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Connecting Health Care Info To County Seniors (Excerpt)
Source: Delaware County Times
11/23/2009
Delaware County senior citizens have a great opportunity to receive health care guidance, advice and information at no charge. During the first of two presentations sponsored by NY Connects, senior citizens, future seniors, care providers and health insurance advisors were welcomed to learn more about the many prescription medication plan options available to them. This event was held on November 9 at the Public Safety Building in Delhi and the second, a repeat performance, will be offered on November 18 beginning at 1:00 pm in the Sidney Civic Center on 21 Liberty Street.
Facilitated by Laura Stewart of the Delaware County Office for the Aging, the first speaker was Cheryl Boyd, HIICAPP Coordinator. HIICAPP stands for Health Insurance Information Counseling Assistance Program and that is exactly what Cheryl does. Boyd's primary message is that the prescription drug insurance options that change every year are quite impossible for a person to decipher. That's some discouraging news but the good news is that Boyd and her co-workers can help people filter through mail, media and word of mouth information about what is worth considering as an option and what is not. The service is free of charge and is a recommended activity to do every year as program coverage's change every year. One of Boyd's objectives: help people find the best insurance program that will fit their unique situation and save senior citizens month on prescription drugs…Boyd can be reached at the Office for the Aging and is happy to offer assistance by answering questions, arrange for a complete review of options or explain services.
…The next presenter, Gene Dumlao, explained what EPIC is…The plan has four criteria for qualifying with a pay off potential of up to 80% off of prescription drug plans. The four entry items are that the applicant is 65 years old or older, resides in New York State, can not be on full Medicaid and fits the income categories. The maximum income for a single person who can be widowed or divorces is $35,000.00 per year. Married couples cannot have a combined income over $50,000.00. Once qualified, the EPIC Plan always acts as a supplement to Medicare D prescription drugs.
Stewart strongly recommends that people who are approaching retirement make an appointment with Boyd or someone with her similar expertise to go over all of this several months before the actual retirement date.
…New York State Assistant Attorney General Dennis McCabe spoke about the "incredibly valuable resource that New Yorkers have." What McCabe was referring to is the Attorney General's Health Care Helpline (1-800-428-9071). This free service will help with claiming benefits when an HMO denies coverage, assist with health care billing and payment problems, obtain guaranteed health benefits and investigate when insurance coverage is lost. The office prides itself on allowing calls to speak with a 'real person'…Find www.oag.state.ny.us on the web for more information and pick up a copy of the Smart Seniors publication available at the Office for the Aging in Delhi.
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