Baltimore County, MD Time of Your LIfe, 20 Oct 2021

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From YouTube: Medicare- What You Need to Know!

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Sherry J. Kolbe, Manager
State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
Baltimore County Department of Aging

Hosted by Ethel Rasmussen, MA, Manager, Office of Communications
Baltimore County Department of Aging

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[music] Welcome to the time of your life at the baltimore county department of aging.

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I'm your host, ethel rasmussen. as always,. The time of your life is about sharing resources for living your best life and dedicated to keeping you well-informed about the programs and services that are specially designed for you.

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You can also connect with bcda through our agencies,.

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Multiple media platforms that include our website,.

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Facebook,, the time of your life, digest,, flickr, and map,, as well as abundance of printed resources.

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connections to bcda, are stronger than ever..

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Please take advantage of the many options we offer.

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Today's show offers empowering information along.

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With the option to enjoy additional programs and classes.

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Kathleen young, programming manager at the baltimore county department of aging,.

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Shares information about bcda's, 21st senior, center.

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Stay tuned to learn about another way, to connect and enjoy bcda's, exciting programming.

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We begin today's show with popular and important topic,.

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Especially during this time of year., yes,, you've, guessed it,, medicare part d,, enrollment, and benefits..

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Let's start the show, with sherry, kolbe, manager, of the state health insurance assistance program, known as ship.

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Sherry,, thank you for being on today's show.

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It's always good to be there.. Thank you for inviting me.

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Prior to starting our conversation about medicare part d,,.

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Can you briefly share the responsibilities of bcda's ship office?.

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This office is designed for one thing only, and that is.

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To assist baltimore county constituents to learn about medicare,.

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To answer their medicare questions, and that's what we do monday to friday.

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ship really does provide an invaluable service to medicare beneficiaries.

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Let's begin by talking about medicare eligibility and enrollment.

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What are the basics that viewers should be aware? Of?, those who are eligible for medicare are those who are turning 65.

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They are also successfully applied for certain disabilities or go to the 25th month.

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We think that if somebody's on kidney dialysis,.

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The fourth month of dialysis, and has a kidney transplant.

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forth enrollment. If you have elected to.

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Go to the social security retirement at 62,, 63 or whatever,.

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You automatically get a medicare card 2-4 months before.

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Your 65th birthday., those on social security, disability, automatically get a medicare card. Also.

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However,, if you're not collecting social security,,.

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There is nothing automatic about it,, you have to remember, you are turning 65, and that you need to take action,.

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All enrollment is done through social security.

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What are the different parts of medicare? Can you provide information about each benefit,.

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And what each benefit covers?

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medicare part a is free if you or your spouse worked ten years in this country,.

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Covered that they're literally admitted to the hospital.

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After that, if you were admitted for three midnights and transferred to a skilled, nursing facility., if after that,, you need [inaudible] in a home and it pays for hospice.

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Medicare part b on the other hand,.

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Pays for literally everything outpatient.

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It also codes for the doctor,, no matter where you see that. now both of the medicare does not pay 100 percent,.

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So there is cost sharing with a as well as b.

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But medicare or medicare advantage plans,.

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There is some ppo's medicare part b is.

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Your prescription drug plan coverage would be going into a little more in depth. Later.

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Sherry there are ads on tv, mentioning medicare advantage programs that have give back programs,.

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And allude to medicare advantage plans having little to no co-pay.

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Can you address these topics?.

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That particular ad is misleading.

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Because it does give the impression that anybody that.

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Signs up for an advantage plan will have zero co-pay.

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The only people who have zero co-pay are people.

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On medical assistance or special program called umb,.

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And that the programs,, your income can be no more than $1093 gross for a single person,.

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And for a couple,, the income can be no more than $1473 gross,. Also, your assets have to be very low.

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The majority of people watching the ad are overscale to get the benefit.

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We do not have any hmos who are willing to pay your medicare part b, premium.

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However, there is a state program that will pay,.

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And that would be single can be incomes under $1459.

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A couple under $1980 again with low assets, so,.

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It's not through the advantage plan.

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the way any, and every plan work. Every time you use it,.

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You pay out-of-pocket, and you keep paying until you reach a limit of $7,500,.

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That plan will pay the remaining health care cost.

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All right. thank you,.

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Sherry, we're going to take a short break, but first, consider subscribing to bcdas newspaper, the time of your life digest now in its 43rd year.

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The digest is a newspaper filled with news, the latest government happenings, columns, and articles from the county, executive, county, council, and other baltimore county agencies.

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you'll learn about medicare services, nutrition, recipes,, health-related, subjects,.

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Travel, senior center programs and events, volunteer opportunities and so much more.

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subscription rates for baltimore county residents are $5 annually.

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For information about the time of your life digest,, please visit the newspaper's website or call 410-887-3050.

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If you're a business owner,, this is an opportunity outreach to a target audience.

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when we return, learn more about medicare part d.

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Welcome back to the time of your life., I'm your host, ethel rasmussen.. Let's continue our conversation about medicare part d, with sherry, kolbe,.

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Manager of the state health insurance assistance program, known as ship.

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Sherry, for medicare part d, the prescription drug benefit, has.

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A designated open enrollment period from october, the 15th to december 7th.

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Can you talk about the importance of these dates.

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Medicare, open enrollment is a very important that.

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Every medicare beneficiary, on a part b plan, gets into the habit of.

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Yearly reassessing are they on the correct drug plan.

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In september,, these plans do tell you what changes they are making.

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But unfortunately,, I don't think most people read the notices.

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This year, like the deductible, is going up from 445 to 480.

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With [inaudible] jump,.

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One of the plan their premium went up, 50 dollars.

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These plans they are allowed to change their formulary, tier structure,.

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Pharmacy contract, premium, and deductible every single year.

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therefore, it behooves each one of us to do our part in research on an annual basis.

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What type of assistance is.

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Available to support medicare beneficiaries with their research?.

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Well,, what my office does is that we do in-person,.

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One-On-One help at not all the senior centers,.

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But many of them during this open, enrollment period.

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If someone is interested in having one-on-one assistance,.

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Then they would call 410-887-2059 then make an appointment.

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Or they can now go online and schedule their own appointment.

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We also, if you're, incapacitated, and can't get out,, we are doing phone interviews..

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The other option is always to call 1-800 medicare,.

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Which is available 24/7 to assist during this busy time.

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Bcda ship office also offers assistance by phone to medicare beneficiaries,.

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Whether the assistance is for part d or other medicare insurance, products.

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Please share with our viewers how they can connect with ship for assistance.

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Well,, as I mentioned,, they can call us. now,.

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I do warn you that it takes a couple of days to get back,.

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But we will get back to you., then we do have an online system when you go to baltimorecountymd.gov/aging and scroll down to part b,.

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You will be able to ultimately make an appointment.

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This is a brand new service this year that we're kind of test driving.

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Excellent, sherry,.

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If you could review with our viewers the information they need to bring to their appointment.

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It is extremely important that you bring either the bottles that your medicines are in or.

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Else a list with the [inaudible], exactly as it is on the bottle.

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You have to know whether taking a pill or a capsule,.

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You, whether it's generic or brand, and so forth.

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Because, like with any other computer, the more accurate the information,.

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The more accurate our results would be.

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Can you share information about extra help for those beneficiaries that may qualify.

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The extra help with a wonderful benefit, administered through social security then come and ask the program.

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For instance,, if you're a single person and your income is under $1630,,.

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And your asset level is under 14,700,.

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You're eligible for some form of extra help.

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You're going to get some help with the premium-deductible,.

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And with the co-pay, if your income is low,.

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Enough to get full extra help, because no premium,, no deductible,.

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And no more than $3.95 for generic,.

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And not more than $9.85 for brand drug,.

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That is very helpful. Program.

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When in doubt, call my office, we do these applications all the time.

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When we're in the field at senior centers, we also do them.

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sherry, closing any final thoughts. You'd like to share with our viewers?.

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Just do the best service to yourself.

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If either you or one of your children or grandson or somebody, does this research.

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If you've gone several years without having the research done,.

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It is highly likely that you are wasting money.

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We can save some people 500 or even $1000, by changing your plan,.

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But please do the research one way or another. thank you.

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Thank you, sherry for taking time out of your busy schedule to.

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Share information and support baltimore county's medicare beneficiaries.

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Thank you, for having me.

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We're going to take a short break,.

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But first I'd like to share some exciting news about bcda's rooted in resilience. Initiative., our free monthly programs support a different theme of building resilience.

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November is caring and december is celebrating.

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To learn more about these interesting fun and innovative programs, like rooted in resilience,, remember to friend and visit bcda's facebook page often for multiple daily postings.

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Attendees receive an extra added bonus when attending rooted, programs,.

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And you could be the lucky winner of a $25 gift card from our devoted sponsors.

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Next day, access baltimore in november and the baltimore county office of tourism in december.

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When we return, we'll learn about baltimore county department of aging's, 21st senior center.,.