Notice of 2019 Title III Funding Cycle

/in , , /by

Mankato, MN, June 22, 2018 – The Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging is seeking grant applicants for Title III services in southwest Minnesota for the funding period of January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019. Applications will be accepted for Evidence-Based Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Programs.

Detailed information on Title III funding and the application process is available at mnraaa.org/grant-opportunities/.

Application deadline is August 3, 2018.

If you have any questions, please contact Rhonda Hiller Fjeldberg at 507-387-1256 ext. 105 or rfjeldberg@mnraaa.org.

Share on:

2018 Health Care Choices Available for Minnesota Medicare Recipients

/in , , /by

The Minnesota Board on Aging’s 2018 edition of the Minnesota Health Care Choices publication is now available online and in print to provide information for Minnesota Medicare recipients.

2018 Health Care Choices coverThe annual guide is the only comprehensive, objective statewide publication with information about all Medicare plan options available on the open market for Minnesotans.

“Minnesotans are very fortunate to have this annual publication available which provides information to help consumers understand and explore Medicare options,” stated Linda Giersdorf, Executive Director of the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging.

Health Care Choices is available online at www.mnhealthcarechoices.com.

The publication includes information on Medicare supplements, Medicare savings programs, Medicare Advantage plans and other Medicare health plans and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans. Minnesotans are reminded that Medicare Part D open enrollment began October 15 and ends December 7.

If you have questions or need further information, contact the Senior LinkAge Line® at 1-800-333-2433. The Senior LinkAge Line® is a free statewide service of the Minnesota Board on Aging and Area Agencies on Aging. The Senior LinkAge Line® is the federally-designated State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for Minnesota and is the place to call for Medicare and health insurance issues. Call 1-800-333-2433 for assistance or go to www.MinnesotaHelp.info® to chat live with a Senior LinkAge Line® specialist.

Share on:

State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) Funding at Risk

/in , , , /by

As the director of the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging, I want to raise awareness to the risk to State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) funding, greatly impacting Medicare services provided to Minnesota seniors and disabled Minnesotans under age 65 who receive Medicare benefits.

The Minnesota Board on Aging and Area Agencies on Aging provide the statewide Senior LinkAge Line® service, which is Minnesota’s federally designated SHIP.  Our role as SHIP is to provide individualized, objective Medicare counseling to help Minnesota Medicare beneficiaries decide what is best for them.

The President’s proposed budget does not provide funding for SHIP.  In addition, due to Congressional budget issues, we only received four months of current SHIP funding, instead of the full grant award.  This seriously threatens the Senior LinkAge Line’s® ability to serve Minnesota’s nearly 956,000 Medicare beneficiaries, a rapidly growing sector of the population. Without SHIP funding, Medicare counseling efforts will dramatically change.

Also of concern is that Medicare Cost plans are scheduled to end December 2018, forcing 386,000 Minnesotans to make major decisions about their Medicare coverage.  Unless Congress acts, these decisions will have to be made without the assistance of SHIP (the Senior LinkAge Line®).  Medicare Cost plans are the most popular plan option in Minnesota.  They offer consumers the option of using Original Medicare benefits for services outside their plan network.

As Medicare becomes increasingly more complex, consumers must bear the burden of fully understanding all of their options and making good choices for themselves.  If beneficiaries do not choose the plan that is the best fit for them, they could enroll in a plan that does not cover their provider or prescription drugs, and they may have to pay a higher premium. If they miss their enrollment window, they may have to pay premium penalties for the rest of their lives.

Medicare beneficiaries and their caregivers across the state increasingly have come to depend upon SHIP services.  The Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging is very concerned with any loss of SHIP funding.  We ask for your support to ensure that Congress fully funds SHIP and resolves the budgetary issues that threaten the funding of this critical program.

Thank you for your assistance with this important issue.

Sincerely,

Linda Giersdorf, Executive Director

Share on:

City of Kerkhoven Awarded $10,000 Age-Friendly Community Grant

/in , , /by

Mankato, MN, July 11, 2017 – The Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging (MNRAAA) will be working with the City of Kerkhoven to identify their age-friendly assets and desired assets through community-wide surveys and focus groups.  Data from the surveys and focus groups will be used to develop and implement initiatives that will result in new and/or enhanced assets that have a positive impact on the age-friendliness of Kerkhoven and its livability for all ages.  Kerkhoven will receive $10,000 to implement one of the identified initiatives.

The kick-off will be held at the Farmer’s Market located at Pillsbury Park in Kerkhoven, MN on August 1 at 2:30 p.m.

This project is made possible through a grant from the Southwest Initiative Foundation and staff support from the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging.

Linda Giersdorf and Kim Harkema signing grant award letter

 

Kim Harkema, City Clerk-Treasurer and Linda Giersdorf, Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging Executive Director, sign the Kerkhoven Age-Friendly Community Grant Award Letter.

Share on: