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❘
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
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the press, or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the Government for a
redress of grievances.
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TO THE
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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