Sixty Seconds Newsletter 
A Monthly Update from Senior Resources of West Michigan  
An Area Agency on Aging Serving Muskegon, Oceana & Ottawa counties
In This Issue
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Thanks to our community

Three local groups recently stepped up to provide Thanksgiving meals for numerous Senior Resources participants, making the holiday brighter.

We'd like to recognize:

* Anderson Global, whose employees donated and delivered 21 meals 

* Samuel Lutheran Church, who donated 25 turkey dinner boxes

* The Salvation Army, who helped 11 participants receive a Thanksgiving dinner

 
MMAP volunteers help save money!

Through December 1, MMAP volunteers and staff have saved 1,469 people $324,799 through changes made during open enrollment.

Open enrollment ends Dec. 7, and final information will be available after that. Thanks to the many dedicated MMAP volunteers and staff members for their diligence these last two months!


Speak up! Anytime day or night. Report abuse and neglect.
855-444-3911

Senior Resources' Elder Care Specialists are available to assist with Options for Long Term Care
Call: 231-733-3585
or Toll Free:  1-800-442-0054. In Oceana - 231-559-0331.
December 2017
Become a Dementia Friend
 
What is a Dementia Friend? It's someone who learns what it's like to live with dementia and then turns that knowledge into action. Those actions can be simple - telling friends about the Dementia Friends program - or more hands-on, like visiting someone who is living with dementia. Regardless of your action, it all is important, and Dementia Friends can be of any age.

Dementia Friends USA is part of a global movement to change the way people think, talk and act about dementia. It was developed by the Alzheimer's Society in the United Kingdom, and the movement aims to make a difference for people touched by dementia.

You can become a Dementia Friend by watching a series of online videos and making a commitment to take action. Find out more here: https://dementiafriendsusa.org/become-friend . And keep watching for more information from Senior Resources in the future as we become more involved in the Dementia Friends network.

DHHS subcommittee leadership changes

In Lansing... In accordance with an agreement made after the merger of two subcommittees into one, Senate  Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof  (R-West Olive) announced on Wednesday that  Sen. Peter MacGregor  (R-Rockford) will now chair the Senate Appropriations Health and Human Services Subcommittee.  Senator MacGregor takes over for former chairperson  Sen. James Marleau  (R-Lake Orion), who will now assume the vice chair role.
 
The 2015 merger of the former Department of Human Services and Department of Community Health into the Department of Health and Human Services prompted the subsequent merger of the senate appropriations subcommittees that were responsible for the budgets of the two previous departments. At the beginning of the current legislative term, the two senators agreed to split the time as chair of the newly combined Senate Appropriations Health and Human Services Subcommittee.  Senator MacGregor will chair the subcommittee for the remainder of the 2017-18 term.
From the Administration on Community Living and The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) . . . . .   CMS is seeking comments on a proposed Medicare rule that would make policy and technical changes to Medicare Advantage program (Part C) and the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program (Part D) and to implement certain provisions of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act and the 21st Century Cures Act. According to CMS the proposed changes are necessary to:
  • Support Innovative Approaches to Improving Quality, Accessibility, and Affordability
  • Improve the CMS Customer Experience
  • Make technical changes related to treatment of Part A and Part B premium adjustments
  • Update the Script standard used for Part D electronic prescribing.
  • Help address the opioid epidemic
  • Mitigate the impact of increasing drug prices in the Part D program.
  • Address program integrity policies related to payments based on prescriber, provider, and supplier status in Medicare Advantage, Medicare cost plan, Medicare Part D and the PACE programs
Comments on the proposed rule must be submitted by 5 pm on January 16, 2018.  Go to http://www.regulations.gov   and follow the "Submit a comment" instructions. For the full text of the proposed rule, see the Federal Register, Vol. 82, #227, Nov. 28, 2017 p. 56336 or click on https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/11/28/2017-25068/medicare-program-contract-year-2019-policy-and-technical-changes-to-the-medicare-advantage-medicare.   

Reprinted with permission of Area Agencies on Aging Association in Michigan.
Senior Resources of West Michigan Inc