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THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – Friday, July 19, 2019 Page 17 one that has started to gain consensus across the political spectrum as the right thing to do to save lives.” (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes $484,875 FOR GRANTS TO THE HOUSE AND SENATE. Beacon Hill Roll Call records local senator's votes on roll calls from recent sessions. There were no roll calls in the House or Senate last week. SUBSCRIBE TO MASSTERLIST–IT'S FREE! Join more than 17,000 other people from movers and shakers to political junkies and interested citizens who start their morning with a copy of MASSterList! MASSterList is a daily ensemble of news and commentary about the Legislature, Politics, Media and Judiciary of Massachusetts drawn from major news organizations as well as specialized publications selected by widely acclaimed and highly experienced editor Jay Fitzgerald. Jay introduces each article in his own clever and never-boring, inimitable way. Go to: www.massterlist.com/ subscribe Type in your e-mail address and in 15 seconds you will be signed up for a free subscription. With no strings attached. $300,000 FOR FAMILIES OF SUBSTANCE ABUSED NEWBORNS (S 3) Senate 39-0, approved an amendment that would provide $300,000 to the Health Policy Commission for a childhood grant program to support and care for families with substance-exposed newborns that suffer from Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). This syndrome is a group of problems a baby experiences when withdrawing from exposure to narcotics. Sen. Vinny deMacedo (R-Plymouth), the sponsor of the amendment, said that newborns that are born with NAS, experience the same withdrawal symptoms that adults with the same dependency would experience [including] GI upset, muscle rigidity and sensory hypersensitivity, and can suffer from long term consequences such as behavioral problems, vision impairments and motor skill delays. “This amendment and the funding it included will be instrumental in targeting communities and assisting families that are in need of support and whose children are in need of treatment,” explained deMacedo. “Not only will this program offer intervention and support, it will be a crucial step in collecting quantitative data on the long term needs of these children experiencing NAS and will allow future children to receive better, more targeted treatment and prevention in the future.” (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes $5 MILLION FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE (S 3) Senate 39-0, approved an amendment to implement $5 million in programs recommended by the Harm Reduction Commission created by the Legislature in 2018. Provisions include $1.5 million to increase the availability of sterile and safe injection equipment and syringe disposal services; $150,000 for a pilot program to provide access to fentanyl testing strips or other drug checking equipment; and $300,000 to increase the availability of nasal naloxone (brand name Narcan) rescue kits prior to discharge from a facility after treatment for an opioid overdose. Naloxone rescue kits include naloxone and other items used for the emergency treatment of a known or suspected opioid overdose. “For close to two decades, the opioid epidemic has consumed communities across the commonwealth,” said Sen. Julian Cyr (D-Truro), the sponsor of the amendment. “We need to focus on what we can do to save lives and harm reduction is an evidence-based approach used to keep people using opioids alive and safe until they progress into clinical treatment … Harm reduction itself should not be seen as a way to end opioid use, but rather as a valuable survival plan, COUNCILS ON AGING (S 3) Senate 39-0, approved an amendment increasing funding for Councils on Aging by $484,875 (from $16,740,125 to $17,225,000.) Sen. Becca Rausch (D-Needham), the amendment’s sponsor said the money will fund innovation grants to municipal Councils on Aging and will benefit seniors statewide. “Our collective moral compass is set, at least in part, by whether and how we respect our elders,” said Rausch. “Not only do our elders want to age in their chosen communities, but also … this approach to aging builds community, reduces costs, enriches lives and improves health outcomes by notably reducing isolation.” (A “Yes” vote is for the amendment.) Sen. Sal DiDomenico Yes HOW LONG WAS LAST WEEK'S SESSION? Beacon Hill Roll Call tracks the length of time that the House and Senate were in session each week. Many legislators say that legislative sessions are only one aspect of the Legislature's job and that a lot of important work is done outside of the House and Senate chambers. They note that their jobs also involve committee work, research, constituent work and other matters that are important to their districts. Critics say that the Legislature does not meet regularly or long enough to debate and vote in public view on the thousands of pieces of legislation that have been filed. They note that the infrequency and brief length of sessions are misguided and lead to irresponsible late-night sessions and a mad rush to act on dozens of bills in the days immediately preceding the end of an annual session. During the week of July 8-12, the House met for a total of 10 hours and 35 minutes while the Senate met for a total of one hours and 27 minutes. Mon. July 8 House 11:02 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Senate 11:08 a.m. to 11:24 a.m. Tues. July 9 House 11:02 a.m. to 12:12 p.m. Senate 11:05 a.m. to 11:10 a.m. Wed. July 10 House 10:59 a.m. to 1:51 p.m. Senate 11:11 a.m. to 11:56 a.m. Thurs. July 11 House 11:01 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Senate 11:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Fri. July 12 House 11:00 a.m. to 1:51 p.m. Senate 2:13 p.m. to 2:19 p.m. Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com Savvy Senior Where to Get Help Paying Your Medicare Costs Dear Savvy Senior, Are there any sources you know of that can help me save on my Medicare coverage? I’m 65, and live primarily on my Social Security, and am having a hard time paying my Medicare out-of-pocket costs. Need Some Help Dear Need, There are several financial assistance programs that can help lower-income Medicare beneficiaries who are having a difficult time paying their out-of-pocket health care costs. Here’s what’s available, along with the eligibility requirements and how to apply. Medicare Savings Programs Let’s start with a program that helps pay premiums and outof-pocket costs for Medicare Parts A and B. It’s called the Medicare Savings Program (MSP), and it has several different benefit levels for people based on their income and asset level. At its most generous the program will pay your Part A and B premiums and pretty much all your Medicare deductibles, coinsurance and copayments. At its least generous the program will pay just your Part B premium. To qualify for a MSP, the minimum standard set by Medicare, is an income under 135 percent of the federal poverty level, which at the moment works out to around $1,426 a month for individuals (or $1,923 for married couples). Everything counts towards income, including payouts from 401(k) plans, pensions, Social Security, and help from family members. Medicare also allows states to impose an asset test, which can be as little as $7,730 per individual ($11,600 for married couples), not counting your house or car but counting retirement savings and bank accounts. But some states have made their MSP programs a lot more generous, with much higher income limits and in some cases no asset tests at all. And the program may be called something else in your state. To find out if you qualify or to apply, contact your state Medicaid program. Visit Medicare.gov/contacts or call all 800-633-4227 for contact information. Medication Extra Help For help with Medicare (Part D) prescription drug plan costs, there is another completely separate program called Extra Help. To get it, you’ll need to apply through your local Social Security office. Depending on how low your income is, this program will pay part or all of your Part D prescription drug plan’s monthly premiums, annual deductibles and prescription co-payments. In 2019, individuals with a yearly income below $18,735 ($25,365 for a married couple), and assets under $14,390 ($28,720 for a married couple) can qualify for Extra Help. If you’re eligible to be in a Medicare Savings Program, you will automatically qualify for Extra Help. But because the requirements are slightly different, even if you don’t qualify for a Medicare Savings Program for Part B you might be able to get Extra Help for Part D. For more information or to apply, visit SSA.gov/ extrahelp or call Social Security at 800-772-1213. Other Assistance Programs Depending on your income level, needs and location there are many other financial assistance programs that can help like Medicaid, SSI (Supplemental Security Income), PACE (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly), SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), (LIHEAP) Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and many others. To help you find out what types of assistance programs you may be eligible for, and learn how to apply for them, go to BenefitsCheckUp.org. This is a free, confidential Web tool designed for people age 55 and older that contains more than 2,500 programs. It’s also possible to get help in person at one of the 87 Benefits Enrollment Centers scattered across the U.S. Call 888-2686706 or visit NCOA.org/centerforbenefits/becs to locate a center in your area. Some centers also offer assistance over the phone. 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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