Social Service Coordinator/Veteran's Agent,
Bob Fahey
Starting this year, Medicare Open Enrollment starts earlier – on October 15th – and lasts longer (7 full weeks) to give you enough time to review and make changes to your coverage. But, also starting this year, you will need to make your final selection for next year’s Medicare coverage by December 7th. This change ensures Medicare has
enough time to process your choice, so your coverage can begin without interruption on January 1, 2012. Your health needs change from year to year. And, your health plan may change the benefits and costs each year too. That’s why it’s important to evaluate your Medicare choices every year. Open Enrollment is the one time of the year when ALL people with Medicare can see what new benefits Medicare has to offer and make changes to their coverage. It’s worth it to take the time to review and compare, but you don’t have to do it alone. If you typically use the December holidays to discuss health care options with family or friends, plan now to move that conversation earlier. And remember that SHINE is available to help. In addition to our regular SHINE counseling schedule on Wednesday mornings, additional SHINE hours will be available on Fridays from 9:30 to noon from October 14 through Dec 2. Call to
schedule your appointment with SHINE Counselor, Judy Murphy, by calling the Center.
More Medicare Assistance will be offered on Wednesday, November 9, at 1:00 p.m. when Ed Roth, Director of the SHINE program, will offer an update on changes to Medicare and Medicare Plans. Please call to sign up.
The Yellow Dot Program is a national program that provides emergency first responders at automobile accidents with vital medical information of crash victims. Participants place a Yellow Dot decal on their driver’s side rear windshield . In event of emergency or car accident, the Yellow Dot alerts the emergency responder that inside the car’s glove compartment is an envelope that contains the victim's medical information. The envelope has the victim’s name and photo on the outside for easier identification during this critical time. Inside the envelope is a TRIAD Medical Information Card, which lists the victim’s medical conditions, allergies, recent surgeries, medications and emergency contact information. Norfolk County Sheriff, Michael Bellotti, has launched this program and
will be offering it to Franklin. For more information, come to a presentation on Tuesday, October 18, at 11:00 a.m.
Attention Vietnam Vets! All veterans who served in Vietnam are now automatically placed in Category 6 for VA Health Care eligibility. This category provides a broad range of medical services. For more information call Bob Fahey, Franklin Veterans Agent, at 508 520-4973.
Massachusetts Senior Legal Helpline - The Helpline provides FREE legal information, advice and referral services for Massachusetts senior citizens in most areas of civil law, including: Social Security, SSI, Veterans Benefits, consumer issues, Mass Health, Medicare, public benefits, unemployment, foreclosures, guardianship, powers of attorney, bankruptcy, evictions, landlord/tenant, utilities, domestic relations, and long-term care. Call 1-866-778-0939.
The Fuel Assistance program will commence on November 1st; new applicants should contact Bob Fahey to schedule an appointment to apply for Fuel Assistance benefits.
TRANSPORTATION FOR MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS TO BOSTON, WORCESTER and other destinations is now available with GATRA through Kiessling Transit; call 800 698-7676.
APPLICATIONS FOR THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS & BENEFITS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE FRANKLIN SENIOR CENTER: Food Stamps, Handicapped Placards, Homestead Act, Health Care Proxy, Mass Health, Prescription Advantage, and the Elder Home Repair Program; please call for more information.
REAL ESTATE TAX RELIEF:You may be entitled to a $750 Real Estate Tax Abatement if you are 70 or older as of July 1, 2011, have been living in Massachusetts for 10 years, have owned and occupied a Mass property for 5 years, and meet the following criteria:
* Single and your income last year was $13,677 or less and your assets (not including your home) are $29,548 or less.
* Married and your income last year was $15,781 or less and your assets (not including your home) are $31,562 or less.
If you are above these limits, you may be entitled to a lesser abatement of $285 if:
* Your assets (checking, savings bonds, etc.) not including your home were $42,083 or less AND
* You are a surviving spouse; or single, 70 or older as of July 1, 2011 OR
* You are married and one spouse was age 70 or older as of July 1, 2011.
--If you are Legally Blind and own and occupy property as your residence for the current fiscal year you are entitled to an exemption of $437.50 off of your local real estate taxes. Applicants must provide the Assesors Office with a Certificate of Blindness from the MA Commission for the Blind.
--The state also offers Tax Deferrals of local real estate taxes with an interest rate that is tied to the MA Municipal Depository Trust rate, currently at around 5%. Exemptions for seniors who are veterans, blind, or low income (with income not exceeding $20,000 in the calendar year preceding the year of application) are also available. Applications can be accepted after July 1 for fiscal year 2010.
--You may also qualify for the Circuit Breaker Tax Credit of up to $970 if you pay more than 10% of your income in real estate taxes and water and sewer bills. Seniors 65 or over whose property taxes (or 25% of your rent) exceed 10% of their gross annual income may be eligible for a tax credit for this year and the past three years - even if they’ve never filed Massachusetts state income tax forms. Property owners can add 50% of water and sewer fees (if they’re not in your property tax bill) to the total taxes paid. Those who qualify receive the amount by which their taxes exceed 10% of income, up to a maximum of $970 for tax year 2010, but taxes must be filed to earn this tax credit. For assistance in filing for this credit, call Bob Fahey at 508 520-4973.
SHINE (Serving the Health Information Needs of Elders): For information about health insurance issues, call to make an appointment with our SHINE counselor.
VETERANS BENEFITS: There has been an increase in the amount of Property Tax Exemptions available to certain Disabled Veterans or their survivors. Please call Bob Fahey, Veterans Agent (508 520-4973) for more information, or to learn more about Veteran’s benefits.
PROJECT LIFESAVER provides a wrist bracelet with a radio transmitter to individuals with dementia who are at risk for wandering off. Should the individual wander, the caregiver notifies the police, and a search and rescue team is deployed with a mobile radio receiver to track the signal. To date, all the individuals wearing Project Lifesaver wrist bands have been retrieved safely within 30 minutes. The program is sponsored by the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office along with TRIAD and the Franklin Rotary has made a generous donation to Project Lifesaver to help serve Franklin residents. The Franklin Police Department has been trained in search and rescue protocol for this program by the Sheriff's office. The cost for the program is nominal and can be waived for low income individuals. For more information, call the
Council on Aging at 520-4945.
THE MASS HEALTH BUY IN can pay for your Medicare Part B premium if you qualify. Seniors are eligible if monthly income before taxes and deductions for individuals is below $1,123 and assets are below $4,000. For married couples, combined monthly income is below $1,505 and assets are below $6,000. For more information, call Bob Fahey at the number below.
CELL PHONES are available to seniors to be used for emergency 911 calls. If interested, stop by the Center to obtain your phone.
ARE YOU OKAY? This is an effective way to maintain your safety and independence. This free service provides a daily telephone call from the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office to assure that you are safe and secure in your home. The calls can be received every day at a time chosen between 6 a.m. and noon. All calls are monitored by a deputy sheriff. When a call comes in, the subscriber answers and hears a recorded voice asking “Are you okay?” The subscriber may answer “yes” and simply hang up. If something is wrong, the subscriber would say “no” and the deputy sheriff will pick up the phone to find out the problem and take appropriate action. If a subscriber does not answer the call, the computer automatically places a second call in 5 minutes. If there is still no answer, the
deputy sheriff will call a designated family member or friend to inform them. In some cases, the deputy will contact the local police and ask them to go to the person’s home. If a subscriber plans on being away, a simple phone call to the sheriff’s office will discontinue the calls and reactivate them when the subscriber returns. The service is flexible in that one can subscribe for a short period of time, for example, after a hospital stay. Call today for more information about this great service.
ELDER ABUSE most likely comes from someone the elder knows. Anyone can report elder abuse with immunity from civil and criminal liability that could result from making a report as long as they report in good faith. Call the Elder Abuse Hotline at 1-800-922-2775.
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