January 2025

www.aoascc.org

CHOICES Corner

Many Medicare recipients believe that Medicare is free.  That, unlike other types of health insurance, there isn’t a monthly premium, but they are incorrect. Medicare has a monthly premium, and the amount of the premium is based on one’s income. There are occasions when an individual is determined to owe back premiums to Social Security and repayment is required. An example of an instance when this can happen is when an individual is on a benefit program that pays the Medicare premium to Social Security on behalf of the individual because they have a low monthly income. At a later date, the person is discontinued from the benefit program. The benefit program stopped sending payments to Social Security, but the Medicare coverage remained in place. Eventually, Social Security recognized that Medicare coverage was provided but the premium wasn’t paid. At that point, they may deduct the full amount of the past-due premiums from the next Social Security check. For most people who have this experience, it presents an overwhelming hardship. Each month, people who rely on Social Security as their primary source of income await the monthly check so they can pay their housing, food, and energy bills, if the check is significantly less than expected a crisis follows.

You should be aware that if you find yourself in a situation where you are notified that you owe back Medicare premiums there are steps you can take to reduce the impact of the repayment requirement.  

Click to read the full article .

This newsletter is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $577,233 with 100 percent funding by ACL/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

CAREGIVER Corner:

Are you taking care of someone who has difficulty communicating with you? Perhaps it's due to dementia, or hearing loss? Maybe they're in the late stages of a critical illness and speaking is too much effort for them. It is extremely frustrating for caregivers to try and understand what the people they care for want and need when they do not have feedback to inform them. As caregivers, we want to solve problems and help the person we are caring for to be as comfortable as possible, but it's so difficult to do when they have trouble communicating.

It might surprise you to learn that sometimes the best thing you can do is to stop trying to communicate. Stop trying to help, trying to solve problems. Sometimes the best thing we can do is just sit and listen to each other breathe. It is comforting to people to know they're not alone. Someone who cares for them is with them in their weakest moments, just breathing together. As you sit with someone in these quiet moments, you'll be surprised at the thoughts that cross your mind, the memories that pop into your consciousness. Some of them may be happy, some melancholy, some sad, or even angry. The content does not matter because the impact will be the same. The memories will bring you closer to the other person. Sitting quietly, allowing the memories to enter your mind, will afford the opportunity for the memory to be examined in the perspective of the present moment. Is this the final memory you want to hold on to? Can you let some memories go and forgive the hard feelings, let go of the sadness, and enjoy the happy memories?

This silent communication can be a gift to you. Spend time with the person you care for unwrapping the gift.