by Joel White-President of the Council for Affordable Health Coverage.

Seema Verma, the new administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, recently praised Medicare’s prescription drug benefit for giving seniors access to affordable medicines, saying she was “thankful” for the program.

There’s a lot to be thankful for. Medicare Part D, as the drug benefit is known, provides seniors with huge discounts on medicines, enabling them to live healthier, longer lives. That’s good news for the more than 41 million Americans who currently rely on the program for prescription drug coverage.

Nevertheless, Rep. Elijah Cummings, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and some other members of Congress believe the program isn’t cost-effective enough. Current law says the government can’t meddle in price negotiations. Many wrongly assume that means there are no price negotiations, which is not true. Discounts are negotiated every day in Part D, but not by the government, by the private sector. To achieve greater savings, they’ve proposed letting the government “negotiate” drug prices.

The policy change would be a disaster. Government wouldn’t negotiate — it would simply set prices and refuse to cover medicines it deemed too expensive. That would deprive seniors of life-sustaining medications.

Part D’s success is driven by market competition, not government control. Private insurers negotiate with drug firms to secure discounts — an average of 35 — off the list price of medicines.

Plans extract big discounts from drug makers by threatening to steer patients to a rival company’s drug. Consider what happened with a new class of hepatitis C treatments, which cure the disease in more than 90 percent of patients with few side effects. When only one treatment was available, plans providers negotiated rebates that shaved 22 percent off the drug’s list price.

But once a competing drug was introduced, plans negotiated a 46 percent average rebate.

Insurers transfer savings like these to consumers in the form of lower plan premiums, co-pays, and deductibles — the Part D law requires it. Seniors can choose whichever Part D plans — ranging from basic, no-frills options to extremely generous coverage — suit them best.

There’s a strong incentive for insurers to keep costs low. If they don’t, seniors can jump ship and enroll in a rival insurer’s Part D plan. Because of this competition, total costs for Part D came in $349 billion lower than the Congressional Budget Office’s cost projections for 2004-2013.

Which other government program comes in hundreds of billions under budget?

If the government meddles with what’s in patients’ medicine cabinets, it will jeopardize all these gains.

As the CBO has made clear, the government wouldn’t be able to negotiate prices that are lower than what private insurers already get.  To keep costs down, the government might ration access to medicines by establishing a formulary — a list that dictates which drugs are covered, and at which co-payment levels.

If the government were to establish a formulary, it would be one-size-fits-all. We’ve seen this happen at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA’s formulary doesn’t cover one-fifth of the top 200 most commonly prescribed Medicare Part D drugs, according to a 2015 study by the research firm Avalere Health.

Part D largely owes its success to the free-market principles of choice and competition. Let’s hope Ms. Verma defends those principles as the drug cost debate heats up. Getting the government more involved in Part D plans would be a step backwards for patients and taxpayers.

Drug abuse, whether prescription or illicit drugs, can have serious consequences, particularly for older adults. While there are obviously luxury drug rehab centers available to those struggling from addiction, it is always best to focus on prevention. However, there are many different reasons why people abuse drugs and become addicted to them. It’s not the end of the world though if people do because addicted to drugs, as there are a few things that people can to help them with their addiction. Some people are capable of overcoming their addiction with just the help and support of their friends. Whilst others might need to go to an inpatient facility (if this is something which you are interested in finding out more about then you can click here). People can become addicted to drugs for many reasons though. These reasons need to be taken into account when considering how to best prevent drug abuse. Family members, friends, pharmacists, and health care providers can all be involved in preventing drug abuse among older adults.

There are steps that you as a patient can take to prevent abuse of prescription medications and its consequences.

When visiting the doctor or pharmacist, bring along all prescription and over-the-counter medicines that you take — or a list of the medicines and their dosages (how much you take and how often). Your doctor can make sure your medicines are right for you and make changes if necessary.

Always follow medication directions carefully.

Only use the medication for its prescribed purpose.

Do not crush or break pills.

Ask how the medication will affect driving and other daily activities.

Do not use other people’s prescription medications, and do not share yours.

Do not stop taking a medicine on your own. Talk to your doctor if you are having side effects or other problems.

Learn about the medicine’s possible interactions with alcohol and other prescription and over-the-counter medicines, and follow your doctor’s instructions to avoid these interactions.

Answer honestly if a doctor or other health care professional asks you about other drug or alcohol use. Without that information, your doctor may not be able to provide you with the best care. Also, if you have a substance problem, he or she can help you find the right treatment to prevent more serious problems from developing, including addiction.

Preventing illicit drug use in older adults requires first knowing what contributes to it. For people of all ages, an individual’s biology (including their genetics) and the environment, as well as how the two act together, determine a person’s vulnerability to drug abuse and addiction — or can protect against it. For example, being exposed to drugs of abuse in youth, living in a community where drug use is prevalent, having untreated mental disorders, such as depression, or dealing with difficult transition periods such as retirement or loss of a spouse can all make an older adult more vulnerable to drug abuse. There are solutions in place for those who have experienced a wake-up call in their battle with drug abuse and who are now seeking drug rehab using the facilities and services of rehabilitation centers.

Prevention efforts must focus on gaining a better understanding of the factors that promote illicit drug use in older adults. Prevention also includes finding ways to stop drug use before it worsens and leads to health problems, including addiction. Family members can play an important role by being aware of an older relative’s well-being and possible drug abuse, and stepping in to help at an early stage or organising a trip to The Avante Ibogaine Institute, if necessary. Doctors should ask their older patients about potential drug abuse and make referrals as needed.

Honoring those who have served our country is something the managers of Cypress Place Senior Living in Ventura care deeply about.  But this year their annual event to honor Veterans has taken on even more significance.

“Our country is divided right now,” said Mike Macke, director of sales and marketing at Cypress Place Senior Living.  “We need to find common ground as citizens, no matter how small.  The one thing we can all agree on is the importance of honoring those who have served our country.”

To do this the senior community has launched their “If You’re Free, Thank A Vet” campaign.  During the month of June, pins with that saying on it will be available at Cypress Place for anyone who would like to stop by and pick one up.

“Maybe you have a neighbor who is a Vet,” said Steve Spira, executive director of Cypress Place.  “We ask that you stop by and get a pin to take to them.  Or wear it so they know you support them.  We are free to express our differences and beliefs because our Veterans stood watch, protected, and served unfailing for all.”

The pins will be available from June 1, 2017 until June 28, 2017 when the senior community hosts their annual “Salute To Our Veteran’s” celebration with a ceremony recognizing residents of Cypress Place, as well as members of the public, who served their country.  The event is free and open to the public.   All Veterans are encouraged to attend, as well as families, friends and neighbors.

A military Color Guard presentation will lead the tribute, followed by a special Veteran recognition, along with recognition of widows and widowers of Veterans.  Special guest speakers include Mike McManus, Veteran’s Service Officer from the County of Ventura, a keynote speaker from Naval Base Ventura County, and other dignitaries.  TAPS will also be played at this touching tribute.

A free BBQ lunch will follow the powerful program.   “Touching History”, a private war memorabilia collection by Tom Weaver will also be displayed, along with memorabilia from residents of the senior community.

“This is an event for the community to come out and show their support for Veterans, whether you know them or not,” said Macke.  “If you have children, bring them to meet someone who has served their country.   Let’s begin the process of uniting our country, one citizen at a time.”

The event begins promptly at 11am on Wednesday, June 28th, 2017 at Cypress Place Senior Living.  Cypress Place Senior Living is located at 1200 Cypress Point Lane in Ventura.  For more information or to RSVP, please call 805-650-8000.

Free shuttle parking will be available at Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura (corner of Ralston Street and Cypress Point Lane).

To learn more about Cypress Place Senior Living of Ventura, visit their web site at www.cypressplaceseniorliving.com.

by Essie Landry Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in Sierra West Area

Being safe online is important every day. There may be days devoted to internet security awareness, but you need to be careful every time you go online.

This includes if you have your own website. You also need to make sure your site is secure as your details can be stolen too. Make sure you look for a penetration testing company that can give an evaluation of the security of the site and what you can do to improve it.

Do you know what it takes to be safe online? You probably connect daily to get information, shop, socialize, or work. Every time you go online, you need to avoid the risk of theft or fraud. Here are some tips to use while visiting the Social Security website and the other websites you use.

Use Strong Passwords–Strong passwords have at least eight characters and include capital letters, numbers, and non-letter characters. These passwords make it harder for someone to hack your account.

Don’t Recycle Passwords–Although it requires effort to think of new passwords constantly, it provides safety when you do. What if you use the same password for every site and you lose your password? If someone finds it, they could get access to all your accounts. Many people choose to reuse — don’t be one of them.

Take Advantage of Multifactor Authentication–Many websites offer the option to use a second factor—or method—in addition to just a username and password to ensure that only you access your information. Using more than one factor to establish identity makes it harder for someone to get into your account and steal your personal information. Beginning June 10, 2017, Social Security requires multifactor authentication to access a my Social Security account. Customers choose whether to receive a one-time security code to either their phone or email in order create a new account or sign into their account. Visit this link to find out more about how to secure your personal my Social Security account: www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount/verifyandprotectid.html.

Consider using multifactor authentication whenever it’s offered to protect your information.

Read Scam Alerts–For information about fraudulent activities related to Social Security, you can find information at our blog Social Security Matters under the Newsroom section at blog.socialsecurity.gov.

One way to avoid identity theft is to create your own my Social Security account, if you haven’t already. When you have an account, no one else can set up an account using your information. Social Security’s Office of the Inspector General investigates fraud involving Social Security and they publish Fraud Advisories at oig.ssa.gov/newsroom/news-release. The Federal Trade Commission website publishes information about scams that appear in the news at www.consumer.ftc.gov/scam-alerts. You’ll want to be aware of current scams to avoid being tricked.

Review Your Online Accounts and Credit Reports–Just as you review your earnings record with Social Security for accuracy at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount, you should review your bank and credit card accounts for accuracy. Get a free copy of your credit report available annually from the three credit reporting agencies (Experian, Equifax, and Transunion) at www.annualcreditreport.com/ and check it for incorrect entries.

Protecting your identity can be daunting. Guarding your personal information requires investing some time, but is worth it. Discourage theft and fraud by adopting these security practices when you use the internet.

Volunteers are needed for a senior Tai Chi program recently started in the four west county cities served by Oxnard RSVP. No experience is needed. Volunteer instructor training will be provided in mid-May. A six-month commitment to teaching the program is requested of volunteers.

Free exercise classes are being offered in partnership with the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging. Those interested in teaching should attend one of these classes to become familiar with the program.

Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance follows curriculum developed at the Oregon Research Institute. Studies showed improved strength and balance, increased mobility and reduced incidence of falls among seniors who participated in the classes.

The classes are intended for adults age 55 and older who can walk easily with or without assistive devices.

RSVP is currently recruiting volunteers to lead classes in Oxnard, Ventura, Camarillo and Port Hueneme. A two-day training with the Master Trainer is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, May 19 and 20, in Ventura. At least 30 hours of practice with other trained volunteers will follow before volunteers can be certified to lead a class

All RSVP volunteers must be age 55 or better. For more information on the instructor training, please call 385-8023.

Those interested in taking the 12-week class should call the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging’s fall prevention program at 477-7347.

RSVP is a volunteer recruitment and placement program, helping people 55 and older find volunteer positions that match their interests, talent and available time.  The Oxnard RSVP has almost 600 members and is sponsored by the City of Oxnard.  To learn more about being an RSVP member or to discuss other volunteer opportunities call 385-8023.

Family Caregiver Resource Center
Catholic Charities-OASIS Program
by Connie De La Rosa

The Theme for the May 2017 Older American’s Month is “Age Out Loud” which is intended to give aging a new voice which reflects on what older adults have to say about aging; therefore,  Older American Month is a great opportunity to recognize and celebrate what getting older looks like today.

What is the “Older Americans Act?” The Act originally enacted in 1965 and supports various services  of home and community based services such as nutrition programs, meals on wheels, elder abuse prevention, caregivers support, transportation and in home services to assist seniors in remaining as independent and productive in their communities and homes.  The Older Americans Act (OAA) has Titles I through VII grants for State and Community Programs on Aging.  Each Title covers various programs so as an example, Title III covers nutrition, senior center programs, meals on wheels and caregiver support programs.

The Family Caregiver Resource Center, a program funded through the Older Americans Act,  in Santa Paula serves the County of Ventura in providing caregiver support groups, trainings on varies topics, respite care, assisted devices and many other resources for families caring for loved ones.  For more information, call 420-9608.

For people 50 and over, if you want at least a part time job to supplement your income or get back into the mix, ENCORE is the place to start.

It’s a free, self-paced training program aimed at filling the gaps needed to become employable. Examples include computer software skills, internet basics, math, English, or simply creating a stand-out resume and honing your job-seeking expertise.

“Thank you for a great learning experience,” wrote a recent student, Paige Cabasug, who found the training to be “a great confidence booster.”

Another student, Norma Baer, “was really surprised I got a (job) response right away and I already have another job offer.”

Thanks goes to VACE (Ventura Adult and Continuing Education), an arm of the Ventura Unified School District, in partnership with the Area Agency on Aging and city of Ventura.

ENCORE is not a traditional lecture-based class; instead you learn at your own pace any day of the week at locations in east and west Ventura. Call VACE at 289-7925 for details, or on-line at:

http://tinyurl.com/VenturaENCORE.

Businesses are also encouraged to contact VACE, adding to a growing list of job opportunities for these reliable and self-starting students.

Cabasug is an excellent example of a person who had minimal job skills, describing herself as a “domestic engineer” of a military family.

And Baer is an excellent example of a retiree who had 40 years of work experience, “but I wanted to supplement my Social Security and I got tired of sitting around the house. I needed to be around people.”

“I met a lot of ladies in my same position who wanted to keep learning and wanted to work,” Baer said.

Skilled or unskilled, ENCORE met their needs.

For Baer, “things just fell into place.” It happened that her previous work – 40 years at the American Consulate in Germany – was a perfect fit for finding work in today’s world of immigration changes, and her ENCORE training upgraded her computer skills.

“I liked it a lot, there’s more of a teacher-student connection,” she said of ENCORE, contrasting a “stiff, very dry” kind of education in Germany.

Now Baer has extra money to travel during her retirement, and Cabasug has the confidence and independence to be excited and proud about learning new skills and working beyond the home now that the children are grown and gone.

by Lori Harasta

Your experiences and memories are unique. The greatest gift you can give your family is to record yours.

Jeff McElderry of Leisure Village decided to meet with one of the Camarillo Hospice-trained Life Story Volunteers and capture some of his favorite memories onto two CDs for his family, which includes five sons and eight grandchildren.  “My wife Esther and I heard about this program at the Leisure Village Health Fair and decided to give it a try.”

Camarillo Hospice volunteers are trained in conducting personal interviews and recording life stories, and they help create a truly special and lasting gift.  Recording sessions can take place in the comfort of one’s home, and when they are concluded, the client receives a professionally produced CD of his or her life story to share with family and friends.

Gerry Olsen recorded his life story with the assistance of Mark Rose, Camarillo Hospice Volunteer:  “I wanted to tell all my stories while I still remember them!”  Gerry and Mark met over a three-month period to record many stories of Gerry’s youth and early Camarillo days.  “It was a lot of fun, and Mark was very patient with me,” stated Gerry.

The Life Story Program is available to all members of the community, regardless of age or health needs. It is a free-of-charge service of Camarillo Hospice, a program of Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association.

In the words of one volunteer, “It is an amazing privilege to interview and record people’s stories. I’m certain that I get as much from it as they do! First of all I get a new friend. Secondly, I have been able to experience fascinating snapshots of history and ordinary life through the stories.”

For more information, or to schedule an interview, call 389-6870 ext. 12.