During Medicare Open Enrollment you may be searching for objective and helpful information to decide whether your current plan is still the best one for you. There are several options. There are local insurance brokers who understand the complexities of Medicare and can help you choose the best plan. Or you can call 541-288-8341 to speak with a SHIBA volunteer counselor who’s not trying to sell you anything and can guide you through the Medicare maze.
Another option is to search for Medicare plans online. But as with anything online, be cautious. For example, when I searched for Medicare plans the first site listed was at ehealthmedicare.com. And then when I searched for Advantage Plans in my zip code, no Advantage Plans were listed even though I am currently enrolled in one.
Another site listed was Medicare Advantage 2022 where you can “Compare plans, prices, and star ratings online. Some premiums as low as $0/month.” That sounds good, so I click on that link where I learn ,“By entering my contact information and clicking ‘Next’ above, I consent to receive e-mails, telephone calls, text messages and artificial or pre-recorded messages from …” Well, forget that website. I don’t need any more unwanted phone solicitations — I have enough!
But to avoid the sales pitches and misinformation, the best website to visit for unbiased and accurate Medicare information is Medicare.gov.
You can tell it is an official federal government website because the website address ends with .gov. And remember only to share sensitive information on official, secure websites. How do you know? If you see https:// (not http://) or a symbol of a lock, it means your connection to the website is secure.
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Did you notice last week I mentioned the “Through the Eyes of an Elder” column written by Susan Hess? It’s embarrassing (which happens way too often!) because it’s actually in this week’s paper. I know which day of the week it is, although Monday holidays can mess me up, but knowing which week? That’s a little more difficult. So once again, check out “Through the Eyes of an Elder” in today’s paper.
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Because you can’t have words without syllables and syllables without vowels, vowels are known to be rather arrogant— believing they are indispensable; belonging at the top of the alphabetic food chain. So see if you can read these two short quotes with the vowels removed and see how indispensable they really are.
And to keep you from running out of the house screaming, I kept the vowels in the most difficult word of each quote. Good luck!
“_’m _ t a pl_c_ _ n my l_f_ wh_r_ errands _r_ st_rt_ng t _ c_ _nt _s g_ _ng _ _t.”
“_t’s weird b_ _ng th_ s_m_ _g_ _s _ld p_ _pl_.”
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The name of the popular 1952-1956 comedy series starring Eve Arden as the sardonic high school teacher and Gale Gordon as the blustery high school principal was Our Miss Brooks. I received correct answers from Susan Ellis, Claire Zumwalt, Jeannie Pesicka, Doug Nelson, Lana Tepfer, Mike Nagle, Kim Birge, Pat Kelly, Mike Yarnell, and Elva Codino, this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket. Last week I missed Susan Ellis and Mike Nagle and for some mystical reason, I’ve missed Carol Earl several times.
This week’s “Remember When” question is about a song released on Jan. 27, 1956, that reached the top five on the Country and Western, Rhythm ‘n’ Blues, and Pop charts simultaneously. What was the name of the song that included the chorus, “You make me so lonely baby/ I get so lonely/ I get so lonely I could die”? Email your answer to www.mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788, or mail it with a picture of Alvin Krolik, the man who “walked a lonely street”.
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Well, it has been another week watching soap bubbles dance in the wind. Until we meet again, enjoy all the small things that make life worth living.
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“As you journey through life take a minute every now and then to give a thought for the other fellow. He could be plotting something.”
— Hagar the Horrible
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Nutritious home-delivered meals and pick-ups are available for anyone over sixty. For more information, you can call the meal site in your area.
Hood River Valley Adult Center at 541-386-2060 — open for in-person dining; Sherman County Senior and Community Center at 541-565-3191 — open for in-person dining; The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels at 541-298-8333 — open for in-person dining Tuesday through Thursday; Klickitat County Senior Services — Goldendale office at 509-773-3757 or the White Salmon office at 509-493-3068; Skamania County Senior Services at 509-427-3990; Seniors of Mosier Valley — call 541-980-1157 at least one day in advance to order a Grab-N-Go meal. Monday and Wednesdays from 11-11:30 a.m.
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