community news
october18
2018
Medicare: Why is it so Hard
to go to the Local Medical Clinic?
By Dwayne L. Scales
It’s Annual Enrollment Period time
again. You open your mailbox to find a huge
packet containing your Annual Notice of
Change. Now what? Despite all this paper,
understanding Medicare and its coverage
doesn’t have to be difficult. It boils down to
one very important question. Will the plan
you choose allow you to access the doctors at
your local medical clinic?
One of the biggest secrets about all
of those Medicare Advantage (MA) plans
out there is that they all basically cover the
same services. All MA plans have to cover
the same services that Original Medicare
covers. Now some plans may throw in a little
vision coverage, maybe a little dental cover-
age, and may provide you with a membership
to a health club, but when it comes down to
medical coverage, they all are generally the
same.
When choosing a Medicare Advan-
tage plan, there are three simple, yet very
important, questions to answer. 1. Where do
you go for medical care? 2. How often do
you go? 3. How much do you want to pay
when you do go? It’s that simple. You can be
offered the most attractive plan in the world
4-Plex, Good investment property.
$195,000 Two 2-bed apts, One large 1-bed
apt, One small 1-bed apt. By the river and
lake, lots of storage, garage with attic,
laundry facility on site. (503) 708-8748
SERVICES
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Bridge Street Bits
but if you can’t visit the doctors you want,
that plan may not look so good after all. This
is why choosing the correct plan that allows
you to go to The Vernonia Health Clinic, for
example, is so important. Many plans look
good, but do they meet your medical needs
and wants?
With some doctors not taking new
Medicare patients, or Original Medicare, and
some doctors not accepting certain MA plans,
it is very easy to see how this can become
very complicated. You have to ask yourself,
what is more important to you? Do you keep
your current insurance plan or do you keep
your current doctor? The answer may lie in
which one is easier to replace.
Now who wants to talk about HMOs
versus PPOs? I’ll save that complicated topic
for another time!
By Karen Miller
Dwayne L. Scales is a Medicare Insurance
Specialist. He currently represents all Medi-
care Advantage plans with the exception of
Kaiser. He works with individuals, clinics,
and HR administrators to help the Medi-
care population find the plan that fits their
needs. For more information, visit: www.I-
TURN-65.com
DON’T LET YOUR health insurance questions drive you ‘BATTY.’
It is time for some of us seniors to consider our health insur-
ance options: MARK YOUR CALENDAR for Halloween Day,
October 31, at 11:00 am at Mariolino’s for a presentation by
Michelle Moore from Columbia City Benefits Group. Michelle
has been serving Vernonia residents for many years, and she
is excited by some new insurance options with low premiums.
Email her at Michelle@ColumbiaCityBenefitsGroup.com or call
her at (503) 366-9550.
Here’s some keyboard kudos:
1)
Thank you to all of YOU who patronized our Bargains
on Bridge Street store in September. It helped us serve 351
meals that month to seniors on our Meals on Wheels and cer-
tificate program. THANK YOU to our Meals on Wheels drivers,
you are needed and appreciated.
2)
Thank you to ALL the volunteers who came in to help
with sorting, pricing, organizing, and displaying the appreci-
ated donations that come in.
3)
Thank you to ALL of you who bring your donations to
the Vernonia Thrift Store on Bridge Street
Without YOU this program and others would be in
jeopardy. Please take note that ALL are welcomed to shop
at our Bargains on Bridge Street store- status of one’s income
does not apply! Plus, we now have the convenience of using
our credit machine! Hope to see you. We are open 10 to 3
Monday thru Saturday. Dollar Tuesday - all clothes $1 unless
otherwise marked. VOLUNTEERS are always welcomed.
For Senior Services call Mandy at Community Action Team
(503) 366-6545. Veterans Services, Russ Clark (503) 366-6580
CLASSIFIED ADS
FOR SALE
21
est. Local pickup and delivery Vernonia,
Clatskanie area. Please call Terry at (971)
813-9560.
Clean - Organize - Paint - House Keeping
offered in Vernonia, Fishhawk, Clatskanie
area. Great local references. Weekly,
monthly. Give me a ring, Terry St Pierre
(971) 813-9560.
Next Board Meeting: Friday, November 9, 10:00 am at the
American Legion Hall. All are welcomed.
SENIOR SIGN OFF: Stretching may be an aid to health, but it
doesn’t seem to help the truth.
See ya’ around town…
Vernonia Senior Center
939 Bridge Street • (503) 429-3912
Church Directory
Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints
Sunday Schedule:
Sacrament Meeting: 10:00 am
Sunday School & Primary: 11:20 am
Relief Society, Priesthood and
Young Women: 12:10 pm
Roger Cook, Branch President
1350 E. Knott Street
503-429-7151
Grace Family Fellowship
Sunday School: 9:00 am
Worship Service: 10:30 am
Thursday Prayer: 6:00 pm
Greg “Mac” McCallum, Pastor
957 State Avenue
503-429-6790
Nehalem Valley Bible Church
Sunday School: 9:45 am
Worship Service: 10:45 am
Tues. Ladies Bible Study: 9:30 am
Wednesday Service: 7:00 pm
Sat. Men’s Prayer Meeting: 6:30 am
Gary Taylor, Pastor
500 North Street
503-429-5378
Open Door Gathering Place
Service: Sunday 6:00 pm
Grant Williams, Pastor
375 North Street
503-702-3553
Family Center: 11:00 AM
www.VernoniaChristianChurch.org
Sam Hough, Pastor
410 North Street
503-429-6522
St. Mary’s Catholic Church
Sunday Mass: 12:00 pm
Fr. Josh Clifton, Administrator
960 Missouri Avenue
503-429-8841
Vernonia Seventh-day Adventist Church
Sabbath (Saturday) Services
Sabbath School: 9:30 am
Worship Service: 11:00 am
www.VernoniaSDAC.org
Larry Gibson, Pastor
2nd Avenue and Nehalem Street
503-429-8301
Vernonia Christian Church
Sunday School: 9:45 am
Worship Service in Youth &
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Vernonia
Dental
• Kitchen & Bathroom Remodels • Finish Carpentry
• Ceramic Tile Work • Custom Home Construction
• Additions • Commercial Tenant Improvements
Jim Morrison, Jr.
General Contractor
CCB# 112057
Ph: (503) 429-0154
MorrisonRemodeling@hughes.net
Vernonia, OR 97064
• Licensed • Bonded • Insured
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622 Bridge Street Vernonia, OR 97064
phone (503) 429-0880 -- fax (503) 429-0881
