Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 2017)
4 A ❘ SATURDAY EDITION ❘ DECEMBER 9, 2017 Siuslaw News P.O. Box 10 Florence, OR 97439 A lot of people have a difficult time understanding the difference between Medicare and Medicaid. Both programs begin with “Medic” and sound similar. Both are health insur- ance programs run by the government. People often ask ques- tions about what Medicare and Medicaid are, what services they cover and who administers the pro- grams. Medicare is the national healthcare program for those age 65 or older and the disabled. You pay for some Medicare expenses by paying the Medicare tax while you work. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is the agency in charge of both Medicare and Medicaid, but you sign up for Medicare A (Hospital) and Medicare B (Medical) through Social Security. You can apply for Medicare online from the convenience of your home at www.socialsecurity.gov /medicare. If you’re already NED HICKSON , EDITOR Opinion Knowing the difference between Medicare and Medicaid B Y K IMBERLY H ERRMANN S OCIAL S ECURITY P UBLIC A FFAIRS receiving Social Security retirement benefits when you reach age 65, or are in the 25th month of receiving disability checks, you will be enrolled automatically. Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage) and Part D (prescription drug) plans are available for pur- chase in the insurance mar- ketplace. Social Security adminis- ters a program called Extra Help to help people with low income and low resources pay for premi- ums, co-pays and co-insur- ance costs for Part D plans. You can find out more about Extra Help and file for it online at www.socialsecurity.gov/me dicare/prescriptionhelp. Each year, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services publishes “Medicare and You,” a publication that is essen- tially a user’s manual for Medicare, and available online at www. medicare.gov/medicare- and-you/medicare-and- you.html. Each state runs their own Medicaid program under guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Medicaid offers care for the most vulnerable among us. While it does not require paying taxes while working, it does have guidelines about how much income and resources you can have to qualify. Medicaid provides cov- erage for older people, peo- ple with disabilities and some families with chil- dren. Each state has its own eligibility rules and decides which services to cover. The names of the Medicaid program may vary from state to state. You can read about each state’s Medicaid program at www.medicaid.gov/medi- caid/ by-state/by-state.html. You can find each state’s Medicaid contact informa- tion at www.medic aid.gov/about-us/contact- us/contact-state-page.html. Medicare and Medicaid are two of the major insur- ance programs that provide healthcare to the American public. Understanding each pro- gram, as well as how the two programs differ, can help you and those you care about find the right healthcare program. Editor’s note: Open enrollment for 2018 Medicare coverage ended Dec. 7. However, those who didn’t sign up for Medicare A and B will have a chance to do so from Jan. 1 through March 31, with coverage effective beginning July 1, 2018. Open enrollment for the ACA ends Monday, Dec. 15. LETTERS C AN ’ T SAY ENOUGH FOR K ETTLE SUPPORT Thank you to all the people who have generously given to the Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign this year so far. This week, we anticipate we will go over the $10,000 level. May I ask you to keep giving? Our goal this year is $20,000. Please consider giving $10 by Dec. 10 and $20 by Dec. 20. 10 by 10 and 20 by 20. Every single cent counts. Thank you again for making this Christmas season very meaningful for others! —Sam Spayd Volunteer Kettle Coordinator Florence P LASTICS ORDINANCE CONTRARY TO STATE The City of Florence has initiated an ordinance to ban the use of poly- styrene (PSF) food containers for food products. I submitted written tes- timonial to the City Council regarding the issue prior to passage of the ordi- nance. I pointed out that the Oregon State Constitution states: “Section 20 — Equality of privi- leges and immunities of citizens. No law shall be passed granting to any citizen or class of citizens privileges, or immunities, which, upon the same terms, shall not equally belong to all citizens.” Allowing others the freedom to use PSF food containers is contrary to the State Constitution. Additionally the Supreme Court of the United States has always ruled, and supported the belief, that one user group can not be banned from using something while all others are allowed to utilize that which targets only the one. Thus the question could be asked, “Why did the City of Florence want to risk pioneering a potential challenge by a targeted group?” Please note that currently PSF is being used by many in Florence and the immediate surrounding area. Styrofoam is used for food containers, but also used for other products as well. Many fish bait containers are PSF, and they are predominantly used in and around waterways; sand shrimp, worms, herring, etc., are cur- rently being sold and used extensive- ly. Most everything we buy comes in a shipped container or box that employs the use of PSF as a shipping protectant. Every time we buy a TV, or other such device, it is packed in a molded PSF shield. Shipping “popcorn” is terrible when trying to dispose of it .... espe- cially with any wind happening. In the end, however, only some food con- tainers (and all bait containers) are targeted in the city-wide ban of PSF use. Ice chests and other such products were not banned. Styrofoam ice chests have food put in them and are a container for food. I raised the question, “Will banning some PSF food containers in Florence play a significant role in eliminating PSF from our disposal system and/or decrease any significant adverse pol- lutant issues?” Given the extensive use by others, it would be hard to explain the target- ing of the food industry in Florence. Is the ban significant enough to warrant the ordinance ban that will be initiated this January? So the city passed the ordinance amending City Code Title 3 related to polystyrene foam food containers and beverage containers, which will go into effect Jan. 1. All the grocery stores’ meat depart- ments use PSF food trays. The city exempted the stores from the ban — not surprising because I am sure a challenge would have been undertak- en by the “big boys.” Will a government intrusion into the use of food containers rectify any- thing or simply add to the next prob- lem? Does Florence want to simply show a willful stand for something or does it feel the “anti” action will play a significant role in solving a major problem? Plastics are considered recyclable but currently our dump does not accept plastics for recycle. Of course, the food industry will simply pass the increased costs on to the consumer. In the end, it’s the low income people who will feel the pain while those with significant income will not give a hoot about paying a lit- tle more. It really does not say a lot about caring for the lower income or fixed income population. So BJ’s Ice Cream will simply change to paper or plastic, which cost significantly more — and will pass the cost increase on to the consumer. Personally, I feel the exclusion of the meat trays at local supermarkets shows how little the City Council wanted to play fair by targeting a group who will not be able to afford a challenge. Then again, government targeting the little guy is the norm in today’s world. —Brian Cole Florence H OSPITAL BILLING SEEMS CURIOUS Recently, my wife was a patient at the Peace Harbor Medical Center Emergency Room. While the clinical care was completely satisfactory, we were startled to be charged $45 for a pill that retails for 14 cents and $45 for another that retails for 44 cents. Medicare does not cover pills in the ER that are considered “self-adminis- tered.” In this case, a nurse adminis- tered the pills. When we appealed to Peace Harbor about this charge, we received a letter stating that “Self- administered medications include a charge for the nurse because the med- ication was given by a nurse.” It seems curious to me that a pill given by a nurse is billed as “self- administered.” As a former Lane County resident and frequent visitor to the coast, I thought local readers who are covered by Medicare should be alerted to this practice, which can take advantage of seniors. This practice, although apparently legal, is not followed by all hospitals. In addition, Peace Harbor also failed to send a complete invoice. Although we called the hospital as soon as we received the charge, it did not stop sending threatening letters while the matter was being appealed through the internal process. —David Pfleger Chicago, Ill. Florence visitor ❘ 541-902-3520 ❘ NHICKSON @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM The First Amendment C ongress shall make no law respecting an estab- lishment of religion or prohibiting the free exer- cise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. USPS# 497-660 Copyright 2017 © Siuslaw News Published every Wednesday and Saturday at 148 Maple St. in Florence, Lane County, Oregon. A member of the National Newspaper Association and Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association. Periodicals postage paid at Florence, Ore. Postmaster, send address changes to: Siuslaw News, P.O. Box 10, Florence, OR 97439; phone 541-997-3441; fax 541-997-7979. All press releases may be sent to PressReleases@TheSiuslawNews.com. Oregon Group Publisher 541-265 8571 Publisher, ext. 318 Editor, ext. 313 Consulting Editor 831-761-7353 Email: echalhoub@register-pajaronian.com Marketing Director, ext. 326 Office Supervisor, ext. 312 Production Supervisor Press Manager James Rand Jenna Bartlett Ned Hickson Erik Chalhoub Susan Gutierrez Cathy Dietz Ron Annis Jeremy Gentry DEADLINES: Wednesday Issue—General news, Monday noon; Budgets, four days prior to publication; Regular classified ads, Monday 1 p.m.; Display ads, Monday noon; Boxed and display classified ads, Friday 5 p.m. Saturday Issue—General news, Thursday noon; Budgets, two days prior to publication; Regular classifiedad,sThursday 1 p.m.; Display ads, Thursday noon; Boxed and display classified ads, Wednesday 5 p.m. Soundings, Tuesday 5 p.m. NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTION RATES: In Lane County — 1-year subscription, $76; 6-month in-county, $52; 10-weeks subscription, $23; Out of Lane County — 1-year subscription,$99; 6-month out-of-county, $65; 10-weeks subscription, $29; Out of State — 1- year subscription, $125; E-Edition Online Only (Anywhere) — 1-year subscription, $71. Mail subscription includes E-Edition. Website and E-Edition: TheSiuslawNews.com L ETTERS TO THE P OLICY E DITOR The Siuslaw News welcomes letters to the editor as part of a community discussion of issues on the local, state and national level. Emailed letters are preferred. Handwritten or typed letters must be signed. All letters need to include full name, address and phone number; only name and city will be printed. Letters should be limited to about 300 words. Letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and clarity. Publication of any letter is not guaranteed and depends on space available and the volume of letters received. Libelous, argumentative and anonymous letters or poetry, or letters from outside our readership area will only be published at the discretion of the editor. P OLITICAL /E LECTION L ETTERS : Election-related letters must address pertinent or timely issues of interest to our readers at-large. Letters must 1) Not be a part of letter-writing campaigns on behalf of (or by) candidates; 2) Ensure any information about a candidate is accu- rate, fair and not from second-hand knowledge or hearsay; and 3) explain the reasons to support candidates based on personal experience and per- spective rather than partisanship and campaign- style rhetoric. Candidates themselves may not use the letters to the editor column to outline their views and plat- forms or to ask for votes; this constitutes paid polit- ical advertising. As with all letters and advertising content, the newspaper, at the sole discretion of the publisher, general manager and editor, reserves the right to reject any letter that doesn’t follow the above crite- ria. Send letters to: nhickson@thesiuslawnews.com WHERE TO WRITE Pres. Donald Trump The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414 FAX: 202-456-2461 TTY/TDD Comments: 202-456-6213 www.whitehouse.gov Gov. Kate Brown 160 State Capitol 900 Court St. Salem, Ore. 97301-4047 Governor’s Citizens’ Rep. Message Line: 503-378-4582 www.oregon.gov/gov U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden 221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg Washington, DC 20510 202-224-5244 541-431-0229 www.wyden.senate.gov U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley 313 Hart Senate Office Bldg Washington, DC 20510 202-224-3753/FAX: 202- 228-3997 541-465-6750 www.merkley.senate.gov U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio ( 4 th Dist.) 2134 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515 202-225-6416 541-269-2609 541-465-6732 www.defazio.house.gov State Sen. Arnie Roblan ( Dist. 5 ) 900 Court St. NE - S-417 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1705 FAX: 503-986-1080 Email: Sen.ArnieRoblan@ state.or.us State Rep. Caddy McKeown ( Dist. 9 ) 900 Court St. NE Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1409 Email: rep.caddymckeown @state.or.us West Lane County Commissioner Jay Bozievich 125 E. Eighth St. Eugene, OR 97401 541-682-4203 FAX: 541-682-4616 Email: Jay.Bozievich@ co.lane.or.us
