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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, SEpTEmbEr 26, 2025 Page 19 ble for Massachusetts residents, reducing costs while maintaining necessary protections. “When friends visited me on THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Beacon Hill Roll Call records local representatives’ and senators’ votes on roll calls from the week of September 15-19. FINANCIAL RELIEF TO HOSPITALS AND COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS (H 4530) House 148-1, Senate 39-0, approved and sent to Gov. Maura Healey $234 million supplemental budget that would provide fi nancial relief to hospitals and community health centers across the state. The bill includes $199 million in relief for acute care hospitals, including $122 million in targeted payments to facilities serving low-income patients and facing the greatest financial distress. Another $77 million would be transferred to the Health Safety Net Trust Fund, which helps reimburse hospitals and health centers for care provided to uninsured residents. Community health centers would receive $35 million, including $2.5 million directed to the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers for initiatives such as shared services. “Massachusetts has a healthcare ecosystem that is the envy of other states, and that doesn’t happen by accident,” said Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland). “Supporting every resident is part of what it means to be a leader in healthcare access. This funding will help our hospitals and community health centers provide high-quality care in every region, and provide critical services to our veterans, seniors and municipalities.” “This funding will help to ensure that financially strained hospitals and community health centers can continue to serve patients across Massachusetts,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy). “As broad fiscal uncertainty and actions taken by the Trump Administration continue to exacerbate the challenges that hospitals are already facing, this supplemental budget is the latest example of the work that we are doing here in Massachusetts to provide targeted support where it is needed most.” “Our hospitals and community health centers continue to step up to care for those most in need despite being under enormous fi nancial pressure,” said Sen. Cindy Friedman (D-Arlington), Senate Chair of the Committee on Health Care Financing. “New policies from the federal government will only exacerbate the strain on our health care infrastructure, so for Massachusetts to continue to be a leader in providing exceptional health care, we need to ensure that care is accessible, especially to our most vulnerable populations. This supplemental budget provides necessary funding to help live up to this goal.” Rep. Nick Boldyga (R-Southwick) cast the lone vote against the budget. “This $250,000,000 bailout is due to the failed policies of the Democrats,” said Boldyga. “Once again they blamed President Trump but the reality is Democrats allowed ‘uninsured’ illegal aliens to fl ood our hospitals. Our healthcare system is now overwhelmed, bankrupt and broke.” (A “Yes” vote is for the budget. A “No” vote is against it.) Rep. Jessica Giannino Yes Rep. Donald Wong Yes Sen. Brendan CrightonYes CAR RENTALS (S 2367) Senate 39-0, approved and sent to the House a bill that supporters said would align the Bay State with the majority of other states by updating car rental insurance requirements to maintain liability coverage on a secondary basis, making rental companies responsible only if the renter is uninsured or underinsured. If a lessee or operator of a leased vehicle already has a valid liability policy or equivalent fi - nancial security meeting the state minimum requirements, the lessor’s coverage obligation is considered satisfi ed. Supporters said that by shifting primary liability to the renter’s personal auto insurance, the legislation helps make car rentals more aff ordable and accessiCape Cod this summer, they were stunned at just how expensive it was to rent even a small sedan for the weekend,” said sponsor Sen. Julian Cyr (D-Truro). “And they’re not wrong — rental car prices in Massachusetts are higher than almost anywhere else in the country, in part because we’ve kept an outdated insurance requirement on the books. We’re one of the only states where rental companies, not your own insurance, are required to carry primary coverage, and the cost of that policy gets passed right along to consumers. Cyr continued, “By aligning Massachusetts with the rest of the country, we’re helping lower rental car prices for families, travelers and anyone who needs to rent a car in a pinch. I’m proud the Senate has taken this step to make life just a little more aff ordable for our residents and visitors.” (A “Yes” vote is for the bill.) Sen. Brendan Crighton Yes LSO UP ON BEACON HILL MOVE 2026 PRIMARY ELECTION DATE TO SEPTEMBER 1 (H 4531) - The House and Senate approved and sent to Gov. Healey legislation setting next year’s state primary election date for Tuesday, September 1, 2026. Supporters said this action is a standard step in the lead up to an election year to ensure the primary date complies with state and federal requirements. It ensures that local clerks are given necessary time to send and process vote-by-mail ballots for Massachusetts residents, and gives election offi cials the ability to meet a required federal timeline for sending ballots to military servicemembers and citizens overseas. “Given the calendar, holidays, requirements that we allow time for overseas ballots, including for members of the military, and to allow time for the printing of ballots, setting a date can sometimes be diffi cult,” said Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy), Senate Chair of the Committee on Election Laws. “This legislation will put the commonwealth in position to meet these obligations and run another smooth, safe and secure primary election on September 1, 2026. Now, more than ever, BEACON | SEE PAGE 20 Sa nr Sa a y Senior Seni by Jim Miller How to Get Help with Your Medicare Costs Dear Savvy Senior, Does Medicare off er any fi nancial assistance for struggling seniors? My mom lives primarily on her Social Security survivor benefi t and is having a hard time paying her Medicare costs. Need Assistance Dear Need, There are actually several different fi nancial assistance programs that can help Medicare benefi ciaries who are having a diffi cult time paying their outof-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 out-ofpocket costs for Medicare Parts A and B. It’s called the “Medicare Savings Program,” and it has several diff erent benefi t 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 Medicare Savings Program, 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 $1,715 a month for individuals (or $2,320 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 $9,430 per individual ($14,130 for married couples), not counting your house, car or personal belongs, but counting retirement savings and bank accounts. But some states have made their Medicare Savings 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 fi nd out if you qualify or to apply, contact your state Medicaid program. Visit Medicaid.gov or call all 800-633-4227 for contact information. Medication Assistance For help with Medicare (Part D) prescription drug plan costs, there is another completely separate low-income subsidy program she may be eligible for called “Extra Help.” To get it, your mom will need to apply through her Social Security offi ce. Depending on your mother’s income level, this program will pay part or all of her Part D prescription drug plan’s monthly premiums, annual deductibles and prescription co-payments. In 2025, individuals with a yearly income below $23,475 ($31,725 for a married couple), and assets under $17,600 ($35,130 for a married couple) can qualify for Extra Help. If she’s eligible to be in a Medicare Savings Program, she will automatically qualify for Extra Help. But because the requirements are slightly diff erent, even if she doesn’t qualify for a Medicare Savings Program for Part B, she might be able to get Extra Help for Part D. For more information or to apply, visit SSA.gov/medicare/part-dextra-help or call Social Security at 800-772-1213. Other Programs Depending on your mom’s income level, needs and location there are many other fi nancial 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 she may be eligible for, and learn how to apply for them, go to Benefi tsCheckUp.org. This is a free, confi dential website 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 Benefi ts Enrollment Centers scattered across 38 states. Visit NCOA.org/ article/meet-our-benefi ts-enrollment-centers locate a center in your area. Or call their helpline at 800-794-6559. Send your questions or comments to questions@savvysenior.org, or to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070. nior ior

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