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THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2022 Page 19 BEACON | FROM Page 14 coordinate a complicated delivery across state lines. Sen. Mike Rush (D-Boston), the bill’s sponsor, said the measure recognizes the growing business of online auto sales especially in New England which has a very compact set of states. He noted the legislation will bring in an estimated $75 million to the state in new sales tax revenue and noted that almost all states currently allow this. “I [am] a proud sponsor of [the bill],” said Rush. “As state senator representing the Norfolk and Suff olk district, I have the privilege of representing the largest stretch of auto dealers in Eastern Massachusetts, the Norwood ‘Auto Mile.’ This legislation will enhance auto sales throughout our commonwealth.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill). Sen. Lydia Edwards 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 fi led. 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 March 28-April 1, the House met for a total of 13 hours and 29 minutes and the Senate met for a total of nine hours and four minutes Mon. March 28 House 11:00 a.m. to 11:49 a.m. Senate 11:14 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. Tues. March 29 House 11:00 a.m. to 11:04 a.m. No Senate session Wed. March 30 House 11:06 a.m. to 2:57 p.m. No Senate session Thurs. March 31 House 11:01 a.m. to 7:46 p.m. Senate 11:19 a.m. to 7:47 p.m. Fri. April 1 No House session No Senate session Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com Bob founded Beacon Hill Roll Call in 1975 and was inducted into the New England Newspaper and Press Association (NENPA) Hall of Fame in 2019. 1. On April 8, 1935, the U.S. Congress approved the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935, which funded what to alleviate the Great Depression? 2. What number does not have a Roman numeral? 3. Remember when… in the 1960s, the cost of an average home? 4. How are Lamb Chop, Charlie Horse and Hush Puppy similar? 5. April 9 is National Unicorn Day; in 1968 what Irish/Canadian group popularized the song “The Unicorn”? 6. The word “bus” is derived from “omnibus,” which means what? 7. On April 10, 2003, what kind of supersonic jets were retired? 8. Remember when… in the 1960s, the cost of a postage stamp? 9. On April 11, 1900, the Navy acquired its first submarine; what two power sources did it have? 10. The word lox is derived Answers from what language? 11. Remember when… in the 1960s, the cost of a gallon of gasoline? 12. What does giga mean? 13. What freshwater lake in Central America has sharks and tarpon? 14. Remember when… in the 1960s, the cost of bread? 15. Remember when… in the 1960s, the cost of Levi slacks? 16. On April 13, 1796, the fi rst of what kind of animal arrived in the United States that ate “thirty pounds of rice besides hay and straw – drinks all kinds of wine and spiritous liquors, and eats every kind of vegetable”? 17. On what continent would you be most likely to fi nd a fl atbread called injera? 18. How are sorrel, chestnut and pinto similar? 19. Cipher is the original name of what number? 20. Remember when… in the 1960s, the cost of college tuition? How to Choose a Medicare Advantage Plan Dear Savvy Senior, I will be 65 and eligible for Medicare in a few months and am interested in getting a Medicare Advantage plan to cover my health care and medications. What tips can you provide to help me pick a plan? Ready to Retire Dear Ready, Medicare Advantage plans have become very popular among retirees over the past 15 years, as nearly half of all new Medicare enrollees are signing up for Advantage plans, which accounts for about 42 percent of the entire Medicare market. Here are some tips and tools to help you pick a plan that fi ts your needs. First, let’s start with a quick review. Medicare Advantage plans (also known as Medicare Part C) are government approved health plans sold by private insurance companies that you can choose in place of original Medicare. The vast majority of Advantage plans are managed-care policies such as HMOs or PPOs that require you to get your care within a network of doctors. If you join an Advantage plan, the plan will provide all of your Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) coverage like original Medicare does. But many plans also off er extra benefi ts like dental, hearing and vision coverage along with gym/fi tness memberships, and most plans include prescription drug coverage too. Medicare Advantage plans are also cheaper than if you got original Medicare, plus a separate Part D drug plan and a Medigap policy. Many Advantage plans have $0 or low monthly premiums and don’t always have a deductible, but they also typically have a high out-ofpocket maximum. In 2021, Advantage plan participants on average were responsible for a maximum of around $5,100 for in-network care, and about $9,200 when outof-network care is included. How to Choose To help you pick a plan, a good fi rst step is to call the offi ce managers of the doctors you use and fi nd out which Advantage plans they accept, and which ones they recommend. Then go to the Medicare Plan Finder tool at Medicare.gov/ plan-compare to compare Advantage plans in your area. This tool provides a fi ve-star rating system that evaluates each plan based on past customer satisfaction and quality of care the plan delivers. When comparing, here are some key points to consider: Total costs: Look at the plan’s entire pricing package, not just the premiums and deductibles. Compare the maximum out-of-pocket costs plus the copays and coinsurance charged for doctor offi ce visits, hospital stays, visits to specialists, prescription drugs and other medical services. This is important because if you choose an Advantage plan, you’re not allowed to purchase a Medigap policy, which means you’ll be responsible for paying these expenses out of your own pocket. Drug coverage: Check the plan’s formulary – the list of prescription drugs covered – to be sure all the medications you take are covered without excessive copays or requirements that you try less expensive drugs fi rst. Dental, vision and hearing: Many Advantage plans come with dental, vision and hearing benefi ts, but are usually limited. Get the details on what exactly is covered. Coverage away from home: Most Advantage plans limit you to using in-network doctors only within a service area or geographic region, so fi nd out what’s covered if you need medical care when you’re away from home. Out-of-network coverage: Check to see what’s covered if you want to see a specialist in a hospital that is not in a plan’s network. You can get a list of doctors and hospitals that take part in a plan on the plan’s website. Need Help? If you need help choosing a plan, contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program at ShipHelp.org or call 877-839-2675. Also see the HealthMetrix Research 2022 Cost Comparisons Report at MedicareNewsWatch.com that lists the best Advantage plans based on health status. 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. 1. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) 2. 0 3. $23,500 4. They are Shari Lewis puppets and were in the TV series “Lamb Chop’s PlayAlong!” 5. The Irish Rovers 6. “For all” 7. Concorde 8. 5 cents 9. Gasoline (while on the surface) and electricity (when submerged) 10. Yiddish (laks) 11. 28 cents 12. One billion 13. Lake Nicaragua 14. 22 cents 15. $5.75 16. An elephant that was exhibited in NYC 17. Africa (traditional in Ethiopia and Eritrea) 18. They are horse coat colors. 19. Zero 20. Highest: $2,020; lowest: $160

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