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Page 22 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2022 Post Eligibility Treatment Of Income derly (PACE) and who had income at or below 300% of the Federal Benefi t Rate (FBR) at the time of the member’s initial MassHealth eligibility determination. PETI rules are used to calcuassHealth issued Eligibility Operations Memo 2113 outlining the post eligibility treatment of income (PETI) process for MassHealth members enrolled in the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the ElM late a member’s contribution to the cost of care in a community MassHealth situation (as opposed to someone on MassHealth in a nursing home). For PACE members who had initially been approved for MassHealth benefi ts with income at or below 300% of the FBR, but who later experience an increase in countable income, causing their income ~ LEGAL NOTICE ~ COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS THE TRIAL COURT PROBATE AND FAMILY COURT Middlesex Probate and Family Court 10-U Commerce Way Woburn, MA 01801 (781) 865-4000 Docket No. MI21C1172CA In the matter of: Arthur Lewis Andrews, Jr. CITATION ON PETITION TO CHANGE NAME A Petition to Change Name of Adult has been filed by Arthur Lewis Andrews, Jr. of Everett, MA requesting that the court enter a Decree changing their name to: Arturo Luiz Vazquez-Perez IMPORTANT NOTICE Any person may appear for purposes of objecting to the petition by filing an appearance at: Middlesex Probate and Family Court before 10:00 a.m. on the return day of 03/31/2022. This is NOT a hearing date, but a deadline by which you must file a written appearance if you object to this proceeding. WITNESS, Hon. Maureen H. Monks, First Justice of this Court. Date: March 03, 2021 TARA E. DeCRISTOFARO Register of Probate March 4, 2022 to exceed 300% of the FBR, they may retain their MassHealth Standard benefi t and remain enrolled in PACE by spending the excess income on medical expenses in order to reduce their countable income to 300% of the FBR. These members will be subject to a monthly patient pay amount that is equal to their excess income over 300% of the FBR, less any allowable deductions. Community MassHealth programs such as the Frail Elder Waiver Program and the PACE Program are subject to income limits. When you initially apply for one of these programs, your income needs to be below the required level. For 2022, 300% of the federal benefi t rate is $2,523, as the FBR for a single person for 2022 is $841. Therefore, your income must be below $2,523 in order to initially qualify for the PACE program. This Eligibility Operations Memo was eff ective on July 14, 2021. It is important to know that someone enrolled in the PACE program will not become ineligible simply because of an increase in countable income, regardless of the source of the income. Rather, MassHealth will simply calculate how much of the excess income will have to be spent down on medical care. Therefore, if you initially qualify for the PACE program as a result of your countable income being at or below 300% of the FBR, you should be able to continue in the PACE program even if your income subsequently increases and puts you over that level. Joseph D. Cataldo is an estate planning/elder law attorney, Certifi ed Public Accountant, registered investment advisor, AICPA Personal Financial Specialist and holds a masters degree in taxation. ~ Home of the Week ~ LYNN....First Ad - Renovated five room home offers three bedrooms, granite counter tops, two full baths, front deck and level lot. Great condo alternative! Offered at $410,000 335 Central Street, Saugus, MA 01906 (781) 233-7300 View the interior of this home right on your smartphone. View all our listings at: CarpenitoRealEstate.com S y Senior Can C VID- COVID 19 Cause Shingles? Sa a a Dear Savvy Senior, How eff ective is the shingles vaccine and what is the CDC recommendation for getting it? My older brother and sister, both in their fi fties, got COVID a few months back followed by shingles. Do you know if there is a connection between these viruses, and would the shingles vaccine have protected them? Scared of Shingles Dear Scared, Great question! Many healthcare professionals across the country have been urging their older patients to get the shingles vaccine (in addition to the COVID-19 vaccinations) during the pandemic because getting COVID-19 can increase your chances of developing shingles. And the more severe case of COVID you get, the greater your risk for shingles. The reason for this is because when you contract COVID-19 your immune system becomes compromised fi ghting off the virus, which gives shingles – a virus that already exist in your body if you’ve had chickenpox – a chance to reactivate. Here’s what you should know about shingles, the shingles vaccine, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations. What are Shingles? Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a burning, blistering skin rash that affects around 1 million Americans each year. The same virus that causes chickenpox causes shingles. What happens is the chickenpox virus that most people get as kids never leaves the body. It hides in the nerve cells near the spinal cord and, for some people, emerges later in the form of shingles. In the U.S., about one out of every three people will develop shingles during their lifetime. While anyone who’s had chickenpox can get shingles, it most commonly occurs in people over age 50, along with people who have weakened immune systems. But you can’t catch shingles from someone else. Early signs of the disease include pain, itching or tingling before a blistering rash appears several days later, and can last up to four by Jim Miller Seni nior ior ni r Shil? weeks. The rash typically occurs on one side of the body, often as a band of blisters that extends from the middle of your back around to the breastbone. It can also appear above an eye or on the side of the face or neck. In addition to the rash, about 20 to 25 percent of those who get shingles go on to develop severe nerve pain (postherpetic neuralgia, or PHN) that can last for months or even years. And in rare cases, shingles can also cause strokes, encephalitis, spinal cord damage and vision loss. Shingles Vaccine The vaccine for shingles called Shingrix (see Shingrix. com) provides much better protection than the old shingles vaccine, Zostavax. Manufac tured by GlaxoSmithKline, Shingrix is 97 percent eff ective in preventing shingles in people 50 to 69 years old, and 91 percent eff ective in those 70 and older. Shingrix also does a terrifi c job of preventing nerve pain that continues after a shingles rash has cleared – about 90 percent eff ective. Because of this protection, the CDC recommends that everyone age 50 and older, receive the Shingrix vaccine, which is given in two doses, separated by two to six months. Even if you’ve already had shingles, you still need these vaccinations because reoccurring cases are possible. The CDC also recommends that anyone previously vaccinated with Zostavax be revaccinated with Shingrix. You should also know that Shingrix can cause some adverse side eff ects for some people, including muscle pain, fatigue, headache, fever and upset stomach. Shingrix – which averages around $205 for both doses – is covered by most private health insurance plans including Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, but there may be a cost to you depending on your plan. Contact your insurer to fi nd out. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

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