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SECOND FRONT THE ITEM
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013 Contact the newsroom at 803-774-1226 or e-mail news@theitem.com
Feds’ site gives states incomplete Medicaid data COLUMBIA (AP) — People shopping for insurance on the federal marketplace may be informed they’re eligible for Medicaid and that their information is being sent to state officials to sign them up. However, states say they aren’t able to enroll them because they’re receiving incomplete data from the Obama administration.
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services wrote a memo to the 36 states using the federal website last week acknowledging the information wasn’t being transferred automatically and saying another system was being developed to send it. More complete files could be sent as soon as next week.
The technical problem could affect tens of thousands of Medicaid applicants and represents the latest issue to arise in the rollout of a website that’s been plagued with long waits for users and other glitches. Some users who fill out applications on the federal site may think that they’re already being enrolled in Med-
icaid or that state officials will contact them, even though the agencies aren’t receiving the information they need, said Matt Salo, executive director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors. The datatransfer problem is occurring in the 36 states where the federal site is deployed, regardless of whether they
chose to expand Medicaid. “Essentially, if you’re a consumer on healthcare.gov, it will tell you you’re eligible for Medicaid and the state agency will take care of it, but there’s no real way for the state Medicaid agency to know anything about it,” said Salo, who leads the nonpartisan membership group for state Medicaid chiefs.
Parade, other Poinsettia Fest events continue through weekend BY IVY MOORE ivym@theitem.com Sumter County will present its annual Christmas Tree Lighting Program at 4:30 p.m. today on the front steps of the courthouse on North Main Street. In addition to the lighting of the tree, there will be performances by several local school choirs: Willow Drive, Millwood, Cherryvale, Wilder and Lemira elementary schools and Furman Middle School. Choir directors, respectively, are Mark Hodges, Hamilton Stoddard, Steven Palmer, Jessica Bettinger, LaCharles Harris and Lelia Long, and Linda Beck. Following the program, the Sumter County Recreation Department will sponsor its annual Walk with St. Nick. Children and their families are invited to join St. Nick for a stroll from the courthouse grounds to the Sumter County Public Library at 111 N. Harvin St., where there will be storytelling and refreshments. Ample free parking for Friday’s events is available behind the new Sumter County Judicial Center at 215 N. Harvin St. Singing Christmas Tree
First Baptist Church’s annual Singing Christmas Tree begins tonight at 7:30 p.m. and continues at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. There is no charge for admission, but you need tickets. Call (803)773-3732 for more information. Fantasy of Lights
The Fantasy of Lights at Swan Lake-Iris Gardens is open nightly for the public to drive or walk through; however, on Friday and Saturday nights through Dec. 21, special entertainment will be presented. Tonight, beginning at 6 p.m., visitors will have the opportunity to hear choirs from Kingsbury, R.E. Davis and Crosswell Drive elementary schools and Mayewood Middle School.
Starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday, see the Dreamworks dancers, Lakewood and Crestwood Show Choirs and Tyler Cook. In addition, Santa’s Village in the Heath Pavilion on the Garden Street side of the lake will be open from 6 to 8 p.m. Children can get assistance writing and mailing their letters to the North Pole and even have a special talk with Santa Claus.
Holiday House Tour and Tea
Sumter Artists’ Guild Holiday Mart
Silver Bells Arts and Crafts Show
About 25 local artists and the Sumter County Gallery of Art are collaborating once again to present the Sumter Artists’ Guild Holiday Mart at the gallery. From 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Saturday, shoppers will have the opportunity to browse and select “unique, high-quality” gifts for friends and loved ones, according to gallery director Karen Watson. “The guild has been re-energized this year,” Watson said, “and the work they’re offering at the Holiday Mart is outstanding.” She encourages those who are looking for “a oneof-a-kind, artisan-made gift” to check out the “paintings, sculpture, jewelry, pottery, fabric/silk wearables (and) collage” and more, while supporting local artists. Participating artists include Rose Metz, Mike Tucker, Laura Cardello, Mackenzie Sholtz, Myra Barton, Lisa Applewhite, Connie Brennan, Lynn Neal, Trisha King, Genevieve Rath, Michael Thomson, Kim Riggs, Carole Swartz, Sue Czerwinski, Jim Wade, Gerald Williams, Carole and Don Carberry, Kim Schneider, Cara-Lin Getty, John Cotner, Denise Greer and Susan Allen. Admission is free, and light refreshments will be served. The Sumter County Gallery of Art is located in the Sumter County Cultural Center. Enter on the Hasell Street side. Call (803) 7750543.
More than 40 crafters will show and sell their wares at the Fair Memorial Building at 30 Artillery Drive from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Santa Claus and Toys for Tots representatives will be on hand from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday. There is no charge for admission, but shoppers are encouraged to bring a nonperishable food item to donate to Sumter’s needy.
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Tour six historic homes in the Heart of Sumter from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, and enjoy tea at the Alice Boyle Garden Center next to Swan Lake from 3 to 5 p.m. The event sponsored by the Sumter Council of Garden Clubs is a 64-year tradition. Tickets are $10, available at the door and at each home. Call (803) 905-4375 for more information.
Christmas Parade
The Evening Optimist Club presents its annual Christmas Parade at 2 p.m. Sunday on Main Street. Part of Sumter’s Poinsettia Festival, the parade will begin at the corner of North Main and Dubose streets and proceed south on Main to Bartlette Street. Prime viewing is along Main to see the colorful floats, beauty queens, marching bands, clowns and more festive units. As always, Santa will make a special appearance on the final float, which will be the 112th unit in the parade, according to the Evening Optimists. Look for numerous emergency services entries from the Sumter Police Department, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, the Sumter Fire Department
and Sumter County EMS. Thirty local businesses will be featured, four area churches will enter floats, nativity scenes or choirs, and a local motorcycle club and at least five area Shrine units will demonstrate their riding and driving skills. The parade will also include four groups of horseback riders, with many beautiful horses. Thirteen local schools will be well represented. Sumter, Lakewood and Crestwood high schools each have several entries, including AFJROTC units, cheerleaders and performances by all three marching bands. Wilson Hall will be represented by its SCISA State Champion teams, and Lake Marion High School will be represented by its Junior Army ROTC. Middle school participants include the Alice Drive band and cheerleaders, Bates band and chorus, Furman chorus and Hillcrest band and choir. Groups from several elementary schools, including Millwood, Manchester, Kingsbury and Wilder, will also march in the parade. Dancers from Miss Libby’s School of Dance, Freed School of Performing Arts, Dreamworks Dance Academy and the Caroline Mack Center for the Arts will perform to the beat of holiday favorites. The grand marshal for the 2013 Christmas Parade will be Sumter historian Sammy Way, retired teacher and longtime supporter of the Optimist Relays high school track meet. Spectators are advised to arrive early to select their favorite viewing location, as all streets that intersect with Main between Dubose and Bartlette will be closed at 1:45 p.m. The parade will begin at 2 p.m., with the leading units arriving at the courthouse about 2:15. The end of the parade should pass the courthouse about 3:25 p.m. and reach Bartlette Street at approximately 3:40 p.m.
The grand finale of the Evening Optimist Christmas Parade is always Santa Claus, who will be the 112th unit in Sunday’s procession along Main Street. It starts at 2 p.m.
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