check if there are any Extra Help programs you might qualify for. Those who meet the income and asset guidelines could get help to pay the Medicare Part D premium and help with co-pays for medicine.
Aging Matters will have Open Enrollment events at senior centers, libraries and other locations throughout our service area to assist Medicare Beneficiaries, let us know if you need assistance. To make an appointment for Medicare Part D or for more information call Aging Matters at 1-800-392-8771, because Aging Matters.
The John J. Pershing VA Medical Center will host a VetFest event October 5 at its main Poplar Bluff campus, located at 1500 N. Westwood Blvd.
The VetFest will kick off at 10:00 a.m. and conclude at 2:00 p.m. Music, games and fun for all ages are planned, and all Veterans, their families and survivors, and caregivers are invited to attend. Food will be available for purchase on site; however, there is no cost for the event.
“We hope area Veterans and their families will join us for this great event,” said Interim Medical Center Director, James Warren. “We have a big day planned, and we hope to provide Veterans with all the information they need to navigate the VA health care system.”
Informational outreach booths covering a variety of VA programs and services like Home Telehealth, Caregiver Support, the Volunteer Transportation Network, Enrollment and Eligibility, My HealtheVet, the Women Veterans Program and others will be available, and representatives from local Veteran Service Organizations will be on hand. Additionally, staff from VA’s Fisher House will be on site to discuss the important role that program plays for traveling Veterans and their families.
Veterans with questions about VA health care and services will be able to talk with subject-matter experts and get the answers they need, plus, if they are eligible, they will be able to register for care on site.
Veterans also will have the opportunity to get their blood pressure checked and get updated flu vaccinations. VA nurses also will provide information about FIT tests, which are used as a first-step screening for colorectal cancer.
Visitors are encouraged to check out the classic car show, talent show and other displays, and their children can take part in the face painting, craft booths and other fun activities.
“We want Veterans to get the most out of their VA health care, and for those who are not registered, we want to show them what it is all about,” said Warren. “We hope all area Veterans will stop by, have some fun, and see what VA can do for them.”
For more information about this event or the programs and services offered at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center, or its outpatient clinics in southeast Missouri and northeast Arkansas, call 573-686-4151 or go online to www.va.gov/poplar-bluff-health-care/
Hispanic entrepreneurship at the forefront of the American business boom
By Mindy Brissey, U.S. Small Business Administration Regional Administrator
Each year from Sept. 15 – Oct. 15, Americans celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month as a time to recognize the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive histories of the Hispanic communities in the United States. The American dream of small business ownership is embraced by people of all cultures and heritages.
As a Hispanic small business owner myself, I can attest to the challenges faced by small businesses. In my role, I am devoted to ensuring that small business owners and entrepreneurs have the tools they need to succeed. I have come across many entrepreneurs whose journeys reflect my own. The Hispanic community is one of the most entrepreneurial spirited groups in the nation. It lives in the dreams of those who have only just arrived here and in the legacy of families who have been here for centuries.
The Biden-Harris administration and U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman are committed to the success of Hispanic communities. More Hispanic individuals than ever before are seizing the opportunity to create new businesses which improve their cities and neighborhoods. Data showsthatfivemillionHispanic-ownedbusinessescontribute$800billioneachyeartooureconomy. In the past decade, Hispanic entrepreneur growth rates have risen 10 times faster than non-Hispanic business rates.
SBA Administrator Guzman, the highest-ranking Hispanic woman in the President’s Cabinet, has made strengthening our Hispanic-owned small businesses a priority. Over the last 44 months we have seen the fastest creation rate of Hispanic-owned businesses in over a decade, which was more than 20 percent faster than pre-pandemic levels. The Biden-Harris administration has also made a goal of increasing by 50 percent the amount of federal contracting dollars going to small, disadvantaged businesses by 2025—which would translate to an additional $100 billion for minority-owned and other underserved businesses.
SBA is committed to empowering Hispanic businesses as they continue to break down barriers and achieve success in business. As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, let us not only recognize the contributions of Hispanic entrepreneurs but also uplift the next generation of business leaders and build a prosperous business landscape for all.
For more information about SBA’s programs and services visit www.sba.gov. To stay up to date on SBA news and upcoming events, follow us on social media.
SBA Great Plains Region X/Twitter: @SBAgreatplains LinkedIn: @SBAgreatplainsregion
Mindy Brissey is the SBA Regional Administrator overseeing the agency’s programs, offices, and operations in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska.
SEMO Food Bank, Feeding America Call on Public
to Join Movement to End Hunger
SIKESTON, Mo. (Aug. 26, 2024) – September is Hunger Action Month and Feeding America is encouraging one million actions across the country to end hunger. During the month-long campaign, Southeast Missouri Food Bank will be raising awareness and inspiring action in its 16-county service area. Every action counts, whether it’s donating, advocating, volunteering or spreading the word online.
“We can end hunger in the U.S. when we decide to work together with coordinated action and a shared belief that everyone deserves fresh, nutritious food,” said Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America. “This year during Hunger Action Month, we are encouraging everyone to take action. Raise your voice. Volunteer. Donate. Our individual actions may seem small, but together they become a powerful movement that can change history.”
The USDA estimates 1 in 7 people and 1 in 5 children experienced food insecurity in 2022. Those numbers are even higher in southeast Missouri, with 1 in 6 households facing hunger. The region has some of the highest rates of hunger in the state – as high as 35.5 percent for childhood hunger in Pemiscot County. SEMO Food Bank serves seven of the 10 most food insecure counties in Missouri.
“We know thousands of our neighbors across southeast Missouri are facing hunger, and the difficult choices that brings,” said Joey Keys, CEO of SEMO Food Bank. “Hunger Action Month is an opportunity for us, and the Feeding America network, to really shine a spotlight on hunger in our nation. We hope people will take the opportunity to learn more about this issue that affects so many of our neighbors and find ways they can help.”
People can get involved locally through actions like:
- Go orange for Hunger Action Month: Orange is the color of hunger awareness, so we encourage everyone to wear orange on Sept. 10, which is Hunger Action Day. If your business has exterior lighting, consider using orange lighting during September. Be sure to post on social media and tag SEMO Food Bank!
- Make a donation: A monetary gift is an easy way to help our neighbors facing hunger. Every $1 helps provide food for four meals. If you want to have some fun with it, create a virtual food drive and challenge family and friends to compete to raise the most. To get started, go to semofoodbank.org and click “Get Involved.”
- Volunteer at the food bank or a food pantry: Spending a few hours each month volunteering can make an enormous difference to the food bank, our partners and the neighbors we serve. Sign up to volunteer in our Jackson or Sikeston locations at semofoodbank.org/volunteer or use our pantry locator to find one of our partners in your community.
Learn more about how you can take action by visiting semofoodbank.org or hungeractionmonth.org.
About Feeding America
Feeding America is committed to an America where no one is hungry. We support tens of millions of people who experience food insecurity to get the food and resources they say they need to thrive as part of a nationwide network of food banks, statewide food bank associations, food pantries and meal programs. We also invest in innovative solutions to increase equitable access to nutritious food, advocate for legislation that improves food security and work to address factors that impact food security, such as health, cost of living and employment. We partner with people experiencing food insecurity, policymakers, organizations, and supporters, united with them in a movement to end hunger. Visit www.FeedingAmerica.org to learn more.
About Southeast Missouri Food Bank
The mission of Southeast Missouri Food Bank is to end hunger and leverage the power of food to build healthy communities. The food bank provides food to 140 charitable and disaster relief programs in Southeast Missouri. These member agencies include food pantries, soup kitchens, domestic violence and homeless shelters. Southeast Missouri Food Bank also holds regular mobile food distributions and provides monthly boxes of food to 5,575 senior citizens and weekend backpacks of food during the school year to 1,200 students in area school districts. The food bank’s 16-county coverage area includes Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Ste. Genevieve, Stoddard and Wayne counties. Those interested in helping can do so by making a tax-deductible contribution, donating food, or scheduling a time to volunteer. Visit semofoodbank.org for more information.
