Page 2 March 1, 1996 - SMOKE SIGNALS .
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Letters to the Editor
Special thanks from
former student
I want to take this time to thank the Confederated Tribes
of Grand Ronde. I could not have been able to complete
my degree program without the assistance and the support
I received from our Tribe's Education Program.
I especially want to thank Dean Azule, his staff, and the
members of the Education Committee. These people work
tirelessly to advance education programs for the members
of the Tribe. When 1 returned to college my husband and I
had three young children. I worked part-time and attended
classes full-time. Needless to say there were days when I
felt overwhelmed and not sure if 1 had what it took to reach
my goals. During this time I could count on the Education
Program staff to be there, to cheer me up, and tell me to
"hang in there." I graduated from Eastern Oregon State
College in 1989 with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. I
currently direct the Native American Program at Eastern
Oregon State College in La Grande.
Once again, I am grateful and I thank you.
Sincerely,
Jackie Leno-Grant
Alcohol at the casino
Dear Editor,
I have just finished reading and responding to the letter
written to you by Vonnie Edmondson.
Although I can see her point of view about money spent
for drug and alcohol rehabilitation, I ask her, and others
who feel this way, to question this thought: Wouldn't it be
just as easy, if not easier, for these people to go to their
local store and purchase alcohol at an even cheaper price
than it would be offered at the casino? And no matter if we
serve alcohol or don't serve alcohol, these people need now
and always need our help, and most of all, support.
Thank you,
Trina Green
Cloverdale, Oregon
Senior Health Security Program Information
Smoke Signals is a publication of the Confed
erated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of
Oregon. We have established an Editorial Policy
to encourage input from readers about stories
printed in Smoke Signals, as well as other tribal
issues.
Letters must be printed or typed, and cannot
exceed 300 words. Smoke Signals reserves the
right to edit any letter for clarity and length, and
to refuse publication of any letter or any part of
a letter that may contain libelous statements or
personal attacks. Not all letters are guaranteed
publication upon submission. Published letters
do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Smoke
Signals, tribal employees, or Tribal Council.
Tribal Seniors,
The Tribal Council is moving forward with plans to
begin a Health Security Program for tribal member seniors
65 and over. Information packets and forms were sent to
all seniors regarding the Medicare requirements for the
program. Following are some common questions:
Who is eligible? All Tribal member seniors, age 65 and
older, regardless of where they live. The seniors must have
Medicare Parts A & B coverage.
Why must I have Medicare Parts A & B coverage?
The Health Security Program the Tribe is considering is a
supplemental program to Medicare Parts A & B. The
program will help to cover certain costs and services not
provided by Medicare Parts A & B.
What if I do not currently have Medicare Parts A &
B? If you do not have Medicare coverage, it is important
that you sign-up for it no later than March 31, 1996. The
Social Security Administration has an enrollment period
for sign-up which ends March 3 1 of each year. If you do not
enroll during the sign up period, you cannot enroll until the
following year.
Tribal staff have sent enrollment forms to all seniors so
they may sign up. If you did not receive one, please contact
Valorie Sheker at the phone numbers below.
I do not have Medicare Part B coverage because I
cannot afford it. What should I do? As part of the senior
Health Security Program, the Tribe is looking into paying
the Medicare Part B costs for all seniors. This is to insure all
seniors can be eligible for the supplemental benefit
package. If you sign up by March 31, 1996 for Medicare,
you would not be eligible for services until July 1 , 1 996. By
then, the Tribe will cover the Medicare costs.
The Tribe is working with the Social Security
Administration to make arrangements to cover the
Medicare Part B costs for all seniors directly. This way,
seniors would not have the amount deducted from their
Social Security checks. The information packets sent to all
seniors contain forms asking for your approval of the Tribe
to make the Medicare Part B payments for you.
What type of health benefit package will the Tribe
provide? Specific information on the benefit package is
still being worked on. The Tribe hopes to provide seniors
with more information during the next month. As
mentioned, the plan would cover certain costs and services
not covered by Medicare Parts A and B. The Tribe also
hopes to provide a program that requires less paperwork
and is easier for seniors to work with.
What type of information does the Tribe need from
me? All seniors 65 and older were sent information packets
and three forms. Please complete the forms and return them
as soon as possible to the Tribe. The forms include the
following:
Medicare Premium Payment Authorization Form:
This form would allow the Tribe to make the Medicare
Part B payments on your behalf.
Social Security Administration Consent Form:
This form will allow the Social Security Administra
tion to release information to the Tribe on your
Medicare coverage so the Tribe can be certain of the
type of coverage you do have.
Enrollment in Medicare Form: This is an
application for enrollment in Medicare. Please
complete this form even if you are currently in
Medicare. This is to ensure that each tribal senior is
receiving all their benefits they are entitled to.
Will the Tribe provide a Health Security Program for
members under age 65? Yes. Tribal staff are working on
a Health Security Program for all other tribal members,
regardless of where they live. More information on this
program will be made available during the next few months.
The Tribe hopes to begin a program sometime this year.
Who do I call for more information? For further
information on the senior Health Security Program, please
call Valorie Sheker at (503) 879-521 1 or 1-800-422-0232
toll free.
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