SailorMature10-18-12

A Special Section Highlighting Senior LifestylesThis month’s focus: Medicare and Long-term Care

St. Louis Park woman becomesexpert in supplement options

BY EMILY HEDGESCONTRIBUTING WRITER

Knitting needles movequickly and efficiently inthe hands of Pat Levine.At times, it may appearthat she’s concentratingmore on the scarf formingin her lap from the skein ofyarn sitting next to herthan to a discussion ofMedicare offerings for sen-iors, but don’t be fooled.When the members ofUCare’s Senior MemberAdvisory Committee areasked for their opinion,the St. Louis Park residentis sure to have one.

“It’s hard to just sit and

listen. I can always havemy hands busy when Iknit,” said Levine. “I defi-nitely feel they listen toeach one of us very well.What we say makes a dif-ference.”

Levine began lookinginto her Medicare optionsa couple of years beforeshe was eligible at 67 yearsold. She had experiencewith UCare years earlierwhen she had CommunityUniversity Health Careand at that time served onUCare’s Member AdvisoryCommittee.

“I looked at all theAdvantage Plans and

UCare offers Medicare Advantage Plan

SUPPLEMENTS: TO PAGE 3

St. Louis Park resident Pat Levine is enjoying retirement thanks in part to her Medicare Advantage Plan through UCare.

2 Mature Lifestyles – Thursday, October 18, 2012 mnsun.com

A Medicare plan that lets you keep the doctor who knows your history, medications and the names of all your grandkids.

Switch your Medicare plan. Not your doctor.With a HealthPartners Freedom plan, you stick with your doctor; whether he or she is at Park Nicollet, Fairview,

Allina Health, HealthPartners or hundreds of other clinics. So go ahead, make the switch. Shop and compare

plans online. Or call us at 952-883-5601 or 800-247-7015, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. TTY users

call 952-883-6060 or 800-443-0156.

H2462_57148_CMS Accepted 8/19/12 HealthPartners is a health plan with a Medicare contract. ©2012 HealthPartners

healthpartners.com/medicare

mnsun.com Thursday, October 18, 2012– Mature Lifestyles 3

UCare made the most sense to me,”said Levine. “They seemed the mostpeople oriented, easiest to workwith and there wasn’t a lot of paper-work. That was important to me.”

When she signed on for UCare’sMedicare Advantage Plan, sheasked if an advisory committeeexisted. An invitation to join quick-ly followed.

The Senior Member AdvisoryCommittee meets once every threemonths, serving as a sort of focusgroup for UCare. “They bring newliterature and new ideas,” saidLevine. “When they went to a newcomputer program, they had uslook at it and let them know whatwe thought about it.”

“We’ve worked hard to design aMedicare plan that offers our mem-bers peace of mind coverage andopportunities to remain as healthyand independent as possible.Listening to our members is

extremely important to us.Suggestions from advisory commit-tee participants like Pat help us pro-vide healthplan optionsthat best meetour members’needs,” saidG h i t aWorcester, sen-ior vice presi-dent of publicaffairs andmarketing.

L e v i n ebelieves thatlistening andasking the rightquestions aboutMedicare, wellin advance ofhaving to makedecisions, is thekey for seniors.

“I advise people to start beforethey need to make a decision, atleast a year before, talk to peoplewith different plans, go to commu-nity workshops, and make aninformed decision,” said Levine.

Before selecting UCare, Levine

attended seminars and visited web-sites, and had personal one-on-onemeetings.

“UCare per-sonal represen-tatives werevery availableto answer anyquestions,” saidLevine.

Levine willtell you that here x p e r i e n c ewith a UCareAdvantage Plantook the worryout ofMedicare, leav-ing her time todo the thingsshe reallyenjoys, likemaking Scarvesby Pat, swim-

ming, dancing, working with sen-iors with Alzheimer’s, and support-ing her grandson’s Hopkins HighSchool football team.

A Medicare Advantage Plan is atype of Medicare health planoffered by a private company that

contracts with Medicare to provideyou with all your Part A and Part Bbenefits. If you’re enrolled in aMedicare Advantage Plan,Medicare services are coveredthrough the plan and aren’t paid forunder Original Medicare. MostMedicare Advantage Plans offerprescription drug coverage.

The 2013 Medicare OpenEnrollment Period began on Oct. 15and runs through Dec. 7. Duringthat time, Medicare beneficiariescan join a new 2013 Medicare pre-scription drug plan or MedicareAdvantage plan, drop theirMedicare Part D prescription drugcoverage, return back to OriginalMedicare from their MedicareAdvantage plan, or change theirexisting Medicare Part D prescrip-tion drug or Medicare Advantageplan coverage.

For more information visitwww.medicare.gov. For informationon UCare, an independent, nonprof-it health plan providing health andadministrative services to morethan 285,000 members, go towww.ucare.org.

SupplementsFROM PAGE 1

‘I looked at all theAdvantage Plans and UCare

made the most sense tome. ... They seemed the

most people oriented, easi-est to work with and therewasn’t a lot of paperwork.That was important to me.’

-PAT LEVINE

Do you or someone you know have an inspirationalstory from this past year that you would like to share

with our readers?

If so, we want to talk to you for our December issue, which will focus on the year in review.

Please contact Krista Jech at 952-392-6835 or [email protected]

MATUREA Special Section on

Active Adults

2 0 1 2

763.398.87102800 Campus Dr., Ste 20 • Plymouth

www.mplsvein.com

GET RID OFUNSIGHTLY VEINS!

Call today for a FREE screening!

FOCUS ON THE VIEWNot your veins


Volunteers help counsel seniors with Medicare and related issuesBY EMILY HEDGES – SUN NEWSPAPERS

Medicare may be a confusingsubject for many seniors, but thosewho live in Hennepin and Wrightcounties have Senior CommunityServices (SCS) to turn to for help.

For more than 20 years, theorganization has providedMedicare counseling for beneficiar-ies through volunteers like Ann, aretired attorney from Edina.

“When I retired, I was lookingfor something to do that had sub-stance and served the community.This is a very interesting area, everchanging and cutting edge,” shesaid.

Ann spends her volunteer timemaking presentations whereverneeded and visiting local seniorcenters. There, she sits down withpeople who have specific Medicareissues, billing issues, or questionsabout various health care plans.

“This service is so valuablebecause we provide unbiased infor-mation about various Medicarequestions, supplements, MedicareAdvantage plans as well as Part DPlans,” said Kimberlee Bluhm, pro-gram director for SCS. “For mostpeople, they have never had tothink about their insurance cover-age, but have always been told byemployers what their coveragewould be.”

Bluhm points out that with over50 different Medicare health plansto choose from, seniors can findthemselves overwhelmed. To help,Ann says that a list of all of thesupplementary plans available toresidents in Minnesota is providedat all of their presentations.

“To have the ability to talk to avolunteer about those options is awonderful opportunity,” saidBluhm. “We have 20 sites aroundHennepin and Wright Counties

someone can go to for a face-to-facecounseling appointment.”

According to Bluhm, more thantwo thirds of SCS’s Medicare coun-selors have been volunteering forover five years.

“They are highly trained andextremely dedicated to providingMedicare counseling services tomembers of the community. Manyof the volunteers also help withmedical bill organization as well asappeals,” said Bluhm.

The piece of advice that Annoffers most often to seniors is tostart their investigation early.

“Get an idea of what’s out there.Take time to make your decision.Don’t wait until the last minute,”she said.

The 2013 Medicare Annual

Election Period began on Oct. 15and will run through Dec. 7. Duringthat time, Medicare beneficiariescan join a new 2013 Medicare pre-scription drug plan or MedicareAdvantage plan, drop theirMedicare Part D prescription drugcoverage, return back to OriginalMedicare from their MedicareAdvantage plan, or change theirexisting Medicare Part D prescrip-tion drug or Medicare Advantageplan coverage.

A Medicare Advantage Plan is atype of Medicare health planoffered by a private company thatcontracts with Medicare to providePart A and Part B benefits. If you’reenrolled in a Medicare AdvantagePlan, Medicare services are coveredthrough the plan and aren’t paid for

under Original Medicare. MostMedicare Advantage Plans offerprescription drug coverage.

Since its establishment in 1950,SCS has worked to meet the needsof seniors and caregivers. SCSoffers services, including profes-sional care coordination, caregiversupport groups, Eldercare Partnerscaregiver coaching and counseling,Senior Partners Care, CareNextioncaregiver websites, Medicare andhealth insurance counseling, home-making, home maintenance andchore services, meals on wheels andprogramming at six senior centers.

For a list of seminars andMedicare counseling opportunitiesoffered by SCS, go to www.senior-community.org. For more informa-tion, call (952) 541-1019 ext. 307.

Medicare questions and answers

SCS Medicare counselor Ann P. of Edina gives a presentation and answers Medicare questions on Oct. 2 at the Richfield Community Center.


Grand Opening Celebration!

TowerLight is managed by

Ebenezer Management Services,

part of Fairview Health Services.

Inspired Senior Living

Saturday October 27 | 1-4 pm Ribbon cutting ceremony 1:30 pm3601 Wooddale Avenue South, St. Louis Park, MN 55416

towerlightsenior.com

P. 952.278.4287

Join us for

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27


During challenging economictimes, it can be tempting to foregocontributions to your retirementaccount, or even to pull money outof an existing account to cover otherexpenses.

Some plans allow you to with-draw money for certain hardshipreasons (to prevent eviction or fore-closure, for instance), but the BetterBusiness Bureau of Minnesota andNorth Dakota and FinancialIndustry Regulatory Authority arereminding people there can be sometough financial consequences fortapping into your retirement plan.

“There are certainly times ofhardship where people have nochoice but to draw against theirretirement funds,” said DanaBadgerow, President and CEO of theBBB of Minnesota and NorthDakota. “We simply feel it’s impor-tant to understand all aspects oftransactions of this nature.”

The FINRA Investor EducationFoundation offers the followinggood reasons to keep your retire-ment savings intact (note theserules are regarding U.S. laws):

Tax Liability – Unless you’re overthe age of 59 and a half, you will notonly have to pay income taxes on theamount you withdraw, but you willalso be subject to a 10% tax penalty. Inmost cases, your employer will with-hold 20% in federal taxes, so theamount you receive will be signifi-cantly lower than the amount yourequested.

Opportunity Costs – The repercus-sions of withdrawing funds fromyour 401(k) could be enormous interms of lost growth opportunity. Forexample, let’s assume you are 30years old, and have a 401(k) balance of$20,000. If you leave that money alone,and your account averages a 6% rateof return over the next 32 years, yourbalance at retirement will be $129,068

when you’re 62 — even if you do notmake any additional contributionsduring that time. If you take it out,you’ll have nothing. Even if you havea shorter time horizon, you will forgosignificant savings opportunities bytaking money out of your 401(k). Fora 45-year-old, that $20,000 will grow to$53,855 in 17 years.

Opening Assets to Creditors -Under the Bankruptcy AbuseProtection and Consumer ProtectionAct of 2005, your creditors cannottouch your 401(k) balance or similarretirement savings account - even if,as a last resort, you file for bankrupt-cy protection. Balances in traditionaland Roth IRAs are also protected upto a limit of $1 million. But if youtake money out of your retirementplan through a loan or a hardship orregular withdrawal, your creditorscan go after that sum.

Another warning: Watch out forproducts that allow you to withdraw

your retirement funds and reinvestthem elsewhere. FINRA warns that72(t) withdrawals from an IRA and401(k) debit cards can deplete yourretirement savings and damage yourretirement security.

It’s best to look at other ways tosave or borrow – tightening your belton expenses, taking advantage ofemployer match programs to keepfunding your IRA or 401(k), contribut-ing pre-tax dollars to a retirementplan, etc. You may also be able to bor-row from your 401(k) without actuallytaking a withdrawal; this wouldreduce your tax burden and wouldlikely come with a lower interest ratethan a bank loan. Check with yourplan administrator on whether or notthis option is available.

For more information on this andother financial topics, check outwww.saveandinvest.org. For moreconsumer tips you can trust, visitwww.bbb.org/us/Consumer-Tips.

What you need to know about your retirement plan

875 Wayzata Boulevard West, OronoAssisted Living & Memory Care

This is your time for fun!...not bundling up to go to doctors’ appointments.

Making a difference for our residents and their families...“Medical appointments right at Trails of Orono is so much easier

for Mom. They know her. Her health has improved, plus, she’shaving a lot of fun!” –Daughter of Resident

We can help you stay well.Call us today to schedule a convenient time for a

personal apartment tour and to learn more!

(952) 473-6655www.TrailsofOrono.com

Watch for your upcoming invitationto celebrate the Holidays!

Staywell.

· Primary Care Physicians,Nurse Practitioners, Nurses

· Lab Services· Audiology· Podiatry· Ophthalmology· Counseling· Chiropractic· Massage/Aromatherapy· Memory Care Certified Staff

On-Site medical and wellnessat Trails of Orono

Celebratewell.

Managed by Ebenezer Management Services, www.fairviewebenezer.org.Another quality community by .


Local volunteers and organizationsare there to helpBY EMILY HEDGES – CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Making sense of all the variousMedicare plan options can be daunt-ing for seniors. That’s why many cur-rent and future Medicare recipientsturn to local resources for the infor-mation they need.

From seminars offered throughnon-profit organizations such asSenior Community Services (SCS) toworkshops from for-profit providerslike Humana, local seniors have avariety of ways to prepare to makeMedicare work for them.

One of SCS’s counselors is DarwinKlockers. When the retired attorneybegan to look at Medicare coveragefor himself, he saw an opportunitywith SCS to accomplish two goals atonce: learn about Medicare and vol-unteer to help others.

Seven years later, Klockers is stillvolunteering his time. He may befound in Brooklyn Center the secondWednesday of every month answer-ing questions about Medicare andsupplemental plans. He also makespresentations for groups all aroundthe area.

“The most enjoyable part is whenyou’re talking to someone who is con-fused and you explain it to them in away that they get it,” said Klockers. “Alot of them would like for you to makedecisions for them. We can’t do that,but we give them information. Whenthe light bulb goes off, it’s the mostgratifying.”

Klockers believes that everyMedicare plan has its advantages anddisadvantages, and finding out if anAdvantage Plan or a supplement withOriginal Medicare is best is a matterof asking the right questions.

“If it meets your needs, then that’swhat’s best for you. We try to ask theright questions to find out which sideof the fence you’re on.”

Mary Bofferding of Crystal is a

senior who came down on the side ofan Advantage Plan. When she enteredthe Medicare system at 65, almostimmediately she heard from all sidesabout the need for a supplemental pol-icy, something she didn’t fully under-stand. Her daughter suggested shecome to the hotel where she workedand sit in on a Medicare seminaroffered by a Humana representative.Although she didn’t follow everythingsaid that day, she had found a resourceto get her the information she needed.

“We had the man come to the houseand give us the information one-on-one to better understand it. That wasfour years ago, and it’s been wonder-ful,” said Bofferding who ended uppurchasing an Advantage Plan fromHumana. “I had heart surgery andeverything was paid for. I am so glad Igot it.”

“We understand that choosing thebest, most appropriate Medicareoption can be a confusing process,”said Janice Burrows, president ofHumana’s Central North Medicareregion. “At Humana, we take pride in

making the decision easier forMedicare-eligibles, by keeping ourplans affordable and simple to under-stand.”

Bofferding will tell you that per-haps the best thing Humana did wasmake her aware of the HumanaGuidance Center located near herhome in Crystal. The facility, which isfree and open to all seniors whether ornot they are Humana customers, hasbecome like a second home to the sen-ior who lives on a fixed income.

“Getting out and having this placeto go to is wonderful. It’s so calming,”said Bofferding. “I hadn’t known of aplace like this, and I couldn’t afford togo to clubs. It’s nice to get to know peo-ple with the same problems and caresas you.”

For a list of seminars and Medicarecounseling opportunities offered bySCS, go to www.seniorcommunity.org.For more information, call (952) 541-1019 ext. 307.

For more information about theHumana Guidance Center, 227 WillowBend in Crystal, call (763) 533-6668.

Making sense of Medicare options can be daunting

Helping youin your time

of need

Many people choose cremation because it is far more affordable, flexible and gentler on theenvironment than traditional funeral services. The Neptune Society offers simple, dignified,compassionate and economical cremation services. We are the nation’s largest provider ofcremation services, trusted by generations of American families since 1973. We can assistwith pre-planning before the need arises and we are always available to help in your time ofimmediate need.

Our philosophy remains simple; the less an individual spends on death related expenses,the more they are able to leave to benefit the living. We have an A+ rating with the BetterBusiness Bureau and are proud members of the Twin West Chamber of Commerce.

Please contact us and request FREE information at1-800-NEPTUNE

www.NeptuneSociety.com or

Stop by our office at7560 Wayzata Blvd, Golden Valley, MN 55426

(763) 545-8095


of need


of need


of need


John Ward is avolunteer with Senior Linkage Line BY EMILY HEDGESCONTRIBUTING WRITER

John Ward has the sort of voicepeople want to listen to. Whether it’svolunteer reading for State Servicesfor the Blind’s Radio Talking Bookseries, or speaking at a local commu-nity center on available Medicareoptions, Ward has found that using hisvoice is the best way to help others.

Ward, a Fridley resident, beganresearching Medicare about a yearbefore he went on the program. Hesaw an ad in AARP Magazine lookingfor Medicare counselors, and thoughtit was a perfect opportunity to gainthe information he needed, and tohelp others at the same time.

“I signed up and went to a five-daytraining, and became a certified coun-selor. It evolved from there,” saidWard.

In his seventh year workingthrough the Senior Linkage Line, partof the Metropolitan Area Agency onAging, he counsels monthly at theFridley, Columbia Heights and St.Anthony senior centers.

“I do it because I enjoy it, and I seeresults with people. You don’t alwayshave the solution, but they know moreafter they’ve spent time in a session,”said Ward. “My doctor tells me thatbeing involved in counseling peoplehelps to avoid the onset ofAlzheimer’s.”

Wendy Webster, director ofCommunity Services andCommunications for St. Anthony-New Brighton School District haswatched Ward help seniors in hercommunity for a number of years.

“St. Anthony Community Serviceshas served as a health insurance coun-seling site for Medicare beneficiariesand their caregivers for severalyears,” said Webster. “We are fortu-nate to have John onsite each month.He is an outstanding volunteer who isprofessional, courteous, and respect-ful to each individual he meets.”

Ward helps anyone with general tospecific questions about the types ofMedicare supplements to choosefrom.

Ward believes the most importantthing seniors need to remember isthat although original Medicare A(hospitalization piece) and B (doctors,clinics and outpatient piece) may offerexcellent health insurance, they haveoptions for additional or supplemen-tal insurance. They should also look ata Medicare D prescription drug plan,even if they are healthy, or they mightend up paying a penalty if they comeback later and want it.

“Medicare A and B pays 80 percent.A person would pay 20 percent unlessthey have a Medicare supplement. Myjob is to help them through theprocess of getting the informationthey need,” said Ward.

Ward feels that not enough peopleknow that Social Security can helpwith part or all of your Medicare Dprescription drug costs if you qualify.

“I run into people right on the edgeof being eligible for assistance. Theymay not qualify with the medical

piece but they would with the drugplans,” said Ward.

He frequently encounters peoplewho live on the edge of choosingbetween prescription drugs and food.

“I’ve seen the desperation in peo-ple. I’ve had clients crying because ofa situation. It’s not easy for a lot ofpeople. Some say you can pull yourselfup by your own bootstraps, but theseare people who have worked all theirlife, people who are widowed,” saidWard.

He thinks that for most of thesepeople, the system is working, espe-cially with some of the recent changesmade to the healthcare system.

“More tests are covered now thanever before. I see that trend in health-care as absolutely necessary. Not onlyfor those on Medicare, but based onmy personal experience, for youngerpeople without health insurance.

For more information on Medicareoptions, visit www.medicare.gov. Tolearn more about Senior LinkageLine, part of the Metropolitan AreaAgency on Aging, go towww.tcaging.org.

Fridley man shares his knowledge of Medicare options

APARTMENT LIVING + ASSISTED LIVING + MEMORY CARE

www.parkshoreseniorcampus.com

952.925.6231

QUALITY OF LIFE. PEACE OF MIND.

Imagine a community that’s tailored to meet your unique needs. Whereexperienced professionals know you by name and take care of you like family.

Experience Parkshore Senior Campus

Assisted Living Apartments Available.

Call us to schedule lunch and a tour!

Mymotheris a

to me, and to my children.

Burnsville451 East Travelers Trail

Minnetonka13401 Lake St. Extension

Shakopee 1855 10th Ave. West

Victoria8150 Bavaria Rd.

Specialized memory care for your special person.

Emerald Crest treatsmy parent as a

special treasure.

Emerald Crest specialize in caring for those withmemory loss at all stages. Our setting is designedto encourage socialization, enhance ability andallow for personalized care and supervision 24/7.Call today to learn more and schedule a visit.

952-908-2215 www.EmeraldCrest.com


Many issues in2012 will affect senior citizensBY EMILY HEDGESCONTRIBUTING WRITER

With so many critical issues affectingolder Americans tied to the upcoming elec-tion, many seniors like DFL volunteerRoger Gehrke and GOP volunteer MaryEngstrom are working the phones and hit-ting the pavement trying to make a last-minute impact for their candidates.

Gehrke, an avid gardener and owner ofa licensed therapy dog that visits hospitalsand nursing homes in the area, knows hewon’t have time for much else besides poli-tics until after the election. The AppleValley resident currently holds three direc-tor positions with the Minnesota DFLSenior Caucus, Congressional District 2,and Senate District 57. He also serves as aprecinct chair in Precinct 5, Senate District57, attending as a national delegate to the

Democratic Convention in Charlotte.“I thought the convention was one of

greatest things I’ve done in recent years.The association with the delegates from allover country was wonderful,” said Gehrke.“I enjoyed the great caucus meetings morethan anything else, probably unparalleledby any meetings I’ve attended.”

Gehrke returned from Charlotte to histwice-a-week shift with the DFLCoordinated Campaign Office in Eaganmaking phone calls. He also door knocksfor candidates in Senate District 57.

The issues that mean the most to Gehrkeare health care, education, and humanrights.

“Medicare is part of my motivation andI’m a believer in Medicare for all. Since I’ma senior, Medicare is an important part ofmy life. My wife had two knee surgeriesand the coverage was excellent. I don’tknow how the Republican’s voucher pro-gram would have worked. There isn’tenough information on how the voucherwould be applied. The question marks areout there,” he said.

Like Gehrke, Engstrom is a senior who

believes that everyone should do their partwhen it comes to participating in the elec-tion process. The 67-year-old donates hertime regularly in the Republican Party ofMinnesota Victory Office in Burnsville.She decided to volunteer after encouragingher son to do the same thing.

“I had told my son, who was supportingthe Republicans in school, that you’redoing so much talking, you should getinvolved. He did. He became head of theCollege Republicans on his campus. I real-ized I needed to take my own advice,” shesaid.

This is the third election in whichEngstrom has volunteered with the phonebank, mostly doing surveys. As a retiredadministrative assistant, she finds thework easy, enjoyable, and more importantthan ever before.

“Medicare, social security, religiousrights, that’s what has gotten me going themost,” she said. “With Medicare, I don’tknow. I hope the money is there. I don’tknow what to think. It’s kind of scary.”

Although Gehrke and Engstrom comefrom different political philosophies, they

both agree that participating in the politi-cal process is important for all Americans.

“For Republicans as well as Democrats,we are working for society. We are workingfor the privilege to exercise the right tovote,” said Gehrke.

So Engstrom makes the drive to the GOPoffice in Burnsville to do her part after hermorning walk around the Mall of America.If you ask her who her favorite president is,she says she can’t help being influenced bythe man who stands next to her duringevery shift.

“There’s a life-size figure of RonaldReagan I see all the time. I guess I’d have tosay Reagan was the best,” she said.

For Gehrke, it’s FDR, Harry Trumanand maybe Lyndon Johnson.

“Johnson because he signed theMedicare bill,” he said. “That ranks highon my ladder.”

For more information about volunteeropportunities with the DFL CoordinatedCampaign Office in Eagan, call 218-234-7320. To volunteer in the Republican Partyof Minnesota Victory Office in Burnsville,call 952-808-2270.

Seniors help man thephones at campaign offices

Apple Valley resident Roger Gehrke works the phones at the DFL Coordinated Campaign Officein Eagan. He recently attended the Democratic Convention in Charlotte as a delegate.

Sen. Ted Daley is among the Dakota County Republicans volunteers are trying to get electedthis fall. (Photo by T.W. Budig – ECM Publishers)


Initiative encouragesplanning for needsin older years

Minnesota’s “Own Your Future”campaign officially got underway thismonth – a state-federal partnershipurging Minnesotans to plan for theservices they will need as they growold. The initiative addresses the grow-ing importance of long-term careplanning.

Own Your Future recognizes thedramatic increase in Minnesotanswho will be 65 and older by 2030 andthe corresponding increase in thenumber of people who will need helpwith personal care and householdtasks because of their age or disabili-ty. Own Your Future focuses on theneed for people to have plan so thatthey can enjoy their later years theway they want.

“Planning for long-term care helpsto ensure choice, control and peace ofmind for the individual,” said Lt. Gov.

Yvonne Prettner Solon. “The sense ofsecurity and comfort that comes withhaving a plan is something allMinnesotans should enjoy.”

In that effort, Gov. Dayton, Lt. Gov.Solon, and multiple state agencies areworking together to raise publicawareness in the first phase of theOwn Your Future initiative. TheMinnesota effort continues and buildson a federally funded Own YourFuture effort implemented by 26states between 2005 and 2009.

Letters and internet ads will directindividuals between the ages of 40and 65 to the Own Your Future web-site where Minnesotans can findinformation on how to create a planand find products and approachesthat will allow them to prepare, save,invest and pay for long-term care serv-ices.

Because employers are regarded asa trusted source of information on thetopic, the Own Your Future websiteincludes a toolkit of informationemployers can share with theiremployees. The One Stop Shop for

Minnesota Seniors, 1-800-333-2433, isalso available for individuals whowant to talk to experts in long-termcare planning and a variety of otherneeds.

“Over the years, the State ofMinnesota has planned for the surgeof baby boomers by supporting familycaregivers, providing affordable sup-ports to older people in their commu-nities and redesigning MedicalAssistance to be as effective and effi-cient as possible,” said HumanServices Commissioner LucindaJesson.

“The Own Your Future initiativeis an important step in helpingMinnesotans plan for and realize thebest quality of life in their lateryears.”

Objectives of the first phase of theOwn Your Future initiative are tomake Minnesotans aware of theimportance of planning now to identi-fy personal and financial options tomeet their future long-term needs andto increase the number ofMinnesotans who have taken action

to address and provide for their futurelong-term needs.

Later phases of the initiative willinclude:

Development of more affordablelong-term care products for use byindividuals who do not qualify forpublic programs but are not wealthyenough to self-fund their long-termcare.

Evaluation of possible changes toMedicaid to better align with andencourage private payment for long-term care.

An advisory panel began workingin June 2012 to help guide the publicawareness effort, including develop-ment of the website and other materi-als for use by Minnesota employers,grassroots organizations and commu-nity groups from the launch this fallthrough 2013. Results of the publicawareness effort will be measured bywebsite visit and post-initiative sur-vey results.

Visit the website at:mn.gov/dhs/general-public/own-your-future/

Minnesotans urged to ‘Own Your Future’

Providing individualized services that enable seniors to live outtheir lives with dignity in our residential homes.

General Disability • Assisted Living • Memory Care • Hospice

• 24 hour on-site nursing• Private rooms• Social programming and outings in

our 14 passenger bus • Telephone and cable in each room• Housekeeping & laundry services• Three meals per day

14900 Crown Dr. • Minnetonka • 612.597.2605 • www.legacycarehome.com Tele

phon

e Eq

uipm

ent D

istrib

utio

n (T

ED) P

rogr

am

Do you have trouble using thetelephone due to hearing loss, speech or physical disability?

The Telephone Equipment Distribution Program is funded through theDepartment of Commerce Telecommunications Access Minnesota (TAM)and administered by the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

The TED Program providesassistive telephone equipment atNO COST to those who qualify.

Please contact us for an applicationor for more information at 1-800-657-3663email: [email protected]

Let us know you saw this ad inSun Newspapers


Fri., Oct 19th thru Fri., Oct 26th

8 DAYS ONLY!


YES, YOU’RE STILL JUST AS DRAMATIC. WE’VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU.

Drama onstage is great. Drama in health care, not so much. That’s why we’ve designed our Medicare plans to meet the needs of Boomers, simply and affordably.

UCare for SeniorsSM lets you choose from plans that cover prescription drugs, travel, eyewear, dental, fi tness programs like SilverSneakers® and more. There are no co-pays for primary care visits with most plans. And you’ll get to talkto a real person 24/7 when you call customer service. It’s just what you’d expect from health care that starts with you.

Learn more about the benefi ts of UCare for Seniors in our new eGuide to Medicare at ucareplans.org/eguide. Or call (toll free) 1-877-523-1518 (TTY) 1-800-688-2534,8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

UCare Minnesota and UCare Wisconsin, Inc. are health plans with Medicare contracts. ©2012, UCareH2459 H4270_ 090512 CMS Accepted (09102012)

YES, YOU’RE STILL JUST AS DRAMATIC. WE’VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU.

Drama onstage is great. Drama in health care, not so much. That’s why we’ve designed our Medicare plans to meet the needs of Boomers, simply and affordably.

UCare for SeniorsSM lets you choose from plans that cover prescription drugs, travel, eyewear, dental, fi tness programs like SilverSneakers® and more. There are no co-pays for primary care visits with most plans. And you’ll get to talkto a real person 24/7 when you call customer service. It’s just what you’d expect from health care that starts with you.

Learn more about the benefi ts of UCare for Seniors in our new eGuide to Medicare at ucareplans.org/eguide. Or call (toll free) 1-877-523-1518 (TTY) 1-800-688-2534,8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

UCare Minnesota and UCare Wisconsin, Inc. are health plans with Medicare contracts. ©2012, UCareH2459 H4270_ 090512 CMS Accepted (09102012)

Documents

SailorMature10-18-12