Throw Back Thursday/Halloween

Our kids, Justin and Whitney. Halloween 1991. Photo Credit/Denise Gilliland, Editor and Chief, Kat Country Hub.

Throw Back Thursday/Halloween

Our son Justin, Halloween 1989. Photo Credit/Denise Gilliland, Editor and Chief, Kat Country Hub.

Throw Back Thursday/Halloween

Our grandkids, Grayce and Grayhm, Halloween 2010. Photo Credit/Denise Gilliland, Editor and Chief, Kat Country Hub.

Throw Back Thursday/Halloween

Daven, Ashlynn, and Alizabeth Whitley on Halloween five years ago. Photo Courtesy of Angela Whitley.

Medicare Make-Over Time

Personal Column or News Release

Mary Loftis

UNL Extension Assistant and SHIIP Volunteer

October 28, 2013

Mary Loftis.

“Medicare Make-Over” Time for Prescription Drug Plans

          Have you ever had the pleasure of experiencing a “make-over” where they take the “old” you and change your hair, makeup and wardrobe to create a “new” you? I haven’t either, but it sounds like fun. However, with help of other Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) trained volunteers we have assisted with nearly a hundred ”Medicare Make-Overs” since October 15 in Burt, Dodge and Washington Counties.

What is a “Medicare Make-Over”? It is when you take the time to compare your current Medicare Prescription Drug or Health Plan with the 29 drug plans available in Nebraska for 2014 to see if making a change to a new plan will save you money. If you are on a Medicare Advantage Health Plan these plans can vary from year to year and from county to county, so you also need to check for your best coverage.

These SHIIP sponsored Medicare Open Enrollment Comparison Sessions give you all the options. We do not get paid by any drug company and are only looking out for your best interests.

The Medicare Prescription Drug and Health Plans themselves do a “Make-Over” every year as they change their premium costs, deductible amounts and drug prices. They also make deals with pharmacies creating “preferred pharmacies” which can sell you prescriptions at a lower cost. New plans are added each year and there are some very popular 2013 plans currently sanctioned by Medicare, which means they may retain their current members but cannot appear on the Medicare Plan Finder and may not enroll new members for 2014.

This last “Make-Over” for the Medicare drug plans has created some very critical changes, especially if you are diabetic. A very popular plan in 2013 has altered its coverage of diabetic prescriptions for 2014 which would cost you additional thousands of dollars at the drug store if you don’t compare and change drug plans.

The “Medicare Make-Over” results have ranged from stunningly impressive to calmly confident. Not everyone saves hundreds or thousands of dollars, but just knowing you have the least expensive plan to meet your needs for the next year is reassuring.

If you take no prescriptions and were enrolled in the lowest premium plan this year you will save $171 by changing plans to the newest low premium plan. The 2013 plan increased its premium from $15/month to $26.90/month and the new low premium plan is only $12.60/month.

You just don’t know if you don’t compare. You may compare yourself by going to the Medicare website at: www.medicare.govand clicking on “Compare Health & Drug Plans”. If you’d like help comparing plans there are still opportunities available.

Take a little time to get your annual “Medicare Make-Over”. You’ll be glad you did!

In Burt County call UNL Extension in Burt County at 402-374-2929 for an appointment:

October 30 – Wednesday – Lyons Public Library, 305 Main St., 9:00-Noon

October 30 – Wednesday – Tekamah-Herman School Computer Club, Rm. #106, 112 N. 13^th St., 3:30-5:00 p.m.

October 31 – Thursday – Oakland Library, 104 East 3^rd St., 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

November 1 – Friday – Craig Fire Hall – South Main Street 12:30-4:30 p.m.

November 6 – Wednesday –Lyons – Lyons Public Library, 305 Main St., 9:00 a.m.-Noon.

November 6 – Wednesday – Decatur – Sears Senior Center, 8^th and Broadway, 1:00-5:00 p.m.

November 21 – Thursday – Tekamah – Chatt Senior Center, 1124 South 13^th St., 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.

In Dodge County Call UNL Extension in Dodge County at 402-727-2775 for an appointment:

November 7 – Thursday – Fremont – Dodge County Extension Office, 1206 W. 23rd St. 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

November 8 – Friday – Fremont – Dodge County Extension Office, 1206 W. 23rd Street, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

In Washington County Call UNL Extension in Washington County at 402-426-9455 for an appointment:

November 22 – Friday – Blair – Washington County Extension Office, 597 Grant St. 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Mary Loftis,

Extension Assistant
UNL Extension – Burt County
111 North 13th Street, Suite 6
Tekamah, NE 68061
Phone: (402) 374-2929

Fax: (402) 374-2930

Internet: mloftis2@unl.edu

Halloween at Blanc’s in Oakland

Max and Cindy Blanc’s house, all decorated for Halloween! Photo Credit/Denise Gilliland, Editor and Chief, Kat Country Hub.

Throw Back Thursday!!!

This throw back Thursday is on Halloween! Please send in your favorite pictures from past Halloweens so I can post them in the paper!!! I can’t wait to see all of the pictures!

Fall/Halloween pictures

Decorations at Dick and Patty Miler’s in Oakland. Photo Credit/Denise Gilliland, Editor and Chief, Kat Country Hub.

Barry Johnson’s house in Oakland, very well decorated for Halloween and Fall. Photo Credit/Denise Gilliland, Editor and Chief, Kat Country Hub.

Share Halloween memories!!!

What is your favorite Halloween memory?

I have my own from my youthful years. When I was growing up, we made up our own costumes. We had such a good time digging through closets and coming up with our own unique costume.

I do believe on the last Halloween I dressed up (as a child), I was a gypsy. All four of us kids had a great time. Those were the days. Dressing up was so much fun. Halloween is another thing that isn’t what it used to be. Although as an adult, I also dressed up and had just as much fun.

Share your favorite Halloween memory!!! Pictures too! Let us all enjoy the holiday together!

What is Halloween?

Straddling the line between fall and winter, plenty and paucity, life and death, Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition. It is thought to have originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off roaming ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints and martyrs; the holiday, All Saints’ Day, incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows’ Eve and later Halloween. Over time, Halloween evolved into a secular, community-based event characterized by child-friendly activities such as trick-or-treating. In a number of countries around the world, as the days grow shorter and the nights get colder, people continue to usher in the winter season with gatherings, costumes and sweet treats.