The Sullivan County Office for the Aging has scheduled a Public Hearing on Wednesday, October 16, 2019 at the Sullivan County Airport Terminal Lobby, 75 Co Rd 183A (Airport Rd.), Swan Lake, NY to gain input from older residents, baby boomers, and other interested parties on programs and services provided by the agency. The Public Hearing begins at 8:30 a.m. with registration, a free light breakfast and health fair starts. The Office for the Aging provides such programs as home delivered meals and congregate meals, in-home services, assistance to informal caregivers, information and assistance, Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP), Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), Sullivan NYCONNECTS, shopping bus and medical transportation. Information gathered at the public hearing will be used in the development of the Agency's Annual Plan for services which must be submitted to the New York State Office for the Aging by December 1, 2019.

Following the Public Hearing, Senior Safety Forum “Addictions Occur at Any Age” Addictions can directly impact an individual's physical, emotional and financial welfare.

Guest Speakers:

• Wendy E. Brown, Sullivan County Public Health Services

• Colleen Jones, Mid-Hudson Problem Gambling Resource Center

• Eric J. Chaboty, Sullivan County Sheriff's office

There will be lunch and door prizes (Must be present to win).

Senior Safety Day is Free! Walk-ins welcome. Call Office for the Aging at 845-807-0241 or Cornell Cooperative Extension at 845-292-6180. Email:sullivan@cornell.edu for information.

This is a co-partnered program between Sullivan County Office for the Aging of Sullivan County and Cornell Cooperative Extension is supported by a grant from the New York State Office for the Aging's Caregiver Program.

Medicare Annual Election Period (Formally known as Medicare Open Enrollment) October 15th-December 7th, 2019

Insurance companies selling Medicare private plans (which include Part D and Medicare Advantage plans) must follow certain rules when promoting their products. These rules are meant to prevent plans from presenting misleading information about a plan's costs or benefits. This is also known as marketing fraud.

Medicare private plans are allowed to conduct certain activities. For instance, companies can market their plans through direct mail, radio, television, and print advertisements. Plans can also send emails, but they must provide an opt-out option in the email for people who do not wish to receive them. Agents can also visit your home if you invite them for a marketing appointment.

Insurance agents cannot:

- Call you if you do not give them permission to do so

- Visit you in your home, nursing home, or other place of residence without your invitation

- Ask for your financial or personal information (like your Social Security number, Medicare number, or bank information) if they call you

- Provide gifts or prizes worth more than $15 to encourage you to enroll. Gifts or prizes that are worth more than $15 must be made available to the general public, not just to people with Medicare

- Disregard federal and state consumer protection laws for telemarketing, the National Do-Not-Call registry, or do-not-call-again requests

- Market their plans at education events or in health care settings (except in common areas)

- Sell you life insurance or other non-health products at the same appointment (known as cross-selling), unless you request information about such products

- Compare their plan to another plan by name in advertising materials

- Use the term “Medicare-endorsed” or suggest that their plan is a preferred Medicare plan

- Plans can use Medicare in their names as long as it follows the plan name (for example, the Acme Medicare plan) and the usage does not suggest that Medicare endorses that particular plan above other Medicare plans

- Imply that they are calling on behalf of Medicare

If you feel a plan or agent has violated Medicare's marketing rules, you should save all documented proof, when available, such as an agent's business card, the plan's marketing materials, and your phone call records. Report the activity to 1-800-MEDICARE, your local Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) at 877-808-2468 or your local Office for the Aging at 1-845-807-0241.

Keep an eye out for more articles regarding the Medicare Annual Election Period. We look forward to assisting you.

For more information on programs and services available from the Sullivan County Office for the Aging , as well as the weekly meal and transportation schedule, call 845-807-0241.