Another great resource to keep an out on in case you're approached by scammers:
https://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/our-work/income/elderwatch/report-fraud/
Add SAS as Your Amazon Smile Beneficiary
Jumpstart Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping by adding us Senior Advocacy Services as your recipient of Amazon Smile. It's easy to do, and can help donate to our important work supporting older adults.
Starting with your Amazon.com account then change the URL to smile.amazon.com. You may be asked to sign in again. Near the top left of the page, below the search bar, there will be a heading saying 'Supporting: _________' with the name of a non-profit.
When you click or hover over the down-pointing triangle, a pop-up with show up where to the right of the title of the beneficiary you can click on the word 'change.' This ill open a new page with a charity spotlight, and below is a search field to pick your own charity. Type in 'Senior Advocacy Services' and you will find us with the Petaluma, CA location. Click Select, and you are done, a summary page will pop-up with your personal smile history and the option to add smile as your bookmark.
Shop Away in the Smile site and 0.5% of purchases benefit our important work. Thank you for your support.
Email Attachments SPAM Holiday Greetings
With the arrival of the holidays, the scammers have come up with yet another ruse to get you to click on an attachments and expose your computer and network to malware. DO NOT CLICK ON ATTACHMENTS. They may look like emails from someone you know, but pay attention to the actual mailto: address and you will see it's spam (red arrow).
WSJ 2018 Aging Well Reading List
The Wall Street Journal has released it's list of 2018 best books on aging well. Holiday reading anyone?
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-best-books-of-2018-on-aging-well-1542650717
Volunteer Ombudsman Recruitment – We Need You!
Lear more about Long Term Care Ombudsman with this video from our colleagues in Texas.
http://ltcombudsman.org/news/article/volunteer-ombudsman-recruitment-video-from-dallas-texas
State to Revoke Licenses of Care Homes Understaffed during the 2017 Fires
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/8713388-181/state-staff-abandoned-residents-of
Largest Elder Fraud Sweep of over 250 Defendants
A rare and notable act holding criminals accountable for scams: “The Justice Department and its partners are taking unprecedented, coordinated action to protect elderly Americans from financial threats, both foreign and domestic,” said Attorney General Sessions. “Today’s actions send a clear message: we will hold perpetrators of elder fraud schemes accountable wherever they are.
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-coordinates-nationwide-elder-fraud-sweep-more-250-defendants
5 Ways to become an informed medicare consumer
During National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), March 6–12, 2016, non-profit organizations and government agencies can help you take advantage of your rights and make better-informed choices.
There are 5 things you can do to become an informed Medicare consumer:
- Know your rights. As a person with Medicare, you have certain rights and protections designed to help protect you and make sure you get the health care services the law says you can get.
- Protect your identity. Identity theft happens when someone uses your personal information without your consent to commit fraud or other crimes. Keep this personal information safe:
- Your name
- Your Social Security Number (SSN)
- Your Medicare number (or your membership card if you’re in a Medicare Advantage or other Medicare health plan)
- Your credit card and bank account numbers
Get more information on how to protect yourself from identity theft.
- Help fight Medicare fraud. Medicare fraud takes money from the Medicare program each year, which means higher health care costs for you. Learn how to report fraud.
- Get involved with other seniors with the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP). The SMP educates and empowers people with Medicare to take an active role in detecting and preventing health care fraud and abuse.
- Make informed Medicare choices. Each year during the fall Open Enrollment Period (October 15–December 7), review your plan to make sure it will meet your needs for the next year. If you’re not satisfied with your current plan, you can switch during the Open Enrollment Period.
New Medicare data available to increase transparency
New Medicare data available to increase transparency on hospital and physician utilization
Data serves as a rich resource to clearer look into Parts A and B costs, services, and trends
As part of the Administration’s efforts to promote better care, smarter spending, and healthier people, today CMS is posting the third annual release of the Medicare hospital utilization and payment data (both inpatient and outpatient) and the second annual release of the physician and other supplier utilization and payment data. The announcement was made at the annual Health Datapalooza conference in Washington, DC.
New Online Service for Replacement Medicare Cards
Social Security Announces New Online Service for Replacement Medicare Cards
Available to Recipients with a my Social Security Account
The Social Security Administration introduced the expansion of online services available through its my Social Security portal available at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. Carolyn W. Colvin, Acting Commissioner of Social Security, announced that Medicare beneficiaries can now obtain a replacement card if they have lost, damaged, or simply need to replace it online using a my Social Security account.
