Big changes are coming to the phone bills of most Mainers.  At a time when it seems the price of everything is on the rise, most former Verizon customers will see their monthly phone bill decrease by $4-4.50, thanks to advocacy by AARP. 

  The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008. 

 Senator Snowe is a co-sponsor but we also need Sen. Collins to vote for it as well.  It is a good bill and will fix the Doctor payments issue and keep the premium increases to a minimum (under $4.00 month).  There is more information about the Bill below.

• Call Sen. Collins through the AARP line at 1-800-795-5336 and urge her to support this Bill. or
• Call Sen. Collins at her DC office at 202-224-2523. or
• Email Sen. Collins at her web site:  www.collins.senate.gov ·                              

·AARP is supporting the bi-partisan “Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008” (bill number pending) introduced on June 6 by Senators Max Baucus (D-MT), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), and Gordon Smith (ROR).

THIS SPECIAL FORUM IS FREE, OPEN TO EVERYONE AND INCLUDES LUNCH!

Maine Voices for the Future

1. Home Owner Protections Passed: AARP supported a Bill that was signed into law that protects

2. Hospital Errors: AARP supported a Bill that was signed into law that prohibits a health care facility from knowingly charging a patient or insurer for treatment to correct mistakes or preventable adverse events.  

1. Budget: Proposed cuts to the budget totaled $180 million.  AARP worked hard to restore many of the cuts to programs serving the elderly. One-half of the proposed cuts to Home & Community Based Services were restored as well as funding for Homemaker Services, Independent Living, and Adult Day Health services. Funding was not restored for the Alzheimer’s Association, Area Agencies on Aging, Keeping Seniors Home and independent assessments for Homemaker services. The long awaited Elder Services Healthy Housing Communities program was eliminated before it even started.
2. Access to Health Care: AARP worked to ensure that many of the cuts to the MaineCare program, which serves very low income adults (non cats), were substantially reduced.  Areas that were restored include a (reduced) pharmacy benefit for participants, further reductions in enrollment caps, and increases in co-pays for doctor and hospital visits.
3. DIRIGO: AARP supported the concept behind DIRIGO from its beginning, which was passed as a bi-partisan attempt to lower health care cost through cost containment and to offer an affordable insurance product for the uninsured and those small businesses that wanted to offer health care insurance for their employees. DIRIGO was changed to now be funded by a combination of increased taxes on wine, beer, soda and soda syrup, and funding from the Fund for Healthy Maine, including $2 million in current program cuts. 
4. Community Rating Changes Defeated: AARP worked to defeat a Bill that was modeled after an Idaho law which included a high risk pool and almost total elimination of community rating protections. It would have allowed insurance companies to charge higher premiums to those who may be over 50, have health problems, live in certain areas of the state or work at certain jobs.

1. Tax Law Changes: AARP supported a Bill which was signed into law and allows municipalities to abate taxes for seniors in exchange for public service work in accordance with specific guidelines.
2. Time of Use Meters: AARP opposed a Bill which required time of use meters to be used for peak time electrical use.
3. Fair Rates for Telephone Service: AARP supported a Bill which was signed into law to ensure that Maine consumers would pay fair rates for telephone services when a telephone company is found to have set excessive residential rates. This law was in direct response to the actions of the Public Utilities Commission in regards to a decade-long rate case between AARP and the Office of Public Advocate against Verizon on residential rate setting which was ultimately resolved in AARP’s favor.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to communicate effectively
• Ability to travel to businesses around the state (expenses paid!)
• Able to commit to 10-15 hours per week
• Desire to learn, keep active, keep engaged and contribute to Maine’s economic potential.

  The AARP Driver Safety Program is the nation’s first and largest refresher course for drivers age 50 and older. The program has helped millions of drivers protect their safety on today’s roads. AARP has offered its classroom course since 1979, and we now offer the same lessons online. The training is designed to help you:
 

• Tune up your driving skills and update your knowledge of the rules of the road.
• Learn about normal, age-related physical changes. Find out how to adjust your driving to allow for these changes. 
• Reduce your traffic violations, crashes, and chances for injuries. 
• Drive more safely. 
• Get an insurance discount. Auto insurance companies in most states provide multiyear discounts to AARP members! Learn more.
• In addition, AARP members receive discounts on the AARP Motoring Plan from GE Motor Club.

Learn more at http://www.aarp.org/family/housing/driver_safety_program/

Second place just won’t do
Spelling Bee open to anyone age 50+

What motivates a 58-year-old man to learn the contents of an entire dictionary? Winning.

Although he’s proud of his second-place finish last year, Randy Hilfman plans to do one better this time. The Seattle-area copy editor for Eddie Bauer wants to win AARP The Magazine’s National Spelling Bee June 14 in Cheyenne, Wyo.

He’s not alone in his quest for glory, but he doesn’t seem to mind having some competition.

“It was invigorating to be around so many people who loved words and the English language, and relished the opportunity to demonstrate their spelling skills,” Hilfman says. “It was exciting to compete on a national stage.”

Anyone age 50 or older (except previous winners) can compete.

The Bee was created in 1996 by a group of AARP members from Cheyenne who wanted a fun way to challenge their peers to keep their minds sharp as they age. It has grown over the years, welcoming spellers from nearly every state and Canada too.

While Hilfman and others study intensely, many spellers compete just for fun. Regardless of the motivation, Hilfman says studying for spelling bees offers long-term benefits.

“When preparing for them, you inevitably discover many other words you can incorporate in everyday conversation and in your e-mails, letters and other writing,” he says. “It’s an enjoyable, satisfying way to expand your vocabulary.”

Pam Leininger of Durango, Colo., plans to give Hilfman a run for his money. She will be a novice competitor, but also has been studying for about a year. “No matter how I do at the Bee, I want to say, ‘Thank you, AARP.’ You gave me a reason to challenge myself, and I’ve never felt more alive, smarter or younger!”

More than $1,000 in prizes is up for grabs, and the winner will be flown to New York City to appear on national television.

The 13th annual Bee will be held Saturday, June 14, 2008, at the Little America Hotel and Resort in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The hotel is offering discounted room rates and a free round of golf for spellers and those planning to watch the bee. Hotel reservations can be made by calling 1-800-445-6945. Other lodging options can be found through the Cheyenne Area Convention and Visitors Bureau at Cheyenne.org or by calling 1-800-426-5009.

Registration costs $25 per speller and can be done at aarp.org/SpellingBee or by calling the University of Wyoming Events Line at 1-877-733-3618. Family and friends are welcome to attend and cheer on the spellers (or “unofficially” test their own spelling skills from the audience).

More information, including study and travel tips and a video of the Bee, is available at aarp.org/SpellingBee.

CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES IN AUGUSTA TODAY AND TELL THEM--

Please vote AGAINST LD 1760 & LD 1047

To reach your Representative:
1-800-423-2900

• High risk pools allow older people and people with pre-existing conditions to be segregated into a separate pool, then they have to pay more than everyone else and they get less coverage. 
• These bills would allow Maine insurance carriers to deny coverage based on a health problem, then the only option the person would have is the expensive, low-benefit high risk pool plan.
• High risk pools increase insurance company profits by allowing them to avoid covering older people and adults and children with chronic conditions (“high risk” people).   
• This puts people with health conditions at much greater risk, and it costs all of us money because high risk pools have to be paid for by taxpayers!
• Maine has enacted consumer protections that prevent insurance companies from denying coverage to people just because they have health conditions – let’s not go backwards now!