RESOURCE CENTER

THE RESOURCE CENTER

Resource Center Director: Sue • Assistant Director: Rita • Caregiver Support Coordinator: Emily Specialists: Joyce • Intake Specialist: Nancy For more information, please call 406-259-5212 ANNUAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD

RESOURCES

for Medicare Prescription Drug Plans - Part D is coming sooner than you think.

The Annual Enrollment Period for Medicare Part D in 2023 will be: October 15th to December 7th

The Resource Center Staff can assist you in evaluating your Medicare D plans for 2023. • Call The Resource Center at 259-5212, and request to be put on Medicare D Worksheet mailing list. They will be mailed out on 9/15/22. After 9/15/22, requests will be mailed or emailed out when requested. • Fill out the worksheet completely and return it to The Resource Center. If there is missing information or an unsigned release, we won’t be able to complete the evaluation. • Once we receive the worksheet, we will use the information provided to assess if your current plan is a good choice for 2023, or if you should change to another plan. We will begin reviewing plan options after October 1st. • If a new plan is a better choice, we will offer an appointment to assist you with enrollment if you like.

Remember, each year the plans can change dramatically so it is important to check your plan each year.

The Alliance Resource Center staff will be out of the office in September for State SHIP/I&A training. Call for an appointment to ensure we will be here to help you.

DON’T BE COLD THIS WINTER

Beginning August 1st, the LIEAP program will accept applications to help low-income individuals and families with:

• Assistance with main heat source costs (Oct 1-Apr 30) • 10-20% discount on

Northwest Energy & MDU year round • Weatherization services • Helps home-owner repair or replace faulty furnace 2022-2023 Limits Gross Monthly Income Assets

Excluding home & car

Single $2344 $11,877 Couple $3066 $17,822 + family members $722 each + member $1162 each + member

FOR INFORMATION OR AN APPLICATION CALL RESOURCE CENTER

WATCH FOR SCAMS RELATED TO OUR RECENT FLOODING

In the wake of natural disasters such as floods, there is often a rise in scams targeting those most affected. Scammers strike when vulnerability is high. If flooding has affected you or a loved one, learn how to identify and prevent four types of scams common to flood victims. HOME IMPROVEMENT SCAMS. Home improvement scammers may knock on your door when they see a need or an opportunity. This is a “pay for something you never receive” scam. Scammers will take a deposit, but never return to do the work. Before hiring someone to make repairs to your home or property, ask questions. Ask to see customer referrals, proper identification, and a contractor’s license. Also, be cautious of service providers who raise prices during a crisis. If you believe price gouging has occurred, contact the Montana Office of Consumer Protection at https://dojmt.gov/consumer/. CHARITY SCAMS. After widespread devastation, many consumers want to help by donating. Knowing this, scammers prey on generosity and compassion. Before donating to an unknown charity, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) urges donors to visit https://www.give.org. This website will tell you if you can trust the charitable organization. Also, be careful of crowdfunding scams. These happen when a person asks for help online through a crowdfunding website like Kickstarter, Fundly, or GoFundMe. Some crowdfunding sites do little to verify that the money goes where the organizer says it will, so exercise caution before giving. INSURANCE SCAMS. Flood victims have likely filed an insurance claim for disaster-related damages. If you are contacted by phone, email, or in person about an insurance claim or policy, always check that the representative is who they say they are. Call your insurance company or policy provider directly. Use the number on your account statement to make the call. Do this before disclosing any personal information or making any payments. Similarly, be wary of contractors who offer to waive insurance deductibles or offer discounted rates. FEMA SCAMS. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides help after disasters such as flooding. Scammers may pose as FEMA employees offering to help complete paperwork or conduct home inspections. Ask to see an ID badge. FEMA employees are required by law to present a laminated photo ID. They will never charge for disaster assistance, application support, or inspections. You also can contact FEMA directly at 800-621-3362 to verify a representative’s identity. If you have not applied for FEMA assistance, do not accept phone calls or visits from someone claiming to be a FEMA or other government representative.

TO PREVENT FLOOD-RELATED SCAMS, FOLLOW THESE STEPS: • Stop before giving out any personal or financial information. • Check the validity of the company, representative, claim, or charity. • Act cautiously before signing paperwork.

Don’t sign if you don’t fully understand. • Make informed decisions and seek trusted advice. • Slow down. Never let someone pressure you to act quickly or out of fear.

Source: University of Kentucky, School of Human Environmental Sciences, FAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCES EXTENSION

As the Public Health Emergency due to COVID-19 begins to wind-down, there are some important issues to be aware of.

Anyone who has qualified for Medicaid after April 2020, during the Public Health Emergency (PHE) remain eligible for full Medicaid for the duration of the PHE. The Federal government will notify state at least 60 days before they will end the PHE. The ending of the PHE will begin the unwinding of the special rules that have been in place since April 2020. The state has a minimum of 12 months to redetermine who will be eligible for Medicaid going forward. The Office of Public assistance will contact folks on Medicaid by mail to do the redetermination process. For this reason, the Office of Public Assistance is asking everyone currently on Medicaid to be sure the Office of Public Assistance has your correct address. You can correct your address at: https://mt.accessgov.com/dphhs/Forms/Page/medicaid/ changeofaddress. If you need to check your address to see if it is correct, you can create a personal Medicaid account at apply.mt.gov and you will be able to see what information Medicaid currently has for you.