Search this site

Social Services

Senior Monongalians is fortunate to have a wonderful Social
 Services worker, Mary,  who assists seniors and their families. Mary works with clients to understand & enroll for Medicare Part D, finding answers to Social Security questions, directing clients to utility assistance programs, senior housing options, and much more.








Subscribe to posts

Survey for individuals who use wheelchairs

posted Feb 13, 2012 7:40 AM by Senior Monongalians

The West Virginia University Center for Excellence in Disabilities is interested in learning more about the needs of people who use wheelchairs. This information will be used to help develop a grant proposal that (if funded), will fund the development of new wheelchair-related technologies.

If you use a wheelchair, or if you know someone who does use a wheelchair, please take a moment to provide your input by completing a  brief online needs survey. 

Here's the link:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CED_Wheelchair_Needs_Survey

Health Reform to Require Insurers to Use Plain Language in Describing Health Plan Benefits, Coverage

posted Feb 13, 2012 6:30 AM by Senior Monongalians

HHS NEWS
Contact: HHS Press Office
(202) 690-6343
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
February 8, 2012                                                                                         

Health Reform to Require Insurers to Use Plain Language in Describing Health Plan Benefits, Coverage 

People in the market for health insurance will soon have clear, understandable and straightforward information on what health plans will cover, what limitations or conditions will apply, and what they will pay for services thanks to the Affordable Care Act – the health reform law – according to final regulations published today. 

The new rules, published jointly by the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury require health insurers to eliminate technical or confusing language from their marketing materials that sometimes make it difficult for consumers to understand exactly what they are buying.  The new rules will also make it easier for people and employers to directly compare one plan to another. 

“Consumers, for the first time, will really be able to clearly comprehend the sometimes confusing language insurance plans often use in marketing,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “This will give them a new edge in deciding which plan will best suit their needs and those of their families or employees.” 

Specifically, these rules will ensure consumers have access to two key documents that will help them understand and evaluate their health insurance choices: 

·         A short, easy-to-understand Summary of Benefits and Coverage ( or “SBC”); and

·         A uniform glossary of terms commonly used in health insurance coverage, such as “deductible” and “co-payment.” 

Today’s rules finalize the proposed rules issued in August 2011.  Input was received from such stakeholders as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and a working group composed of health insurance-related consumer advocacy organizations, health insurers, health care professionals, patient advocates including those representing people with limited English proficiency, and others.  The final rules aim to ensure strong consumer information while minimizing paperwork and cost.

To view the template for the summary of benefits and coverage, visit: http://cciio.cms.gov/programs/consumer/summaryandglossary/index.html

To view the Final Rule, visit: https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2012-03228.pdf

Other technical information is available at: http://cciio.cms.gov/resources/other/index.html#sbcug

Click here to read the entire HHS press release: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2012pres/02/20120209a.html

For more information on the rules announced today, visit: http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2011/08/labels08172011a.html
 

###

3.6 Million in Medicare saved more than $2.1 Billion on Prescription Drugs in the Donut Hole in 2011

posted Feb 13, 2012 6:21 AM by Senior Monongalians


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: CMS Public Affairs
Thursday, February 2, 2012    (202) 690-6145

Health reform law saves $2.1 billion for 3.6 million Americans with Medicare
New data show average American with Medicare to save nearly $4,200 through 2021 thanks to health reform

3.6 million people with Medicare saved $2.1 billion on their prescription drugs in 2011 thanks to the Affordable Care Act according to data issued today by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Savings for people with Medicare will increase over time. According to a new report issued today from HHS, the average person with Medicare will save nearly $4,200 by 2021 because of the new law. 

“The Affordable Care Act is already saving money for millions of Americans with Medicare,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.  “As we move forward, we will close the donut hole completely and save even more money for everyone with Medicare.” 

The Affordable Care Act provides a 50 percent discount on brand-name prescription drugs and this year, a 14% discount on generics. Last year, it provided a seven percent discount on covered generic medications for people who hit the prescription drug coverage gap known as the donut hole last year, with 2,814,646 beneficiaries receiving $32.1 million in savings on generics. 

In 2011, the 3.6 million Americans who hit the donut hole saved an average of $604 on the cost of their prescription drugs. 

Data also show that women especially benefitted from the law’s provision with 2.05 million women saving $1.2 billion on their prescription drugs. 

By 2020, the donut hole will be closed completely.  The new report released today by the Department of Health and Human Services finds that this provision and other features of the health reform law will generate substantial savings for people with Medicare. Typical Medicare beneficiaries will save an average of nearly $4,200 from 2011 to 2021. People with high prescription drug costs could save as much as $16,000.

The savings are a product of provisions in the Affordable Care Act and other cost trends that:
• Decrease prescription drug costs for seniors
• Make preventive services like mammograms free for everyone in Medicare
• Reduce growth in Part B premiums (for physician services) 
• Reduce growth in cost-sharing under both Parts A (hospital care) and Part B.
 
These announcements come one day after HHS announced that in 2012, Medicare Advantage premiums have fallen by seven percent on average and enrollment has risen by about 10 percent since last year.  For more details on that announcement, visit http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2012pres/02/20120201a.html

For state-by-state savings figures for today’s donut hole announcement, visit: http://www.cms.gov/Plan-Payment/

For more information about donut hole savings, visit http://www.cms.gov/apps/media/fact_sheets.asp

For the report regarding savings those with Medicare will see over time, visit http://www.aspe.hhs.gov/_/index.cfm

###

Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.

| Attachments: CMSdonuthole_factsheet 02 02 2012 (2) (2).pdf

Caregiver Support Group

posted Jan 4, 2012 10:35 AM by Senior Monongalians   [ updated Jan 31, 2012 6:07 AM ]

JUST A REMINDER…
Our next Caregiver
Support Group will meet
10:00am Wednesday,
February 15, 2012

 Please join us to share and support one another on February 15th.   If you have specific questions or topics you would like information on please notify me and I will include the information in our talk.  Also, we are trying out a new meeting space at Senior Mons.  You will enter as always but instead of the Conference Room we will be meeting in the office to the Right.  If you have questions please call me.  Looking forward to our next meeting!

HHS to give states more flexibility to implement health reform

posted Dec 20, 2011 6:24 AM by Senior Monongalians

HHS to give states more flexibility to implement health reform

Approach will help ensure consumers have quality, affordable coverage starting in 2014

 The Department of Health and Human Services today released a bulletin outlining proposed policies that will give states more flexibility and freedom to implement the Affordable Care Act.  

 The Affordable Care Act ensures all Americans have access to quality, affordable health insurance.  To achieve this goal, the law ensures that health insurance plans offered in the individual and small group markets, both inside and outside of the Affordable Insurance Exchanges (Exchanges), offer a comprehensive package of items and services, known as “essential health benefits.”  

The bulletin released today describes an inclusive, affordable and flexible proposal and informs stakeholders about the approach that HHS intends to pursue in rulemaking to define essential health benefits.  HHS is releasing this intended approach to give consumers, states, employers and issuers timely information as they work toward establishing Exchanges and making decisions for 2014.  This approach was developed with significant input from the public, as well as reports from the Department of Labor, the Institute of Medicine, and research conducted by HHS.

Under the Department’s intended approach announced today, states would have the flexibility to select an existing health plan to set the “benchmark” for the items and services included in the essential health benefits package.  States would choose one of the following health insurance plans as a benchmark:

·         One of the three largest small group plans in the state;

·         One of the three largest state employee health plans; 

·         One of the three largest federal employee health plan options;

·         The largest HMO plan offered in the state’s commercial market.  

The benefits and services included in the health insurance plan selected by the state would be the essential health benefits package.  Plans could modify coverage within a benefit category so long as they do not reduce the value of coverage.  Consistent with the law, states must ensure the essential health benefits package covers items and services in at least ten categories of care, including preventive care, emergency services, maternity care, hospital and physician services, and prescription drugs.  If a state selects a plan that does not cover all ten categories of care, the state will have the option to examine other benchmark insurance plans, including the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan, to determine the type of benefits that will be included in the essential health benefits package.   

Public input on this proposal is encouraged.  Comments are due by Jan 31, 2012 and can be sent to:  EssentialHealthBenefits@cms.hhs.gov.

For the essential health benefits bulletin, visit: http://cciio.cms.gov/resources/regulations/index.html#hie

For a fact sheet on the essential health benefits bulletin, visit: http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2011/12/essential-health-benefits12162011a.html

For a summary of individual market coverage as it relates to essential health benefits, visit: http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/2011/IndividualMarket/ib.shtml

For information comparing benefits in small group products and state and Federal employee plans, visit: http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/2011/MarketComparison/rb.shtml

To read the entire HHS Press Release issued today (12/19/11) click here: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2011pres/12/20111216b.html

1-5 of 5

Sign in|Recent Site Activity|Report Abuse|Print Page|Remove Access|Powered By Google Sites