The SENIOR Leader - Winter 2007
In This Issue: Just One Story, Medicare Part D, A Day in the Life of a HICAP Counselor, Conference News, A Time of Remembrance
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Medicare Part D: Time to Evaluate Your Plan
Medicare’s annual open enrollment period for prescription drug coverage
known as Medicare Part D, is here!
The annual enrollment period begins November 15
and ends December 31.
This is your opportunity to enroll in a prescription drug plan if
you have not already done so, or to switch plans if you are unsatisfied
with your current one. The annual enrollment period begins November 15
and ends December 31. Your new prescription drug plan
will take effect January 1, 2008.
Medicare Part D is a voluntary benefit. The need to sign up for Part
D depends on what your current health coverage includes, or if you want
prescription drug coverage at all. Be sure to check with your current
or former employer to see if you already have drug coverage that is as
good as or better than the Medicare Part D standard benefit (see chart
below). If you do, you may not need a Medicare Part D plan
now.
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Have you given to LAS this holiday season?
Also In This Issue
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Coming in March
- Ageism
- Guardianship
- 4th Annual Elder Abuse Conference
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The first full week of November turned out to be a very sad week
indeed for our LAS family.
Jane was the last surviving member of LAS’
Founding Mothers.
On Tuesday, November 6, Jane Welch passed away. Jane was the last
surviving member of LAS’ Founding Mothers. LAS was founded by three
women in 1976 as a result of a Displaced Homemakers Paralegal Program
at Mills College. Jane Welch, Doka Clausen, and Willie James graduated
from the paralegal course together and opened Legal Assistance for
Seniors in a storefront office in Oakland. The agency grew, and Jane
continued her work at LAS over the next two decades. She was a
wonderful supporter to many people over the years, and her “can do”
attitude, love of life and beautiful spirit will be greatly missed.
Jane’s memorial service was on November 9 at the Mercy Retirement
Center, and the room was packed with family, friends and current and
former Legal Assistance for Seniors staff members.
Helen was dependable, caring, talented, and fun
to work with.
On Wednesday, November 7, Helen Smith passed away on her 83rd
birthday. Helen was a volunteer for LAS for seventeen years, constantly
giving of her time to help the agency in whatever way she could. Helen
was dependable, caring, talented, and fun to work with. She
assisted Legal Assistance for Seniors and the HICAP program with many
paralegal and clerical tasks, and regularly served as an interpreter
for our Spanish-speaking clients. Helen officially retired from
LAS in 2001 and continued to pursue her love of gardening and oil
painting until her death. We are grateful to have known and worked with
her.
On Monday, November 5, Phil Robbins passed away. Phil worked briefly at
LAS this year through the City of Oakland’s Assets program. He had two
passions in life: photography and music. He was very in tune with the
local music scene, both as a performer and as the owner of a music
store. He will be remembered as a kind person with a great sense of
humor and a musical recommendation for any situation.
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The Health Law program at LAS acts as a voice for people who have
been denied health care coverage or who have simply fallen through the
cracks in the Medicare and Medi-Cal systems.
During Fiscal Year 2006-07, we served 417 Health
Law clients.
Our Health Law advocates are often contacted by volunteer HICAP
counselors when they have exhausted other avenues of assistance
available to clients. The caseload has increased substantially since
the advent of the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program. During
Fiscal Year 2006-07, we served 417 Health Law clients.
One Client's Story
She came to LAS because the health care clinic where she recently
received services was unable to bill Medicare or Medi-Cal for the
services rendered.
Our advocate also discovered that the client
enrolled in the Medicare HMO because of fraudulent information from a
salesperson who did not accurately represent the limitations of the
plan.
Our advocate discovered that the client had recently enrolled in a
Medicare HMO that prevents enrollees from visiting clinics that are
outside of the approved network. The client preferred to stay with
her physician. Our advocate also discovered that the client
enrolled in the Medicare HMO because of fraudulent information from a
salesperson who did not accurately represent the limitations of the
plan.
LAS’ advocate contacted the Center for Medicare & Medicaid
Services and successfully disenrolled the client from the Medicare
HMO. She can continue to visit her preferred physician, and
Medicare and Medi-Cal will cover the costs.
We learned that the misguided salesperson victimized several other
individuals, and we advocated for those individuals as well. Our
advocate contacted a member of the House of Representatives and made
him aware of this problem. We hope this will lead to measures that will
prevent other people from encountering the same problem in the
future.
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Dial 2-1-1
May 5 and 6, 2008