Did you know Medicare gives you access to a variety of preventive tests and screenings, most at no cost to you?
For example, Medicare covers screenings for diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease and more.
Blog Posts
Elder Abuse Awareness Month Covered by KTVU Channel 2
On Monday June 24th, KTVU Channel 2 news reached out to Senior Advocacy Services about a story highlighting Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness Month.
Coincidentally, not long before the TV request, the SAS Elder Justice Coordinator, Donata Mikulik, met a community member Ezra Gardener Rust who had fallen victim to a phone scam that cost him approximately $32,000. Read More
Beware of DNA Scam
Be advised that California Senior Medicare Patrol has seen an alarming increase in fraudulent billing where older adults are deceived into submitting to a cheek swab procedure (aka genetic testing). The scammer claims the procedure tests for cancer and/or other health-related benefits and that is fully covered by Medicare or Medi-Cal.
The scammers offer their fraudulent services to administrators at senior centers, senior residential facilities and other locations including setting up stands at supermarkets and other public locations.
We have additional reports that insurance agents and other service-oriented professionals are unknowingly recruited to serve as lead generators.
Please help us prevent the victimization of our older adults by alerting your networks to this most recent fraud scam. Please, also let us know others who would benefit from this alert.
Micki Nozaki, Director
California Senior Medicare Patrol
Go paperless for your Medicare and You book
Missed going paperless with Medicare on Earth Day 2019? It’s not too late! Visit Medicare.gov/GoPaperless to sign up for your “Medicare & You” eHandbook.
Sign up for your eHandbook
Instead of mailing you a paper handbook every year, Medicare will send you an email each fall when the new eHandbook is available. They will also email you about any major updates to the handbook throughout the year, including cost changes.
Sign up by May 31. It’s an easy way to go green — and save Medicare paper and money!
Smartphone Medicare App
Not sure if Medicare will cover your medical test or service? Medicare’s free “What’s covered” app delivers accurate cost and coverage information right on your smartphone.
Search or browse in the app to learn if Medicare will cover your medical test or service. Medicare’s free “What’s covered” app delivers accurate cost and coverage information right on your smartphone. Use the app at the doctor’s office, in the hospital, or anywhere you use your smartphone or tablet.
Get the app directly from the App Store or Google Play.
Medicare’s General Enrollment Period is January 1–March 31
Missed your Initial Enrollment Period last year? If you’re eligible for Medicare, you may still be able to sign up for Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) during the General Enrollment Period.
The General Enrollment Period runs from January 1 to March 31, for coverage starting July 1. You can apply for Medicare Part A and/or Part B now if both of these apply:
- You didn’t sign up when you were first eligible.
- You aren’t eligible for a Special Enrollment Period.
Visit Medicare.gov to learn more about sign up periods.
Note: In most cases, if you don’t sign up for Medicare Part B when you’re first eligible, you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty.
For individual help with Medicare details call for a HICAP appointment with a registered counselor in your community.
Changes for Dual Eligibles and Low-Income Subsidy Recipients in California
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued new rules that limit enrollment and
disenrollment from Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans. The new rules went into effect on January 1, 2019.
Prior to 2019, dual eligibles receiving both MediCal and Medicare, as well as Low Income Subsidy (LIS) beneficiaries, had a continuous Special Enrollment Period (SEP)–known as the LIS SEP–that allowed them to enroll or disenroll from a Medicare Advantage plan or Part D prescription drug plan monthly.
Under the new rule, dual eligibles and LIS recipients will only be able to enroll or disenroll…
AARP List of Where to Report Frauds and Scams
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).
