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2008 Medicare Open Enrollment is November 15-December 31
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2008 Medicare Open Enrollment is Nov. 15 – Dec. 31st
Plans Change. You Change. Shop and Compare.
Each year plans change what they cost and what they cover. Now is the time for people with Medicare to review the changes being made by their current plan and compare it to others to make sure it still meets their needs. Those who don't have prescription drug coverage can also enroll in a drug plan during open enrollment.
All people with Medicare should:
• Review the 2009 costs for their current drug and health plan. (Look at new premium, co-pays and deductibles in your 2009 Annual Notice of Change)
• Compare the cost and coverage to other plans in their area. (Check to see if the plan covers their medicines, works with their pharmacy and doctors, and covers the services they need)
• Choose a plan that meets their needs.
Review your plan and act early to avoid any inconvenience at the pharmacy counter in January.
Take the time to see if your plan still works for you. For additional information and assistance, call your local Michigan Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program at 1-800-803-7174, or simply dial 2-1-1.
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PATH Classes
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PATH is a 6 week program that teaches practical skills for living a healthy life with a chronic health condition like diabetes, arthritis, asthma, chronic pain, or heart disease.
Classes meet 2 1/2 hours once a week. Cost is $10 per person for the 6 week program. For more information click the PATH Classes link above.
To register call UPCAP Services at 906-786-4701, ext 3019
PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED!
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Upper Peninsula 9-1-1
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Monday, September 22, 2008
The Upper Peninsula 9-1-1 Authority and the U.P. Association of County Commissioners strongly denounces Michigan House Bill 6070 and the efforts of the Telecommunications Association of Michigan (TAM - whose members include AT&T) to denigrate local government in an attempt to give the state greater control of 9-1-1.
TAM would like the Michigan Legislature to believe that phone customers need to be protected from local government spending for 9-1-1. TAM recently convinced the Public Service Commission to hold counties to increases of 2.7% or less for 9-1-1. Yet some of the phone companies that TAM represents raise their rates 20-25% per year. They collect “billing, collection,” and undefined “technical surcharges” from local 9-1-1 funds. And TAM spends tens of thousands of phone customers’ dollars per year to support lobbying efforts.
Why were counties asking for more money? Because local 9-1-1 funding decreased significantly over the last several years while a change in the law was being debated. The old law would only allow local surcharges on traditional land line phones. Many people abandoned their traditional phones for cell phones or internet phones. So as more and more customers changed their service, the 9-1-1 funds dwindled. In many areas, more than 50% of the 9-1-1 calls were from cell phones, yet the land line customers were the only ones paying for the local 9-1-1 operations. This was not only unfair to land line customers, but funding continued to shrink and county 9-1-1 fund balances were depleted. Counties had to delay or cancel capital improvements for 9-1-1 operations until revenues could be restored at least to previous levels.
Counties advocated for the new law (which took effect July 1st) which is considered “revenue neutral” in that all customers (wire line, cell, internet, etc.) within a county pay the same. This makes it fair (neutral) for not only the customers, but also the phone companies competing for business. TAM now has even twisted the concept of “revenue neutral” to mean counties should not be able to collect any increase under the new law to keep the promise of revenue neutrality. We would like to see the phone companies survive with “revenue neutrality” as they wish to define it.
The bottom line is that 9-1-1 is a local service, part of the local public safety team that provides local police, local fire, and local EMS services to people who need them. 9-1-1 service has always been the responsibility of local County Boards of Commissioners. These elected officials are accountable to their citizens for the proper operation and funding of 9-1-1. We must not allow the funding decisions to be turned over to an appointed, unelected bureaucracy (the Public Service Commission) with no direct accountability to our citizens.
Contact - Jonathan Mead (906) 786-4701
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FY2009 Area Agency on Aging - Annual Implementation Plan
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FY2009 Area Agency on Aging - Annual Implementation Pla
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PATH (Personal Action Towards Health) PROGRAM
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PATH (Personal Action Towards Health) is a Chronic Disease Self-Management Program that is designed to be a part of your current medical treatment. PATH is a six week program that teaches practical skills for living a healthy life with an ongoing health condition. Classes meet for 2 ˝ hours once a week for six weeks. Click on the link above to download a printable brochure.
For more information or to register for a class in your area, please contact Tonya LaFave at 1-800-305-8137.
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