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Council On Aging - Newsletter

Avon Town Hall
65 East Main St.
Avon, Ma 02322
Phone: 508-588-0414
Fax: 508-559-0209

It’s obvious around the Senior Center that people are coming out of their igloos, putting the furs in storage, and exchanging their polar mittens for baseball gloves. 

Speaking of baseball, it’s April in Red Sox Nation!  Opening day is Friday, April 8th against the (dreaded) Yankees at 2:05 PM.  Who’s going to miss that? Not us!  It may not be the ball park, but we’ll have hot dogs, peanuts & popcorn, cold drinks, and the GAME on our huge TV.  Put on your Red Sox gear and join us for a fun and (probably) loud afternoon.  Need a ride? Call today.  Transportation will be provided to the COA (sorry…not to Fenway!).

April 12th is our local elections.  We will provide transportation, for those that need it, to Town Hall.

On April 13th, we have a van trip to AC Moore for a craft class; a tea party on the 28th provided by the Stoughton Public Health & VNA, and more programs we hope will be well attended.

Our most special event this month is the Avon Police Easter Luncheon on April 21st.  More information is inside this newsletter. 

Remember: April 18th the COA & all Town Offices will be closed for Patriot’s Day. 

Everyone at the Avon Council on Aging wishes you & yours a very Happy Easter and a Joyful Passover.

Jane Hanley
Director

AVON POLICE EASTER LUNCHEON

This year, the senior citizens of Avon are being treated to wonderful Easter dinner hosted by the Avon Police Department.  On April 21st at 12 noon, Chief Warren Phillips and his department will trade their uniforms for aprons and make this a very special event for you.  Entertainment will be provided by DJ Chris.
In order to plan enough for everyone, please make sure to sign up by noontime on April 15th.
                                                                                                                                               
THE STOUGHTON PUBLIC HEALTH AND VNA WILL HOST AN AFTERNOON TEA PARTY AT THE AVON COA ON APRIL 28TH FOLLOWING LUNCH. 
As we grow older, it takes a little more effort and more planning to stay fully engaged with life, but the rewards are great. So, it is worth it to make the effort, make a plan, to add more socialization to your life. One of the gifts of being older is that you have more time to spend developing relationships and doing the things that bring you joy and pleasure. We will be discussing the importance of staying active and social, and how to do so, based on the supports and services available within our community.
                                                                                                                                               
VAN TRIP TO AC MOORE
On April 13th at 1 PM the COA van will be going to AC Moore Crafts at Westgate Mall.  At the store, the manager will greet you and you will then enjoy learning how to make a greeting card. You will keep the Easter card you make to send or to cherish. 

Please call the COA at 508-559-0060 to reserve a seat on the van.  If you are taking your own car, please let us know you are going so the store will have an accurate count of participants.

APRIL BIRTHDAYS
Happy Birthday to      Peg Meninno, April 8th
Mary Pothier, April 14th

Healthcare Reform Improves Medicare Benefits

Medicare coverage has been improved because of the Healthcare Reform, now called the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  It is important to understand the changes, so you will be able to take advantage of them.  Remember there are SHINE counselors, who volunteer at Senior Centers to help you understand your Medicare plans and to assist you in getting your Medicare services. 

If you have prescription drug coverage through a Medicare Part D Drug Plan or a Medicare Advantage Plan (HMO or PPO), during the coverage gap (donut hole) your drug costs increase significantly.  In 2010, as part of the ACA, individuals in the donut hole were eligible to receive a $250 rebate on drug costs.  If you were in the donut hole in 2010 and have not received your rebate check, contact SHINE.

The ACA will over time close the prescription drug coverage gap.  This year, in the donut hole there will be a 50 percent discount on brand-name drugs and a 7 percent discount on generic drugs.  If you get into the donut hole and you are not receiving these discounts, contact SHINE.

New this year, due to the ACA, Medicare now covers many preventive services at no cost.  These free services include an annual wellness exam, mammograms, colonoscopies and osteoporosis screenings.

Also this year, the Affordable Care Act will provide qualifying doctors and other health care professionals providing primary care to people on Medicare a 10-percent bonus for primary care services.  This will help ensure that those primary care providers can continue to be there for Medicare patients.

To learn more about your Medicare benefits, you can go to www.medicare.gov or the Medicare & You 2011 Handbook.

For a free, confidential SHINE (Serving Health Information Needs of Elders) appointment, call your Senior Center. You can also reach a SHINE counselor by phone at 1-800-AGE-INFO and press 3.  Once you get the SHINE answering machine, leave your name and phone number.  A counselor will call you back, as soon as possible.

The Good News: The Medicare Part D “donut hole” is closing.

The Bad News:  Not until the year 2020.
Submitted by the Executive Office of Elder Affairs

The federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (often known as Health Care Reform) provides for gradual closure of the Medicare Part D “donut hole.’  That hole will not fully close until 2020.

This year, when Medicare beneficiaries (who do not get Extra Help) reach the donut hole, their Part D plan will pay 50% of covered brand name drugs and 7% of covered generic drugs.  The beneficiary’s cost will be the remaining 50% (brand name) or 93% (generic).  If you take a brand name drug that costs $300, you will still have to pay $150!!
This is where Prescription Advantage can help.

 Prescription Advantage, the Massachusetts prescription drug assistance program, can help reduce your out-of-pocket costs even further when you reach the donut hole.

To find out how to lower your drug costs, call Prescription Advantage at 1-800-243-4636 or TTY for the deaf and hard of hearing at 1-977-610-0241.   The money you save can be your own!

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