Medicare

U.S. Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin promised Friday to fight to preserve Social Security and Medicare. At a senior citizen forum in Hagerstown, Cardin, D-Md., denounced efforts in Washington, D.C., to cut the entitlement programs for senior citizens. Cardin mentioned a budget proposal by U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., that would have made large cuts in federal spending and restructured Medicare. The Republican-majority House of Representatives approved the plan, but the Democratic-majority Senate rejected it. Cardin, who is running for a second six-year term in the Senate, stopped at the new C. Williams Brooks senior citizen housing center on West Baltimore Street in Hagerstown to talk about senior citizen issues.

The Herald-Mail published a column last week titled “Safety net under siege” written by David Elliot, the communications director of USAction, a left-leaning advocacy group and propaganda machine. The column focused on the “promise” we owe American citizens about Medicare. The column was about 50 percent stories of personal interest, which are nice for working up sympathy but do little to help people actually think about the realities of Medicare's imminent collapse. Twice, Elliot mentions the “promise” we made to Americans to take care of their medical needs in old age. He ended the column by writing, “We made them a promise.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The financial health of Social Security and Medicare, the government's two biggest benefit programs, worsened in the past year because of the severe recession. Trustees of the two programs said Tuesday that Social Security will start paying out more in benefits than it collects in taxes in 2016, one year sooner than projected last year, and the giant trust fund will be depleted by 2037, four years sooner. The trustees said Medicare was in even worse shape.

Why do flu shots cost more when government pays? To the editor: A few weeks ago, I was in one of our local food markets and decided to get a flu shot at the pharmacy counter. The pharmacist asked if I had Medicare, and I presented my card and got the flu shot. About two weeks later, I received a statement from Medicare stating that they had paid $50 for my flu shot. Yesterday, I went to a different branch of the same store chain and asked how much a flu shot was. Again, I was asked if I have Medicare.

WASHINGTON COUNTY The Washington County Commission on Aging expects to busy Monday. That's the deadline for people to sign up for a Medicare program designed to save them money on prescription drugs. The program, Medicare Part D, is open to anyone on Medicare, regardless of income. Susan McDonald, executive director of the Commission on Aging, said she expects a rush of seniors to seek assistance with enrolling on Monday. "We anticipate people will be calling all day long on Monday," McDonald said Friday.

Editor's note: The Herald-Mail invites readers to answer poll questions on www.herald-mail.com. Readers also may submit comments when voting. A sampling of edited reader comments will run on The Herald-Mail's Opinion page on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. The question posted Monday was: Should a plan to let uninsured people as young as 55 purchase Medicare coverage be included in a health care reform bill? Poll results: Yes - 327 votes (42 percent) No - 461 votes (58 percent)

Medicare's regulations now make it easier for seniors and others with debilitating conditions such as arthritis, stroke, diabetes or heart and breathing problems to obtain a power wheelchair at little or no cost. Miracle on Wheels is trying to increase public awareness about assistance that allows seniors and the disabled to remain independent in their own homes rather than undergoing difficult surgery, resorting to expensive treatment or moving into a nursing home. These options are available to anyone with problems getting around their home or who is in danger of falling due to a medical condition.

The Commission on Aging will give instruction on Medicare basics, supplemental insurance and prescription drug coverage at its Medi Gap workshops from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday, June 7,  at The Commission on Aging, 140 W. Franklin St., fourth floor, downtown Hagerstown. The workshops are held the first Thursday of each month. To register, call 301-790-0275.

No patients will be left without services when the Washington County Health Department's home health program ends June 30 after more than 25 years. When it was announced last November that the program would be discontinued, 22 clients were using its services, according to Linda Humbert, director of nursing at the Health Department. "We've been working with other home health providers to get these people taken care of," Humbert said. "Nobody will be left dangling. " Washington County has other home health providers such as Washington County Hospital, Hospice and private agencies.

The Washington County Health Department will conduct a flu vaccination clinic for adults Friday, Oct. 21,  from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the health department, 1302 Pennsylvania Ave. in Hagerstown. This is a walk-in clinic, and no appointment is necessary. Medicare is accepted. No other insurance will be billed. A donation of $20 will be accepted. Forms are available at www.washhealth.org . For more information, call 240-313-3250; or 240-313-3391 (TDD).

Senior citizens enrolled in medical and prescription plans through a Florida-based health insurance company will not see a gap in their Medicare coverage, despite the company's contracts being terminated April 1, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Those terminations affect residents of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Virginia. CMS “will ensure continuous medical and prescription coverage for beneficiaries enrolled in Universal Health Care Medicare health plans,” according to a new release issued Friday afternoon.

Free workshops for those new to Medicare will be held at the Washington County Commission on Aging at 140 W. Franklin St., fourth floor, in Hagerstown. The workshops start Wednesday, April 10, and will be held the second Wednesday of each month. There will be a morning session from 10 a.m. to noon and an evening session from 6 to 8 p.m. Attendees will learn the basics of Medicare, Supplemental Medicare Insurance (Medigap) and Part D (Medicare Prescription Drug Program). The goal of the workshop is to provide residents with the information they need to enroll in a Medigap plan.

The Herald-Mail published a column last week titled “Safety net under siege” written by David Elliot, the communications director of USAction, a left-leaning advocacy group and propaganda machine. The column focused on the “promise” we owe American citizens about Medicare. The column was about 50 percent stories of personal interest, which are nice for working up sympathy but do little to help people actually think about the realities of Medicare's imminent collapse. Twice, Elliot mentions the “promise” we made to Americans to take care of their medical needs in old age. He ended the column by writing, “We made them a promise.

The Washington County Health Department will hold flu vaccination clinics on the following dates and times: Monday, Jan. 14, 1 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 16, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 18, 1 to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25, 1 to 4:30 p.m. All clinics will be held at the Health Department's main building at 1302 Pennsylvania Avenue, Hagerstown. Medicare is accepted for adult vaccination, but no other insurance will be billed. A donation of $20 is appreciated.

 “I wish the parents in Franklin County would stop whining about the dress code for their children. Had they been doing their job all along, it wouldn't be necessary for the schools to tell their children how to dress.” - Chambersburg, Pa. “To repeal Obamacare, to save Medicare and Social Security, vote Republican. Our country is running out of money. The few workers we have left cannot seed the programs. A financial disaster is awaiting all of us if we continue in this same old way.” - Boonsboro “To the Hagerstown caller wanting to know if we wanted to blame President Obama for the Kennedy assassination: We couldn't do that.

Medicare Part D Open Enrollment for fiscal year 2013 will begin Oct. 15 and end Dec. 7. The Washington County Commission on Aging Inc. will help Medicare recipients find the appropriate Medicare Part D Plan for 2013. Those wanting to enroll or to review an existing plan may call the Washington County Commission on Aging Inc./Area Agency on Aging at 301-790-0275 to schedule an appointment between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. The nonprofit Washington County Commission on Aging also will schedule classes to enable individuals to apply for Medicare Part D on their own. More information may be obtained by calling 301-790-0275, ext. 223, or by emailing Hilary F. Lo, the agency's community educator, at hlo@wccoaging.org . The Washington County Commission on Aging/Area Agency on Aging is at 140 W. Franklin St., fourth floor, in Hagerstown.

The Commission on Aging will give instruction on Medicare basics, supplemental insurance and prescription drug coverage at its Medi Gap workshops from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday, June 7,  at The Commission on Aging, 140 W. Franklin St., fourth floor, downtown Hagerstown. The workshops are held the first Thursday of each month. To register, call 301-790-0275.

Editor's note: This is one in an occasional series of profiles about candidates running for election in the 6th Congressional District. As a single parent, Charles Bailey said he's concerned about the educational future for his 6-year-old son. As a combat medic with the Army National Guard's 29th Light Infantry Division, Bailey believes it's time for American troops to come home from Afghanistan. "The sacrifice of young lives, and two billion dollars a month, is too much to give in building an economy on the other side of the world when we need to rebuild the economy here in the Sixth District," Bailey, a Democrat, wrote in an email about why he is running for Congress.

U.S. Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin promised Friday to fight to preserve Social Security and Medicare. At a senior citizen forum in Hagerstown, Cardin, D-Md., denounced efforts in Washington, D.C., to cut the entitlement programs for senior citizens. Cardin mentioned a budget proposal by U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., that would have made large cuts in federal spending and restructured Medicare. The Republican-majority House of Representatives approved the plan, but the Democratic-majority Senate rejected it. Cardin, who is running for a second six-year term in the Senate, stopped at the new C. Williams Brooks senior citizen housing center on West Baltimore Street in Hagerstown to talk about senior citizen issues.

Why do flu shots cost more when government pays? To the editor: A few weeks ago, I was in one of our local food markets and decided to get a flu shot at the pharmacy counter. The pharmacist asked if I had Medicare, and I presented my card and got the flu shot. About two weeks later, I received a statement from Medicare stating that they had paid $50 for my flu shot. Yesterday, I went to a different branch of the same store chain and asked how much a flu shot was. Again, I was asked if I have Medicare.