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AARP Washington offers free events for a healthier future

The health of Americans is at risk- not from new strains of the flu, but simply from the inability to pay the bill at the doctor’s office, hospital or pharmacy. For people who have no health insurance or inadequate coverage, or for those whose coverage is rapidly becoming unaffordable, seeking medical treatment is often a prescription for financial hardship.

The number of uninsured Americans continues to balloon. The Census Bureau reports that more than 778,000 Washingtonians went without health insurance in 2006, including 73,000 children and more than 45,000 people between the ages of 55 and 64.

However, it isn’t just the uninsured who are at risk. Those who have health insurance aren’t immune to the health care crisis. According to a recent Families USA report, 386,000 Washingtonians under the age of 65—nearly four of five of whom have insurance—are in families that will spend more than 25 percent of their pre-tax income on health care costs in 2008.

American businesses have their backs against the wall and workers are losing benefits, and in some cases, their jobs, because of skyrocketing health care costs. Retiree health care coverage is eroding, and the high costs of health care are dramatically affecting people’s decisions about when to retire.

Medicare beneficiaries are also feeling the pain, as their Part B premiums have more than doubled since 2000, growing five times faster than the Social Security cost-of-living-adjustment.

Americans spent nearly $2 trillion on health care last year. And yet we aren’t getting healthier. Two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. And more than half the people over 50 have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or some other chronic condition. Physical activity can add years to a person’s life, yet only three in ten adults exercise regularly.

“Our nation’s health care system is broken, and too many Americans are just one illness away from financial ruin,” says AARP State President John Barnett. “And many of us aren’t doing enough as individuals to live healthier, active lives,” he says. “We can and we must do better.”

That’s why AARP has launched the nationwide “Divided We Fail” campaign. Divided We Fail is a major, long-term public outreach campaign designed to raise the voices of millions of Americans who believe that health and lifetime financial security are the most pressing domestic issues facing our nation. AARP intends to mobilize our members and the public to demand that our elected officials work to find bipartisan solutions to these problems.

AARP is urging you to get involved. As part of Divided We Fail, AARP is holding a series of free “Stand Up for Your Health” events across the state. You are invited to attend a free event in your area to learn more about improving health care and adopting healthy lifestyle changes. Join us to tell your story and to find out how you can join millions of others across the nation who are getting involved through advocacy and action to make a difference.

Participants will receive free educational materials including a “Stand Up for Your Health” DVD. Lunch is also provided. Events are scheduled from 9:00am-12:30pm on May 7 in Spokane, May 21 in Bellevue, June 4 in the Tri-Cities and July 9 in Vancouver. The events are free, but space is limited and registration is required. You can register by calling toll-free 1-877-926-8300.

Added: March 18, 2008
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AARP Fraud Fighter Alert

IRS Scams and the Economic Stimulus Package

IRS warns of new email and telephone scams using the IRS name

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is warning taxpayers to beware of several current email and telephone scams that use the IRS name as a lure. The IRS expects such scams to continue through the end of tax return filing season and beyond.

The IRS cautioned taxpayers to be on the lookout for scams involving proposed advance payment checks. A scam which uses the economic stimulus package rebates as bait has already cropped up. The goal of the scams is to trick people into revealing personal and financial information, such as Social Security, bank account or credit card numbers, which the scammers can use to commit identity theft.

Some of the recent scams brought to IRS attention are described below.

Rebate Phone Call

In this scam, consumers receive a phone call from someone identifying himself as an IRS employee. The caller tells the targeted victim that he is eligible for a sizable rebate for filing his taxes early. The caller then states that he needs the target’s bank account information for the direct deposit of the rebate. If the target refuses, he is told that he cannot refuse the rebate.

This phone call is a scam. The IRS does not force taxpayers to use direct deposit. Those who opt for direct deposit do so by completing the appropriate section of their tax return when they file. The IRS does not gather the information by telephone.

Paper Check Phone Call

In this telephone scam, a caller claims to be an IRS employee and says they are calling because the IRS sent a check to the targeted individual. The caller states that because the check has not been cashed, the IRS wants to verify the individual’s bank account number.

The IRS will not contact individuals to determine whether or not they choose to cash a paper check. The IRS has no business need to know and does not ask for bank account or similar information. If the taxpayer opts to receive direct deposit, they do so by filling out the appropriate section on their tax return. The IRS will not contact taxpayers to verify the banking information provided.

Refund email

The IRS has seen several variations of a refund-related bogus email which falsely claims to come from the IRS. This email tells the recipient that he is eligible for a tax refund for a specific amount and instructs the recipient to click on a link in the email to access a refund claim form. The form asks the recipient to enter personal information which gives the con access to bank and credit card account information.

This email is a scam. The IRS does not send unsolicited email about tax account matters to individual, business, tax-exempt or other taxpayers. Filing a tax return is the only way to get a tax refund. There is no separate application. The only official IRS website is located at www.irs.gov.

Audit email

This email notifies the recipient that his tax return will be audited. The email instructs the recipient to click on links to complete forms with personal and account information which the con will use to commit identity theft. This email may be more personalized than other scams. However, it is still a scam. The IRS does not send unsolicited, tax-account related emails to taxpayers.

What to do

Anyone wishing to access the IRS website should initiate contact by typing www.irs.gov into their Internet address window, rather than clicking on a link in an email or opening an attachment.

To report a questionable email or telephone call claiming to be from the IRS, send an email to phishing@irs.gov. If you are forwarding a questionable email, use the instructions contained in the article titled, “How to Protect Yourself from Suspicious Emails or Phishing Schemes,” on the IRS website. This will help the IRS track the suspicious email or call to its origins and shut down the scam.

If you have questions about scams in general, you can also call the AARP Washington Fraud Fighter Call Center, toll-free at: 1-800-646-2283.

Facts about the 2008 Stimulus Package

The IRS has up-to-date information regarding the economic stimulus package. The treasury will begin sending payments in May to more than 130 million individuals. The payments will go through the late spring and summer.

The majority of Americans who qualify for a payment will not have to do anything other than file their 2007 individual income tax return to receive their payment this year. They will not need to complete applications, file extra forms, or call the IRS to request payment.

Most taxpayers will receive two notices from the IRS. The first general notice from the IRS will explain the stimulus payment program. The second notice will confirm the recipients’ eligibility, the payment amount and the approximate time table for the payment. Taxpayers will need to save this notice to assist them when they prepare their 2008 tax return next year.

More information regarding eligibility, limitations, and special circumstances can be found at www.irs.gov.

The www.irs.gov website is the best source for additional information and answers to questions regarding the stimulus payments. The site will soon have an online tool which will allow taxpayers to calculate the amount of their payment and to check on the status of their specific payment.

Free Tax Help Available

The Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) Program provides free tax help to people age 60 and older. As part of the IRS-sponsored TCE Program, AARP offers the Tax-Aide counseling program at more than 7,000 sites nationwide during the filing season. To find an AARP Tax Aide site, call 1-888-227-7699 or visit the AARP website, www.aarp.org/taxaide.

Low- and moderate-income workers including veterans, can get free tax help through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Call 1-800-906-9887 to locate the nearest VITA site.

Please share this information with your friends and neighbors – together, we can prevent fraud and make a difference!

Added: March 12, 2008
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AARP Washington Featured on PBS Stations Friday

AARP Washington state director Doug Shadel is interviewed on Channel 9's "KCTS Connects" this Friday at 7:30pm about investment scams. In addition, the show features excerpts from AARP's video "Stolen Futures". Program information is below:

The New KCTS 9 Connects with Enrique Cerna

Senior Scams -- They pose as trustworthy financial advisors, investment experts and sometimes even corporate executives

—but they’re nothing more than shady con artists who prey on senior citizens. And once they have someone’s confidence, their money soon follows. In this episode of Connects, exposing heartless senior scams. We’ll hear the story of a schoolteacher who lost nearly $200,000 in the blink of an eye to scammers who targeted victims in Washington state. We’ll find out first-hand from ex-con artists what treacherous tactics these no-good criminals use to bilk people out of their life savings. And we talk with Doug Shadel, director of AARP Washington and a former fraud investigator, about how to spot and avoid these scams. If you’re a senior citizen, or if you have parents who are, this is a show you can't afford to miss.

Friday, March 7th at 7:30pm

Sunday, March 9th at 10:30am

Also airing on KYVE in eastern Washington

Added: March 6, 2008
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AARP Washington Names New Advocacy Director

Ingrid McDonald to lead advocacy efforts on behalf of Washington members

AARP Washington announces the hiring of new Washington State Advocacy Director Ingrid McDonald, MPP. In her role, McDonald is responsible for local, state and federal advocacy efforts on behalf or more than 925,000 AARP members in the state.

“Washington’s fastest-growing age group is those 45 to 54,” said McDonald. “We must aggressively prepare for the needs of an aging population. With the collective strength of our 930,000 members, AARP is positioned to have a significant impact on the important issues facing older adults and their families,” she said.

McDonald holds a Masters Degree in Public Policy from Georgetown University and has nearly 20 years of policy and advocacy experience at the state and national levels.

Prior to joining to AARP, McDonald worked as a policy consultant to the Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute (PHI), a national non-profit organization committed to strengthening the direct care workforce in long term care. In 2007, she was appointed by Governor Gregoire to serve on a Caregiver Training Workgroup tasked with making recommendations to the legislature on a new training standard for home care workers and those who provide care in community based settings.

McDonald is originally from California, where she trained as a community organizer with Neighbor to Neighbor, and played a leading role in two statewide ballot initiatives on health care and insurance reform. She also served as a contributing editor of “The Initiative Cookbook,” a publication of the Advocacy Institute.

From 1995 – 2002, McDonald lived, worked and studied in Washington, DC. While completing her masters’ thesis, she became the Coordinator of the Long Term Care Campaign, a national coalition chaired by AARP, the Alzheimer’s Association and the Paralyzed Veterans of America. Following this, she served for five years as a Senior Policy Analyst for Service Employees International Union, conducting policy research and legislative advocacy on behalf of union members employed in hospital, nursing home and home care settings.

In 2003, McDonald accompanied her husband to Amman, Jordan where he completed an assignment for the US Agency for International Development. She lived in Amman for a total of three years, working as a free-lance writer and non-profit consultant. Upon her return in January 2006, her article entitled “Letter from Amman: The War Next Door” was published in the American Scholar. Ingrid now lives in Seattle with her husband and two young sons.

Added: March 4, 2008
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State "Aging in Place" Legislation

Senior Advocates Urge Action on “Aging in Place” Bill

Measure would help state prepare for aging population and slow the rate of increase in public long term care expenditures

Washington – AARP Washington joined forces yesterday with three other aging organizations to urge the Governor and state lawmakers to pass and fully fund House Bill 2668, the “Aging in Place” bill.

The bill, emanating from the Governor’s Long Term Care Task Force, and championed by Senator Karen Keiser (D-33) and Representative Dawn Morrell (D-25) would:

Increase family caregiver and respite support to help people keep loved ones at home;
Create two additional Aging and Disability Resource Centers to help people navigate available services and plan for their long term care needs;
Establish a new Falls Prevention Program;
Establish a behavioral health intervention program to support providers so that they can keep clients in their homes instead of referring them to a higher level of care;
Fund a Senior Dental Access program;
Implement other policies to strengthen our long term care system.

According to a letter to the Governor and key legislative leaders signed by AARP, the Senior Lobby, The State Council on Aging and the Elder Care Alliance, “This bill will prevent disease and harmful injuries that lead to hospitalizations and subsequent nursing home admissions while at the same time bolstering support for informal (unpaid) family care giving.” (NOTE: A FULL COPY OF THE LETTER IS INCLUDED BELOW.)

House Bill 2668 was approved yesterday, just hours prior to “cut-off,” by the Senate Ways and Means Committee. The bill must now pass the full Senate by Friday, March 7th and then be concurred with by the House. While there is general consensus on the policies, controversy remains over what level of funding lawmakers will make available for these programs. AARP and their partners recommend $1 million more in funding above what is included in the House proposed budget.

“As the baby boomers age, a tectonic demographic shift will rock the nation and our state,” said AARP Advocacy Director Ingrid McDonald. “By 2030, the population over the age of 65 in our state will have more than doubled. The “Aging in Place” bill is one piece of a broader set of policy reforms necessary to prepare for this unprecedented change.”

Signatories of the letter to lawmakers include John Barnett, President of AARP Washington; Bruce Reeves, President of the Senior Citizens Lobby; Robert Stevenson, Chair, State Council on Aging; and Gerald Reilly, Chair of the Elder Care Alliance.

###

FULL TEXT OF LETTER:

March 3, 2008

Governor Christine Gregoire,

Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown,

Senate Minority Leader Mike Hewitt,

Senate Ways and Means Chair Marguerite Prentice,

Senate Ways and Means Vice Chair Craig Pridemore,

Senate Ways and Means Ranking Minority Joseph Zarelli,

House Speaker Frank Chopp,

House Majority Leader, Lynn Kessler

House Minority Leader Richard Debolt,

Appropriations Chair Helen Sommers,

Appropriations Vice Chair Hans Dunshee,

Appropriations Ranking Minority Leader Gary Alexander

Dear Governor and Legislative Leaders,

The “Aging in Place” long term care bill, HB2668, is a high level and urgent priority for each of our four organizations. As we age, Washingtonians want to remain at home and in our own communities. This bill will prevent disease and harmful injuries that lead to hospitalizations and subsequent nursing home admissions while at the same time bolstering support for informal (unpaid) family care giving.

As you may recall, HB2668 includes a set of policy initiatives, emanating from the Governor’s Long Term Care Task Force, and championed by Senator Keiser and Representative Morrell. These policies include:

· The Governor’s Senior Fall Prevention Programs;

· A significant increase in Family Caregiver and Respite support;

· The Governor’s Adult Fatality Review proposal;

· Nurse delegation for insulin injections;

· The creation of two more Aging and Disability Resource Centers;

· A behavioral intervention program to all COPES clients to age in place; and

· The Senior Dental Access program, for which the Washington Dental Services Foundation has committed $480,000 over the next three years.

This measure, and its companion bill (SB6222) have each passed their houses of origin unanimously. At this state of the process, it is our shared opinion that the Senate Striker to HB2668 is the best policy bill, while the House budget proposal provides the best funding.

As you engage in your final deliberations regarding the Supplemental Budget, we urge you to secure proper funding for HB2668. We ask that in your conference budget you fund the policy contained in the latest version of the bill. This would require adding about $1 million to the $3.7 million already in the House proposed budget.

We recognize that state revenue is less than we thought at the start of the session. This decline is another reason not to delay in implementing and fully funding this bill. The policies encompassed in HB2668 are designed to slow the rate of increase in public long term care expenditures. The sooner we begin the more effective these policies will be.

As the baby boomers age, a tectonic demographic shift will rock the nation and our state. By 2030, the population over the age of 65 in our state will have more than doubled. HB2668 is one piece of a broader set of policy reforms necessary to prepare for this unprecedented change. Thank you for your careful consideration.

Sincerely yours,

Bruce Reeves, John Barnett, Robert Stevenson, Gerald Reilly,

President President Chair Chair

Senior Citizens Lobby AARP Washington State Council on Aging Eldercare Alliance

cc: Marty Brown, Jonathan Seib, Victor Moore

Added: March 4, 2008
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AARP Names New Washington State President

AARP is proud to announce the appointment of new AARP Washington State President John Barnett. In his role, Barnett will direct the organization’s activities on behalf of more than 925,000 Washington State members, and provide leadership in long-range planning to help meet the needs of the state’s older adults and their families.

“I welcome the opportunity to work with Washington’s AARP volunteers and staff,” said Barnett. “I plan to continue our efforts around consumer protection, health care and long-term care issues, and the fight to lower prescription drug costs. These issues not only affect today’s older adults, but also their families and friends for generations to come.”

Barnett is well known for his advocacy efforts to protect and improve nursing home and assisted living rights. He has been a volunteer with the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, a volunteer bereavement counselor, a delegate to the 2005 White House Conference on Aging, and chair of the Kirkland Senior Council.

In addition to his advocacy work, Barnett wrote – and lives – the book on healthy aging. Author of the book “How to Feel Good as You Age,” Barnett exercises daily and never misses an opportunity to encourage others to live healthy and active lives. In 2002, Barnett spearheaded a partnership between AARP and the Healthy Aging Partnership to establish the Sound Steps program. Sound Steps, a King County walking program, seeks to motivate inactive adults age 50 and over to begin a regular and lifelong commitment to fitness. It has been replicated in several states and in Canada. For his commitment to healthy aging and to helping those in need, AARP awarded Barnett with the 2006 AARP Andrus Award for Community Service.

Barnett received the year 2000 Paul Harris Fellow Award from Rotary International for service above self. He administered an educational exchange program between the U.S. and Japan and retired from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a Paris-based group of 30 countries where he worked in public information and marketing. His graduate studies include the University of Washington and Sophia University in Tokyo. Barnett lives in Kirkland with his wife Yoko.

“I’m excited to welcome John to his new volunteer role,” said AARP State Director Doug Shadel. “His experience in community service, advocacy and outreach is outstanding, and his leadership will serve our members well.”

Added: January 18, 2008
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Tax helpers are here

AARP Tax-Aide and other resources to help you during tax time

It’s tax time again, and AARP Tax-Aide, the nation’s largest free, volunteer-run tax counseling and preparation service, will be available at hundreds of sites in . Tax-Aide offers assistance from Feb. 1 through mid-April, but taxpayers need to get themselves ready.

Here’s a checklist of what to bring when you meet with your tax counselor:

· Personal information: Address, bank routing number (for direct deposit), birthdates, drivers license, last year's tax return. If this is your first time to use Tax-Aide, also bring your Social Security card.

· Income information: W-2 forms; 1099 forms for interest, dividends, stock sales, pension income, consulting fees; self-employment income; sale of residence; rental proceeds; gambling or lottery winnings; state income tax refund; Social Security income; IRA or 401(k) distribution; unemployment compensation; jury duty pay; trust income; prizes and awards; alimony received.

· Deductions and adjustments: Medical expenses; mortgage interest; expenses for self-employment or employee business expense; charitable contributions; gambling losses; IRA contributions; alimony paid (SSN of recipient); job-hunting expenses; real estate taxes paid; tax return preparation fees.

· Tax credits: Estimated taxes paid; retirement savings contributions; child care expenses, with provider identification.

The AARP Foundation administers Tax-Aide in cooperation with the Internal Revenue Service. Visit or call 1-888-AARPNOW to learn more. www.aarp.org/taxaide

Working families with low and moderate incomes in King County can also contact United Way of King County for assistance at . For locations outside King County, call the IRS at 1-800-TAX-1040 or visit the National Community Tax Coalition’s Web site at www.tax-coalition.org www.uwkc.org/eitc

Added: January 11, 2008
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