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Age Spots - By Ruth Dockins
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) projected today that the average premium for a basic Medicare Part D prescription drug plan in 2015 will increase by about $1, to an estimated $32 per month, continuing its historically low growth rate. Today’s projection for the average premium for 2015 is based on bids submitted by drug and health plans for basic drug coverage for the 2015 benefit year, and calculated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of the Actuary.
Keep in mind, many of the plans should have premiums even lower. Also keep in mind that the cost of the premium is not your only consideration when choosing a plan. No matter how cheap the premium is, if it does not cover the drugs you take it is not a good plan.
This news coming to us from CMS, is thanks in part, to continued unprecedented low levels of growth in Medicare spending and continued savings by seniors and people with disabilities on out of pocket drug costs. More seniors are becoming Medicare savvy. Seniors are on the lookout for Medicare fraud and abuse and finding and reporting it! According to the recent Medicare Trustees report, the life of the Trust Fund has been extended to 2030, up from its projection of 2017 in 2009. The report also shows that Part B premiums are expected to stay the same rather than increase for the second year in a row.
“Seniors and people with disabilities are benefiting from steady prescription drug premiums and a competitive and transparent marketplace for Medicare drug plans,” said CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner. “And thanks to the Affordable Care Act, they are seeing improved benefits and saving on their medications.” The Affordable Care Act has targeted 2020 to close the donut hole completely for prescription drugs but each year it reduces the cost to the individual by a small amount.
The upcoming Medicare annual open enrollment period – which begins October 15 and ends December 7 – allows for people with Medicare to choose their plans for next year by comparing their current coverage and quality ratings to other plan offerings. New benefit choices are effective January 1, 2015.
In late September everyone who has a Medicare Part D plan will get information from their current plan stating what the cost for the premium will be next year and what drugs they will cover. You should look this information over carefully and if you don’t like what you see call us at 1-800-392-8771 or locally at 573-335-3331. Jackie, Liz, Meagan or I will be happy to help you find the best plan for you.
To learn more about the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit, go to: http://www.medicare.gov/part-d/.
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Dexter, Missouri - It’s July and local duck watchers know it’s time for the 6th Annual Greenwing Event at Otter Slough.
The Dexter Chapter of Ducks Unlimited and the Missouri Department of Conservation provide this unique opportunity each year during late July at Otter Slough Conservation Area.
The 2014 event is Saturday, July 26 and begins at 7 am. This event is free and open to the public.
We will meet in the large parking lot next to Cypress Lake. Department of Conservation biologists are going to demonstrate electrofishing techniques in Cypress Lake.
Everyone in attendance will have a front row seat while fisheries biologists run a shocking boat along the shoreline. Meanwhile, MDC staff and Ducks Unlimited volunteers will be checking traps for mourning doves and wood ducks.
Any ducks and doves trapped that morning will be brought to the headquarters to be banded and released. We hope to capture enough birds to allow each youth to help band and release their own dove or duck.
If you have attended past events, you know that trapping ducks and doves can be unpredictable. We currently have mourning doves and wood ducks hitting bait sites regularly so keep your wings crossed. Regardless of trapping success, this will be an excellent opportunity to spend some quality family time in the outdoors and meet Conservation Department and Ducks Unlimited folks in person.
We have a couple other activities planned which are sure to be fun for everyone and Ducks Unlimited has provided some nice items for the kids.
The day’s activities should be completed by 10 am depending upon weather and trapping success. For more information please contact Mark Reed at 573-421-3240, Otter Slough at 573-624-5821, or Mike Wilburn at 573-421-3713.
Mark Reed
Stoddard County Conservation Agent
Missouri Department of Conservation
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Age Spots - By Ruth Dockins
Health Insurance Marketplace
Remember those of you who have Medicare do not need to worry about the new health coverage, so you have my permission to move on to other articles in this newspaper. The rest of you really need to take a look at the following article. This information is provided by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Q: Now that I have health care coverage through the new Health Insurance Marketplace, are there materials available for me and my family to understand how to use this new health insurance?
A: Thanks to the health care law, millions of Americans now have quality health coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). You, or someone you know, may have health coverage for the very first time, or after many years without coverage.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has launched a new nationwide initiative, Coverage to Care, to help you, and all the newly covered, get the information you need to know, such as:
How to make the most of your health care coverage
How to find the right doctor
When and where to seek treatment, for example, emergency room care only should be used in the case of an emergency
Why getting the right preventive services is important
To help answer questions you might have about your new health care coverage, and to use it appropriately to get the care and preventive services that are right for you, Coverage to Care has a number of tools available at CMS.gov. Many are available in both English and Spanish, and more resources will be developed over the next few months.
The “Roadmap to Better Care and a Healthier You” includes eight steps which will walk you through everything you need to know to make the most of your coverage, including what common health care coverage terms mean; how to prepare for an appointment with a provider; what to expect when visiting the doctor’s office; and how to take advantage of preventive services that can help you stay healthy. The Roadmap also has a lot of information for you that you can refer back to as you journey to better health and well-being, including a list of resources and a personal health screening log.
Another tool is a series of videos that contain tips for you to navigate your new health plan and fully enjoy its benefits. Videos include segments on “Understanding the Plan;” “Words to Know;” “Finding a Provider;” “Making an Appointment;” and “My First Visit.”
It’s great to have the security and peace of mind that comes from having quality health care coverage. But it’s important to fully understand when, where, and how to use it to get the right care in the right place at the right time—and not just when you’re sick, but to stay well. The Coverage to Care resources can help you do that, and help you stay healthy and make the most of your health coverage.
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Missouri - Beginning July 1, deer hunters can apply online for a shot at nearly 5,700 openings for more than 100 Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) managed deer hunts taking place from mid-September through mid-January. Most hunters may apply for only one managed hunt per year. Wheelchair-confined hunters may apply for more than one managed hunt offered at select conservation areas.
The online application period ends July 31. The deadline in previous years was mid-August, but has been shortened to allow hunters more time to be notified of their selections for early-season managed hunts.
Managed-hunt dates, locations, and other details will be listed on the Department of Conservation website starting July 1 at mdc.mo.gov/node/11252. MDC will post drawing results at the same website address from Sept. 2 through Jan 15. Successful applicants will receive area maps and other information regarding their hunts by mail.
Details about managed hunts are also available in the “2014 Fall Deer & Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information” booklet available by July 1 at MDC offices and nature centers, from permit vendors around the state, and currently online at mdc.mo.gov.
The Conservation Department holds the annual electronic drawing to determine who gets to participate in managed deer hunts at conservation areas, state parks, national wildlife refuges, urban parks, and other public areas. The hunts are open to Missouri residents and nonresidents, and help achieve MDC’s deer-management goals for the state while also providing additional hunting opportunities. Types of hunts include archery, crossbow, muzzleloader, historic methods, and modern firearms, plus youth hunts and hunts for people with disabilities.
MDC uses a weighted-preference-point system to give unsuccessful applicants an advantage in future drawings. Hunters who apply for the first time or who were drawn for hunts the previous year are statistically less likely to be drawn than those who entered but were not drawn in previous years.
Hunters may apply individually or as groups of up to six, except for youth hunts. Youths 11 years of age or older by the date of the desired hunt who are hunter-education certified may apply individually or with one other youth for youth hunts and must be accompanied on the hunt by a qualified adult mentor.
All applicants will need their nine-digit Conservation ID number to complete the application process. Conservation ID numbers are listed on hunting and fishing permits, and on Missouri Conservation Heritage Cards.
For more information on MDC managed deer hunts, visit mdc.mo.gov/node/3867.
Resident or nonresident managed deer hunting permits are required to participate in managed hunts. These permits will be available to successful applicants beginning Sept. 2 from any permit vendor statewide, or online through MDC’s e-Permits at mdc.mo.gov/epermits.
Hunters born on or after Jan. 1, 1967, and who are 16 or older, must successfully complete an approved hunter education course to qualify to buy firearms hunting permits and participate in managed hunts. Youth 11 through 15 may hunt without hunter education certification when accompanied by a qualified adult mentor during managed hunts open to all. Mentors also are required to be hunter-education certified, unless exempt by age. Hunter education classes fill up quickly as hunting seasons approach. For more information on hunter education options and classes, visit mdc.mo.gov/node/3095.
Help Protect Missouri Deer!
Conservation makes Missouri a great place to hunt and watch deer. Infectious diseases such as Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) threaten Missouri deer, nearly 520,000 Missouri deer hunters, thousands of landowners, more than 2 million wildlife watchers, 12,000 Missouri jobs, and Missouri businesses and communities that depend on the $1 billion in economic activity related to deer hunting and watching.
The Missouri Department of Conservation is working with hunters, landowners, businesses, and partner organizations, along with captive deer breeders and big-game hunting operations, to identify and limit the spread of CWD in Missouri.
As part of these efforts, MDC is proposing common-sense regulation changes for deer breeding facilities and big-game hunting preserves to help limit the spread of CWD. Changes involve more effective fencing to separate captive and free-ranging deer, restricting the importation of live deer into Missouri, and mandatory disease testing. The Conservation Department encourages citizens to get involved by sharing their comments on these regulations at mdc.mo.gov/deerhealth.
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Age Spots - By Ruth Dockins
Medicare Bootcamp – July 23 in Cape Girardeau
My suggestion for people who are within a year of turning 65 is to go out and purchase a larger mailbox because you are really going to need one soon. When the insurance companies find out that you will soon be eligible for Medicare, they are all going to want your business. They will want to sell you a Medicare Advantage Plan aka Medicare Health Plan, or a Medicare Supplement policy aka Medigap policy or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan aka Part D Plan.
With a Medicare Supplement you can choose from Plan A, B, C, D, F, F high, G, K, L, M, N. With Medicare you may have Medicare Part A, B, C, D. See the problem here? Many people get their “parts” and their “plans” confused. Sometimes I wonder if the government doesn’t do these little things just to keep us on our toes.
There are so many plans from which to choose and so many decisions to be made about your choice even after you pick a plan. I guess I shouldn’t complain because if it were simple then everyone could do it without any help from me, then I might not have a job. So right now I want to take a minute to thank everyone who has ever called me with a question about Medicare and also to thank everyone who will decide to call me in the future. I don’t want to put any pressure on you but my lifestyle depends on your calls!
Seriously, it does seem to get more complicated every year. There are four of us here at SEMO AAA (now known as Aging Matters) that work very closely with Medicare and get as much training as is possible just to help us stay on top of things and many times we still have to put our heads together to be sure we are giving the correct information.
We are going to hold a Medicare Bootcamp to share with you all the “ins and outs” of Medicare. Area Agencies on Aging all across the state are holding these Bootcamps. I’m not sure why they are so called unless it’s because it’s something you have to do to get to a better place in your life and it’s not going to be much fun! However, we are going to do our best to make it fun and informative for you.
You can consider this article as your “Greetings” letter. Your presence is requested at the Cape Girardeau Public Library, 711 N. Clark St. on July 23, from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. We will present information about when to sign up for Medicare, penalties for late enrollment, and what is covered by each Medicare part. We’ll have information about preventative coverage that is now covered by Medicare, what the deductibles are for each part of Medicare and what a benefit period is. The enrollment period for Part D will be discussed plus ways to save money on these prescription drug programs. There will be plenty of time for questions and answers.
This “Boot Camp” is free but we need to know how many to expect so we can have plenty of handouts and of course snacks. Please call Jackie at 1-800-392-8771 to register. The deadline for registration is July 17. It’s time for you to report for duty!
