Cha-may weeya
Medicine Talk
Siletz
Community
Starting Your Breastfed Baby on
Solid Foods
Solid foods help meet babies’
increased need for iron and protein as
they grow.
Breastfed babies have a richer
range of taste experiences than formula-
fed babies. Mother’s milk varies in com
position during the course of a day. Its
taste also varies, depending on the foods
the mother eats, preparing her baby for
the foods he will someday eat at the
family table. This may be why feeding
problems are rare in breastfed babies.
Signs that your baby is ready to
eat include:
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Sitting up
Fading of the tongue-thrusting
reflex, when the baby doesn’t auto
matically push solids out of his mouth
Readiness to chew
Ability to pick up food and put it
in his mouth
Increased demand to nurse that’s
unrelated to illness, teething pain,
or a change in routine
F
Health
Clinic
Moms and Babies Breastfeeding Circle
Confederated Tribe, of Siletz Indians of Oregon Breastfeeding Program
Human milk is nature’s complete
food for at least the first six months and
there is no reason to add other foods
before this time. The American
Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on
Nutrition advocates only human milk
for the first six months. There are many
advantages to waiting until the baby is
ready for solids:
Nurture your baby
Nurture yourself
__ Contact Laura Duarte or Barbara Danna, RN. at 541-444-1030 or 1-800-648-0449
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Decreased risk of food allergies
Increased ability to digest solid foods
Decreased risk of obesity
Natural child spacer
2nd Tuesday of each month
6 - 7:30 p.m.
Housing Department Conference Room
Some babies aren’t ready to begin
solid food until nine months of age.
These babies continue to do well on
breast milk alone.
Anemia is uncommon in the
breastfed baby beause:
You’re invited to come eat, visit, and learn about
the many benefits of breastfeeding.
Sponsored by Siletz Tribal Diabetes Grant
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The healthy, full-term baby has
ample iron stores at birth, enough
to last at least for the first six
months of life.
Although the amount of iron in
human milk is small, it can be ab
sorbed well because of the high
lactose and vitamin C levels in
human milk.
Breastfed babies don’t lose iron
from their bowels as do formula-
fed babies, whose intestines
develop fissures (breaks) from
damage caused by cow’s milk.
Disabled Persons Added to Medicare Part B Reimbursement Group
by Judy Muschamp
Thanks to increased gaming
revenue returns, the Siletz Tribal
Council has continued to set aside
gaming revenue funds to reimburse
tribal elders, age 65 and older, for
Medicare Part B premiums.
And beginning July 1, 2003, dis
abled persons under age 65 became
eligible to participate. This benefit is
available to you regardless of where you
live. It’s an excellent program for
anyone who qualifies and if you live
within the 11 -county service area, helps
Contract Health Services by shifting the
majority of the cost of physician
services to Medicare.
Here are answers to some common
questions:
Question: What paperwork do you
need so I can receive reimbursement?
Answer: I need a copy of your
Medicare card. This shows that you're
covered by Part B medical. I also need
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a copy of your benefit statement from
Social Security that shows how much
per month is withheld from your check.
Mail these copies to Judy Muschamp,
CTSI, P.O. Box 549, Siletz, OR 97380.
Question: I want to add Part B to
my Medicare. When can I do that?
Answer: You can sign up for
Medicare Part B:
1) When you first enroll in Medicare
(your initial enrollment period).
The initial enrollment period starts
three months before you turn 65
and for seven months after.
2) Jan. 1 - March 31 of each year
(your general enrollment period).
If you enroll in Part B during a
general enrollment period, it’ll be
effective July 1 of the year in which
you apply. Your Medicare Part B
premium will go up 10 percent for
each 12-month period that you
November 2003
could have had Medicare Part B,
but didn’t take it.
3) Ifyou didn’t take Medicare B when
you were first eligible because you
or your spouse were working and
had group health plan coverage
through your or your spouse’s
employer or union, you can sign up
for Medicare Part B during a
special enrollment period. You can
sign up anytime you’re still covered
by the employer or union group
health plan through your or your
spouse’s current or active em
ployment, or during eight months
following the month the employer
or union group health plan coverage
ends, or when the employment ends
(whichever is first).
Contact the Social Security
Administration at 1-800-772-1213 if
you wish to add Medicare Part B.
Question: When will I receive my
reimbursement from the tribe?
Answer: After your initial check is
processed, you should receive your
regular monthly check the first week of
each month.
Question: Is the reimbursement
taxable?
Answer: Yes, in some cases the
reimbursement is considered taxable
income. You’ll receive a form 1099
from the tribe.
People who are disabled and
currently are covered by Medicare Part
B should send us your paperwork as
soon as possible. Since I was late in
discovering this additional benefit, we
will reimburse retroactive to July 1,2003,
until the end of December 2003.
If you have any other questions,
please call either Amie Williams or me
at 1-800-648-0449 or 541-444-1030.