THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2020 Page 17 BY JIM MILLER What Caregivers Should Know About Medicare Dear Savvy Senior, I am the caregiver for my 81-year-old mother, who recently fell and broke her hip, and have a lot of questions about how original Medicare works and what it covers. Where can I get some help understanding this program? Overwhelmed Caregiver Dear Caregiver, Excellent question! Having a working knowledge of Medicare can help you take full advantage of the coverage and services it provides to ensure your mom receives the best care possible. Here’s what you should know. Medicare Assistance A good starting point to get familiar with Medicare is the offi cial “Medicare & You” handbook that overviews the program. It’s mailed to all benefi ciaries every fall and provides an up-to-date description of all services and benefi ts. You can also see it online at Medicare.gov/ medicare-and-you. If you have a particular question, you can call and visit with a Medicare customer service representative at 800-633-4227. Medicare also works closely with State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIP) to provide free health insurance counseling. To fi nd a SHIP counselor in your area visit ShiptaCenter.org or call 877-839-2675. Caregivers also fi nd Medicare’s secure website – MyMedicare.gov – especially useful. After setting up a personal account for your mom, you can view the details of her coverage, track recent health care claims and keep up to date on the preventive services she qualifi es for. Compare Tools Medicare can also help you locate the right health care providers for your mother. At Medicare.gov/care-compare you can fi nd and compare doctors, hospitals, home health agencies, dialysis facilities, inpatient rehab facilities, long-term care hospitals and nursing homes in your mom’s area. What Medicare Covers Medicare can reduce many out-of-pocket medical expenses your mom incurs, but it doesn’t cover everything. Understanding what Medicare does and doesn’t cover can save you time and spare you frustration when navigating the caregiving maze. Here are some key points for caregivers: Besides basic hospital and physician services (which includes telehealth services) and optional prescription drug benefi ts, Medicare covers home health care too. To qualify, your mom must be homebound, under a physician’s care and in need of part-time skilled nursing care or rehabilitative services like physical therapy. Medicare also helps pay for oxygen, catheters and other medical supplies that a doctor prescribes for home use. The same is true for medically necessary equipment like oxygen machines, wheelchairs and walkers. In addition, Medicare covers skilled care in a nursing home for limited periods – up to 100 days – following hospital stays. But it doesn’t cover long-term stays. Patients who need custodial care (room and board) must pay out of pocket unless they’re eligible for Medicaid or have private long-term care insurance. Medicare pays for hospice care too, for someone with a terminal illness whose doctor expects to live six months or less. The hospice benefi t also includes brief periods of respite care at a hospice facility, hospital or nursing home to give the patient’s caregivers an occasional rest. Besides long-term nursing home stays, original Medicare typically doesn’t cover regular dental care or dentures, regular eye exams or eyeglasses, and hearing exams and hearing aids. Likewise, it won’t pay for nonemergency ambulance trips unless a doctor certifi es they’re medically necessary. To fi nd out what Medicare covers, visit Medicare.gov/coverage and type in the test, item or service you have questions about, or download the Medicare “What’s covered” app in either the App Store or Google Play. Financial Assistance If your mom lives on a limited income, you should check whether she qualifi es for help with prescription drug costs or with other Medicare-related premiums, deductibles and copayments. For help with drug costs, visit SSA.gov/prescriptionhelp or contact Social Security at 800-772-1213 and ask about the “Extra Help Program.” For help with other Medicare costs, go to Medicare.gov or call 800-6334227 and ask about the “Medicare Savings Programs.” 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. “E” Club annual Meeting Jan. 11 on Zoom T he "E" Club president Vincent Ragucci, Jr. cordially invites you to the annual meeting on January 11, at 5:30PM. Due to the circumstances, this year's meeting will be available to watch on Zoom. If you have any questions, contact the "E" Club secretary, John Ragucci at Jragucci@verizon.net or Daryl Colson, the “E” Club Webmaster, darylcolson@comcast.net. on Zoom Meeting. https://us02web.zoom. us/j/85303980619?p - w d=a2h5NGJIKzVD - cVGNk10N2YrZVlUdz09 Meeting ID: 853 0398 0619 Passcode: 630364 One tap mobile + 16465588656,,85303980 619#,,,,,,0#,,630364# US (New York) + 13017158592,,853039806 19#,,,,,,0#,,630364# US (Washington D.C) Dial by your location + 1 646 558 8656 US (New York) ington D.C) cago) Jose) + 1 301 715 8592 US (Wash+ 1 312 626 6799 US (Chi+ 1 669 900 9128 US (San + 1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) + 1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 853 0398 0619 Passcode: 630364 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/ kcfeSP1wVE We have now made it easier than ever to join or renew your existing membership online: https://www.eclubofeverett.com/memberships-1 You may also make a donation at any time here: https:// www.eclubofeverett.com/donate We wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season. Baker announces $668M small business relief package T he Baker-Polito Administration recently launched a $668 million program to provide fi nancial assistance to Massachusetts small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program in part relies on the federal COVID-19 relief bill signed into law on December 27, 2020. The Baker-Polito Administration will soon start releasing millions in new funding to restaurants, retailers and other small businesses throughout the Commonwealth. The Administration announced nearly $49 million in grants through the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC) COVID-19 Small Business Grant Program to support over 1,158 small businesses. More than 10,000 applicants had sought relief in this grant round. Additional grants will be made available to eligible small businesses through MGCC. The Small Business Grant Program was established in the fall, and currently has a pool of eligible applicants awaiting funding. This additional funding will allow the Administration to award more of those pending applicants. Eligible businesses that already applied to the program, but were not funded due to limited funds available, will be prioritized for funding fi rst and do not need to reapply. The funds will also be used to stand up an additional grant program at the MGCC. This program will target the industries most hard-hit during the pandemic. Eligible industries for the new program include: • Restaurants, bars, caterers • Indoor recreation and entertainment establishments • Gyms and fi tness centers • Event-support professionals (photographers, videographers, etc.) • Personal services • Retail The new business relief program would off er grants up to $75,000, but not more than three months’ operating expenses, to be used for employee wage and benefits costs, space-related costs and debt service obligations. The online application portal for the new program will close on Friday, January 15. Awards are expected to be announced in early February. More details on how to apply and eligibility requirements are available at www.empoweringsmallbusiness.org.
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