Taylor Fall 2010 Senior Update

8/9/2019 Taylor Fall 2010 Senior Update

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PRSRT STD

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

HARRISBURG, PA

PERMIT NO. 432

R e p r e s e n t a t i v e J o h n

T a y l o r S e n

i o r U p d a t e F a l l 2 0 1 0

STATE REPRESENTATIVE

177th Legislative District

J ohn J .T aylor

Senior Expo Set for October

Please mark your calendar and make plans to attend my annual Senior Expo on Friday, Oct. 8 from

10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Cohox Recreational Center at the corner of Cedar and Cambria Streets.

This event, which attracts hundreds of people each year, provides an opportunity for you to ask

questions, partake in free health screenings and receive information about programs and services

available from local, state and federal government agencies. More than 60 exhibitors will be offering

the following information and services:

◆ Free health screenings

◆ Health insurance information

◆ Injury prevention for seniors

◆ Consumer information on

public utilities

◆ Support and assistance available

for crime victims

◆ Domestic violence and elder abuse

information

◆ Personal response and emergency

call services

◆ Hospital and home care

equipment

◆ Tax information

◆ Transportation services

◆ Food stamps

◆ Skilled nursing, physical therapy,

occupational therapy,

rehabilitation, home health care

and much more.

My staff and I always enjoy meeting

you, your families and caregivers during

the expo, and we look forward to seeing

you again this year!



For more informatio

City Receives $500,000 Grant to IdentifySenior Citizens Who Are Eligible for Benefits

The Commonwealth has many programs for senior citizens, but every year thousands of older Penn-sylvanians do not take advantage of services and assistance for which they are eligible. It is estimated thatnearly 5,000 Philadelphia senior citizens fall into this category.

Through the BenePhilly Enrollment Project, the city is hoping to pair seniors with the programs theyneed. A $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service will helpPhiladelphia identify those senior citizens who meet the income guidelines for food assistance, but do notparticipate in the program.

In addition to helping older individuals enroll in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP),the effort will also help seniors apply for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program, PACE and PACENET andfor Medicare prescription programs.

If you believe you may be eligible for one of these programs, call or stop by one of my district offices.

Property Tax/Rent Rebate Application Deadline ExtendedThe deadline to file for the state’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate program has been extended to Dec. 31,

2010. Eligible participants can receive a rebate of up to $650 based on their rent or property taxes paidin 2009. The program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians who are 65 years or older, widows and widowers50 years or older, and those 18 years or older with permanent disabilities who meet the following incomerequirements:

◆ $0 and $8,000, maximum $650 rebate (Homeowners and renters)

◆$8,001 to $15,000, maximum $500 rebate (Homeowners and renters)

◆ $15,001 to $18,000, maximum $300 rebate (Homeowners only)

◆ $18,001 to $35,000, maximum $250 rebate (Homeowners only)

When calculating income, exclude 50 percent of Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, andRailroad Retirement Tier 1 benefits. Residents are reminded to provide all the necessary income, propertytax or rental information required to process claims quickly and accurately. For residents who already ap-plied, the Department of Revenue started sending out rebate checks in July.

Property Tax/Rent Rebate claim forms are available by contacting one of my district offices or visitingRepTaylor.com.

Rx Price Finder Can Help YouFind the Best Prices for Prescription Drugs

Even with the Medicare Part D Program and assistance from PACE or PACENET, there are still manyolder Pennsylvanians who struggle to afford their prescription drugs. Perhaps you do not qualify for PACE orPACENET because of age or income, but there are still resources available to make your medications more

affordable.Pennsylvania has an online service to help you find the best prices

on your prescription drugs called the PA Rx Price Finder. This websiteallows you to enter the names, strength and doses of your medica-tions to find the pharmacies offering the most affordable prices.

Simply log onto PARxPriceFinder.com and follow the simpleinstructions. Be sure to have your prescription information readywhen you begin. If you have difficulty using the website or do nothave Internet access, contact one of my district offices.

http://www.reptaylor.com/

http://www.reptaylor.com/



visit RepTaylor com

Free Legal Advice forSeniorCitizens

If you are a

Pennsylvania resi-dent who is overthe age of 60 and you need assistance gettinglegal advice, the SeniorLaw Helpline may beable to help you.

This service provides free, confidential legaladvice and, if needed, referrals to participatinglawyers. Volunteer attorneys affiliated with theservice advise callers about civil legal matters, butdo not provide direct representation.

The SeniorLaw Helpline is available by callingtoll free to 1-877-727-7529, between the hours of

10 a.m. and 1 p.m., Monday through Friday.In addition, the Pennsylvania Bar Associa-

tion (PBA) publishes A Legal Guide for SeniorCitizens on its website at pabar.org. In it, youwill find guidance on financial and estate planning,elder care, wills and trusts, income tax prepara-tion, Social Security and retirement benefits, insur-ance, consumer protection and fraud prevention,housing options, long-term care and much more.To view a copy of the online guide, go to pabar.org, select “Law-Related Public Education,” then

“Law-Related Information for Consumers” and “Legal Guide for Senior Citizens.”

Insurance DepartmentWebsite, a Great Resource

Many senior citizens have contacted my officewith questions about health care plans, life insurance,Medicare, long-term care plans, auto coverage and

annuities, as well as how to protect their identity. Anexcellent source of information on these and other in-surance related issues is the Department of Insurancewebsite at ins.state.pa.us. By selecting “Servicesfor Consumers,” you will find answers to frequentlyasked questions. Family members and caregivers arealso encouraged to visit the site as well. Specific linksare designed with their questions in mind.

Seniors who do not have Internet access or whomay want to talk with a representative of the Insur-ance Department may call the department’s Bureau

of Consumer Services at (877) 881-6388.

Veterans Benefits, ServicesContained in BrochureThe Pennsylvania Department of Military and Vet-

erans Affairs has developed a brochure that containsa comprehensive listing of benefits and services forU.S. veterans and their beneficiaries. The informa-

tion contained in the brochure may be found onlineat paveterans.state.pa.us.

To obtain your copy of the brochure, stop by oneof my district offices or call or visit the Philadelphia

Veterans Multi Service Center at 213 N. 4th Street,(215) 923-1163; or the Philadelphia VA Medical Cen-ter, 3900 Woodland Ave., (215) 823-5800.

You Should Know…◆ If you are 65 years of age or older and yourannual income is less than $23,500, ($31,500 formarried couples) you may qualify for the SeniorCitizen Low Income Special Real Estate Tax Provi-sion, also known as the Real Estate Property TaxFreeze. You will need proof of age to apply in any

of my district offices.◆ SEPTA Transit ID cards are available forpeople age 65 and older. Senior citizens can applyat one of my district offices or at SEPTA’s customerservice office by calling (215) 580-7800.

◆ If you want to make changes in your healthcare or drug plans, the open enrollment periodfor this is Nov. 15 through Dec. 31, 2010. Medi-care beneficiaries should watch their mailboxesfor open enrollment notices from their insurance

carriers. These notices are expected to be mailedin early October.

◆ For information on what programs and ser-vices are available for seniors in your community,look no further than your local Area Agency on

Aging. Contact the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging at 642 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, at (215)765-9040 or on the web at pcacares.org.



District Office Services

My district offices are here to help you.

Services my staff and I provide include:

Help in obtaining disability platesand handicapped placards

Driver’s license and vehicleregistration applications andrenewals

Property Tax/Rent Rebateapplications

PACE and PACENET applications State tax forms Referrals to agencies to

resolve state-related matters

If we may be of assistance, please do nothesitate to contact my district office near you.

DISTRICT OFFICES:

2901 E. Thompson St.

Philadelphia, PA 19134Phone: (215) 425-0901 / Fax: (215) 560-3996

1039 E. Hunting Park Ave.

Philadelphia, PA 19124

Phone: (215) 744-3009 / Fax: (215) 560-5776

4725-27 Richmond St.

Philadelphia, PA 19137

Phone: (215) 744-2600 / Fax: (215) 744-2605

HARRISBURG OFFICE: PO Box 202177

Harrisburg, PA 17120-2177

Phone: (717) 787-3179 / Fax: (717) 260-6519

You May be Eligiblefor Free Eye Care

Pennsylvania’s seniors could qualify for medicaleye care with no out-of-pocket cost.

EyeCare America (ECA), a public service programfounded by the foundation of the American Academy

of Ophthalmology in 1985, provides free medical eyecare to seniors throughout the country.

The mission of ECA is to reduce preventableblindness and serious visual impairment by raisingconsciousness about eye disease and health careoptions. By distributing informational materials andserving as a resource for high-risk individuals, ECA has helped countless people get medical attention fordiseases that cost the U.S. government upwards of $4 billion annually. In Pennsylvania alone, ECA hashelped more nearly 28,000 people.

ECA offers several eye care programs for whichindividuals may qualify. Those who call will be askedseveral questions in order to determine which pro-gram best suits their individual needs. Some seniors

– those who have not seen an ophthalmologist inthree years or longer – are eligible to receive a referralfor an office visit at no cost to them.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD),cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma are alltreatable conditions in their early stages, yet remainleading causes of disabilities. According to the Na-

tional Eye Institute, AMD is the leading cause of legalblindness affecting more than 10 million Americansage 65 or older.

For more information, call 1-800-222-EYES (1-800-222-3937) or visit eyecareamerica.org.

Rep. Taylor (left) joins Rose Webster of the JuniataTown Watch group, City Controller Alan Butkovitz andCity Councilman Frank Rizzo during National Night

Out at Aramingo Crossings shopping center.

RepTaylor com

Hundreds turned out for last year’s Senior Expo atCohox Recreation Center. This year’s Expo is set forOct. 8.

Documents

Taylor Fall 2010 Senior Update