All Posts in "Month: February 2014"

Seniors would have better access to quality care in skilled nursing facilities under Governor Jay Inslee’s proposed supplemental budget proposal , according to an industry organization.

Inslee’s plan calls for allocating $29 million to provide an update to Medicaid daily rates for skilled nursing homes in Washington.

“We appreciate the governor’s understanding about the critical need to provide funding to those state Medicaid clients in nursing homes,” said Jeff Hyatt, chairman of the board of directors at the Washington Health Care Association. “Medicaid rates in nursing homes are already short by more than $33 per day, and that gap in payment has a significant impact on quality, particularly since the majority of care costs are labor-related.”

According to Hyatt, the supplemental budget plan reinforces Inslee’s desire to provide care for Washington seniors in nursing homes at a time when updating rates is critical. Skilled-nursing facility costs are based on 2007 costs, and fall short by more than $100 million annually, he said.

The governor’s plan aims resources toward providers serving the majority of Washington’s Medicaid clients. Nursing home operators have proposed an increase to a statewide provider assessment to fund rates. This funding mechanism is employed by a majority of states seeking to augment the federal match for services provided to Medicaid clients.

“While we appreciate this down payment on quality care, we are disappointed that there was no update for assisted living Medicaid rates,” said Hyatt. “Assisted living Medicaid rates average $65 per day—less than $3 per hour and are based on 2005 costs.”

Hyatt said the attention of Washington Health Care Association (WHCA) “must now turn to the Legislature,” which convened its 2014 session in January.

“We will be working to help policymakers understand the crucial need for funding this session,” Hyatt said. “Our seniors, who helped build this country and can’t afford to pay for care, should not be denied access. Assisted-living centers continue to reduce the number of Medicaid residents they care for based on the current rates being paid. This is creating access problems for our seniors that desperately need our help. The seniors of our great state deserve appropriate funding for appropriate care.”

According to WHCA, the 2013 Medicaid shortfall was projected at $100 million, more than 70 percent of long-term care costs is wage and labor-related, and more than half of the skilled-nursing facilities in the state lost money last year.

WHCA represents 400 assisted-living and skilled-nursing facilities with a combined workforce of 25,000 employees.

srmedia by — February 17, 2014 in Health & Fitness

Question: I’m retired and the only income I have is a monthly withdrawal from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). Are the IRA withdrawals considered “earnings?” Could they reduce my monthly Social Security benefits?

No. We count only the wages you earn from a job or your net profit if you’re self-employed. Non-work income such as pensions, annuities, investment income, interest, capital gains and other government benefits are not counted and will not affect your Social Security benefits. For more information, visit our website at www.socialsecurity.gov or call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

Question: Will my military retirement affect my Social Security benefits?

No. You can get both Social Security benefits and military retirement. Generally, there is no offset of Social Security benefits because of your military retirement. You will get full benefits based on your earnings. The only way your Social Security benefit may be reduced is if you also receive a government pension based on a job in which you did not pay Social Security taxes. You can find more information in the publication Military Service and Social Security at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs. Or call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).

Question:  I’m quite a number of years away from getting Social Security but I used to get a copy of my Social Security Benefits Statement every year around my birthday.  I haven’t seen it.  Is there a problem?

There’s no problem.  In light of the current budget situation, the Social Security Administration has eliminated the annual mailed Social Security Statement and suspended the Request a Social Security Statement by phone service.  You should visit “my Social Security” at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount to obtain your statement.  Don’t worry, it’s fast, it’s safe, and it’s easy.  At each stage of your life, a My Social Security account is for you.  Your personal online account is a valuable source of information beginning in your working years and continuing throughout the time you receive Social Security benefits.  If you receive benefits, you can use a My Social Security online account to get your benefit verification letter for proof of income; check your payment information; change your address; change your phone number; or change your direct deposit.  It’s much faster than calling Social Security by phone.  In addition, it helps save our tax dollars.

Question: My spouse died recently and my neighbor said my children and I might be eligible for survivors benefits. Don’t I have to be retirement age to receive benefits?

No. As a survivor, you can receive benefits at any age if you are caring for a child who is receiving Social Security benefits and who is under age 16. Your children are eligible for survivors benefits through Social Security up to age 19 if they are unmarried and attending elementary or secondary school full time. If you are not caring for minor children, you would need to wait until age 60 (age 50 if disabled) to collect survivors benefits. For more information about survivors benefits, read our publication Survivors Benefits at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs.

Question:  Are there any big changes with Social Security in 2014? 

Yes, there is.  To meet the increasing demands for Social Security services, Social Security will make changes to how it provides some services to customers.  As of February 2014, the Social Security Administration will no longer offer Social Security number (SSN) printouts and benefit verification information in local field offices.  Social Security is making these changes to meet the increasing demands for services at the same time that the agency’s budget has been significantly cut by over $1B in each of the last three years.  During this same time, Social Security has invested in technology that offers more convenient, cost-effective, and secure options for customers to obtain certain services without visiting a local office.  If you need proof of your Social Security or Supplemental Security Income benefits, you can get a benefit verification letter online instantly by having a my Social Security Account.  To create your account, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.  You can also find out about the information and tasks you can complete with a my Social Security Account.

Kirk Larson, who wrote this article, is a public affairs specialist for Social Security in western Washington.

Contributing Author by — February 17, 2014 in Everything Else

Nominations are being accepted through March 1 for the Salute to Senior Service award, sponsored by Home Instead Senior Care in recognition of volunteers 65 and older.

Nominees can be those who invaluable contributions by giving at least 15 hours a month of volunteer service to their favorite causes.

“Seniors have so much to give and make a positive impact on our communities daily,” said Lois Etienne, owner of the Home Instead Senior Care offices serving Pierce County. King County and Snohomish County. “Senior volunteerism not only benefits others, but also helps seniors stay active and socially engaged in their communities.”

Nominations can be made at SalutetoSeniorService.com. State winners will be determined by popular vote. A panel of senior care experts will then select a national winner from among the state winners.

Home Instead will donate $500 to each of the state winners’ designated non-profit organizations, and their personal stories will be shared online. In addition, $5,000 will be donated to the national winner’s designated charity.

More information is available at 253-943-1603 homeinstead.com/152.

srmedia by — February 17, 2014 in Everything Else

One way of taking care of an elderly person, especially those living alone, is with a medical ID bracelet.  Hope Paige Medical ID Marketplace offers what it calls fashionable medical accessories that blend in with everyday pieces and will only stand out to medical professionals in case of emergency. Each bracelet can be customized with an engraving on the back to alert EMTs to medical conditions and provide other information. Retail stores that sell the bracelets include Walmart, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, Albertsons, Amazon and Target. More information, including styles and a design-your-own option that includes cords and charms, is at www.hopepaige.com. Hope Paige is based in Pennsylvania.

Medical-bracelet-web

srmedia by — February 6, 2014 in Personal Finance/Consumers