HOLD HARMLESS PROVISION - DON'T PANIC YET

Hi all,
There is a Post in the BLOG bemoaning the "fact" that zero COLA will be accompanied by an increase in our Medicare premium.
Well, perhaps not, due to the "Hold Harmless" provision which protects the vast majority of our residents. Please read the following News article and rig for some confusion.
Dave Israel
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Lack of Social Security COLA may cap some Medicare premiums
By Bob Moos

The Dallas Morning News (MCT)

DALLAS - The lack of a Social Security cost-of-living adjustment next year will have a ripple effect on some Medicare premiums, experts say.
Many older adults were quick to lament the prospect of no COLA for 2010 when federal budget experts said earlier this year that beneficiaries probably shouldn't expect one because of low inflation.
But few seniors gave much thought to what the lack of an increase in their Social Security benefits will mean for the Medicare Part B premiums they'll pay in 2010 for physician services and other outpatient care.
Why would they? Typically, Social Security COLAs have no bearing on Medicare Part B premiums. The adjustment is more than enough to cover the higher Medicare premium.

But what happens when there is no COLA? Now that July's flat Consumer Price Index seems to confirm the federal budget experts' earlier projection, more seniors have begun to ask that question.
The answer is more heartening for some seniors than others, says the Kaiser Family Foundation, a health care research group.

Three in four Medicare beneficiaries are protected by a "hold-harmless" provision in the law that ensures that their Medicare premiums won't go up any more than their Social Security benefits, said Kaiser policy analyst Juliette Cubanski.
So next year, if they get the same amount from Social Security, they'll pay Medicare the same $96.40 per month they do today.
That won't be true, however, for the remaining 25 percent of Medicare beneficiaries, Cubanski said.
They include:- Higher-income beneficiaries whose modified adjusted gross income exceeds $85,000 for individuals and $170,000 for couples in 2009.-

New enrollees who didn't collect Social Security benefits or weren't covered under Part B a year earlier.-
Low-income individuals whose Medicare Part B premiums are paid by Medicaid.

Cubanski said higher premiums will be charged to those beneficiaries or, in the case of low-income individuals, to state Medicaid programs.

The latest estimate for next year's Part B premium is $104.20 per month, the Kaiser foundation reports, though higher-income beneficiaries can expect to pay a surcharge on top of that.

One final note for the majority of beneficiaries who may think they've dodged the bullet: The hold-harmless provision doesn't apply to Medicare's prescription drug coverage. So some seniors may still get a smaller Social Security payment next year if their drug premiums increase.

"2010 will be anything but a typical year," Cubanski said. "I see a big potential for confusion among beneficiaries."

(c) 2009, The Dallas Morning News.Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Soc. Sec. Cola NO ,Increase in Premium , YES

Social Security...................
For the first time in history, the Democratic Congress will not allow an increase in the social security COLA (cost of living adjustment). In fact, The Henry J.. Kaiser Family Foundation predicts there may not be any COLA for the next three years. However, the per person monthly Medicare insurance premium will be increased from the 2009 premium of $96.40 to $104.20 in 2010and to $ 120.20 for the year 2011.
Send this to all seniors that you know. Remind them to not vote for the incumbent senators and congressmen in the 2010 and the 2012 elections.

H1N1 & FL law

Attempting to discover what FL state/local law is regarding mandatory vaccination (i.e. if H1N1 epidemic/pandemic would occur) have checked FL DOH but don't see specific answer---anyone know? Dave, our research guru? thanks/
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Your BLOGMEISTER responds:

I am aware of no current law mandating Vaccination in Florida; EXCEPT as regards certain categories of School Children, see below.

Having said that, If a National or State Health Emergency is declared; certain protocols can be invoked with the force of law:
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FLORIDA STATUTES

Chapter 1003

1003.22: School entry health examinations; immunization against communicable diseases; exemptions; duties of Department of Health.

(1) Each district school board and the governing authority of each private school shall require that each child who is entitled to admittance to kindergarten, or is entitled to any other initial entrance into a public or private school in this state, present a certification of a school-entry health examination performed within 1 year prior to enrollment in school. Each district school board, and the governing authority of each private school, may establish a policy that permits a student up to 30 school days to present a certification of a school-entry health examination. A homeless child, as defined in s. 1003.01, shall be given a temporary exemption for 30 school days.

Any district school board that establishes such a policy shall include provisions in its local school health services plan to assist students in obtaining the health examinations. However, any child shall be exempt from the requirement of a health examination upon written request of the parent of the child stating objections to the examination on religious grounds.

(2) The State Board of Education, subject to the concurrence of the Department of Health, shall adopt rules to govern medical examinations and immunizations performed under this section.

(3) The Department of Health may adopt rules necessary to administer and enforce this section. The Department of Health, after consultation with the Department of Education, shall adopt rules governing the immunization of children against, the testing for, and the control of preventable communicable diseases. The rules must include procedures for exempting a child from immunization requirements. Immunizations shall be required for poliomyelitis, diphtheria, rubeola, rubella, pertussis, mumps, tetanus, and other communicable diseases as determined by rules of the Department of Health. The manner and frequency of administration of the immunization or testing shall conform to recognized standards of medical practice. The Department of Health shall supervise and secure the enforcement of the required immunization. Immunizations required by this section shall be available at no cost from the county health departments.

(4) Each district school board and the governing authority of each private school shall establish and enforce as policy that, prior to admittance to or attendance in a public or nonpublic school, grades preschool through 12, each child present or have on file with the school a certification of immunization for the prevention of those communicable diseases for which immunization is required by the Department of Health and further shall provide for appropriate screening of its pupils for scoliosis at the proper age. Such certification shall be made on forms approved and provided by the Department of Health and shall become a part of each student's permanent record, to be transferred when the student transfers, is promoted, or changes schools. The transfer of such immunization certification by Florida public schools shall be accomplished using the Florida Automated System for Transferring Education Records and shall be deemed to meet the requirements of this section.

(5) The provisions of this section shall not apply if:

(a) The parent or guardian of the child objects in writing that the administration of immunizing agents conflicts with his or her religious tenets or practices;

(b) A physician licensed under the provisions of Chapter 458 or Chapter 459 certifies in writing, on a form approved and provided by the Department of Health, that the child should be permanently exempt from the required immunization for medical reasons stated in writing, based upon valid clinical reasoning or evidence, demonstrating the need for the permanent exemption;

(c) A physician licensed under the provisions of Chapter 458, Chapter 459, or Chapter 460 certifies in writing, on a form approved and provided by the Department of Health, that the child has received as many immunizations as are medically indicated at the time and is in the process of completing necessary immunizations;

(d) The Department of Health determines that, according to recognized standards of medical practice, any required immunization is unnecessary or hazardous; or

(e) An authorized school official issues a temporary exemption, for a period not to exceed 30 school days, to permit a student who transfers into a new county to attend class until his or her records can be obtained. A homeless child, as defined, in s. 1003.01, shall be given a temporary exemption for 30 school days. The public school health nurse or authorized private school official is responsible for follow-up of each such child until proper documentation or immunizations are obtained. An exemption for 30 days may be issued for a student who enters a juvenile justice program to permit the child to attend class until his or her records can be obtained or until the immunizations can be obtained. An authorized juvenile justice official is responsible for follow up of each child who enters a juvenile justice program until proper documentation or immunizations are obtained.

(6)

(a) No person licensed by this state as a physician or nurse shall be liable for any injury caused by his or her action or failure to act in the administration of a vaccine or other immunizing agent pursuant to the provisions of this section if the person acts as a reasonably prudent person with similar professional training would have acted under the same or similar circumstances.

(b) No member of a school board, or any of its employees, or member of a governing board of a nonpublic school, or any of its employees, shall be liable for any injury caused by the administration of a vaccine to any student who is required to be so immunized or for a failure to diagnose scoliosis pursuant to the provisions of this section.

(7) The parents or guardians of any child admitted to or in attendance at a Florida public or private school, grades preschool through 12, are responsible for assuring that the child is in compliance with the provisions of this section.

(8) Each public school, including kindergarten, and each private school, including private kindergarten, shall be required to provide to the county health department director or administrator annual reports of compliance with the provisions of this section. Reports shall be completed on forms provided by the Department of Health for each kindergarten, and other grade as specified; and the reports shall include the status of children who were admitted at the beginning of the school year. After consultation with the Department of Education, the Department of Health shall establish by administrative rule the dates for submission of these reports, the grades for which the reports shall be required, and the forms to be used.

(9) The presence of any of the communicable diseases for which immunization is required by the Department of Health in a Florida public or private school shall permit the county health department director or administrator or the State Health Officer to declare a communicable disease emergency. The declaration of such emergency shall mandate that all children in attendance in the school who are not in compliance with the provisions of this section be identified by the district school board or by the governing authority of the private school; and the school health and immunization records of such children shall be made available to the county health department director or administrator. Those children identified as not being immunized against the disease for which the emergency has been declared shall be temporarily excluded from school by the district school board, or the governing authority of the private school, until such time as is specified by the county health department director or administrator.

(10) Each district school board and the governing authority of each private school shall:

(a) Refuse admittance to any child otherwise entitled to admittance to kindergarten, or any other initial entrance into a Florida public or private school, who is not in compliance with the provisions of subsection (2);

(b) Temporarily exclude from attendance any student who is not in compliance with the provisions of subsection (4).

(11) The provisions of this section do not apply to those persons admitted to or attending adult education classes unless the adult students are under 21 years of age.

HEALTH CARE HARDBALL

Hi All,
Following is an interview that should be of interest to all Seniors.

Those interested should read the following version of the Bill in question:

http://big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/AAHCA-BillText-071409.pdf

Dave Israel
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WEIGHT WATCHERS

IS THERE A GROUP IN CV ??

Insomnia

Insomnia is a horrible thing. Does it happen to any of you? I went to sleep around 10:30 PM last night, and there I am on the computer at 3:30 PM in the morning.

They say that a person needs to allow themselves enough sleep in order for the body to heal and function properly. Well, no matter how I try to do the right thing, my body won’t let me get more than 5 hours of sleep a night!

Does anyone have some good solutions for this problem? It’s tough going through your day feeling tired all the time. Actually – it’s the pits!

a very tired,
chris