LAS was awarded the Distinguished Service Award for a Community Organization on January 24 at a dinner and awards ceremony hosted by the ACBA. We are so thankful to be recognized for the work we do in the community.
Alameda County Bar Association Distinguished Service Award for a Community Organization
At Legal Assistance For Seniors & HICAP we have received calls from a few Service Coordinators to ask about this topic. Medicare covers genetic testing under certain specific circumstances. Beware of people who are requesting to do group presentations offering genetic testing to all attendees.
https://cahealthadvocates.org/smp-warning-free-genetic-testing-or-cancer-screenings-offers-are-a-scam/
Our 14th Annual Conference on Elder Abuse will take place at UC Hastings on May 21st. Check out the link for more information.
https://www.lashicap.org/events/14th-annual-conference-on-elder-abuse-55482740370/
Visit the post for more.
Always check your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) or Explanation of Benefits (EOB) to verify that the services listed match the services you have received.
A settlement resolves whistleblower allegations that emergency room Medicare patients were admitted for costly and medically unnecessary overnight hospital stays instead of treating them in less costly outpatient service or keeping them under observation.
Read more about it: https://smpresource.news/upcoding
Elder abuse is on the rise and it is more important than ever to bring experts together to educate, discuss, and consider solutions to this serious and important issue! Join Legal Assistance for Seniors at our 14th Annual Conference on Elder Abuse on Tuesday May 21 at UC Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. Learn, share best practices, network, and explore ways to protect and serve seniors. Continuing Education Credits available. For information, registration and to take advantage of Early Bird Discounts go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/14th-annual-conference-on-elder-abuse-registration-55482740370?ref=wporglink
The report "sheds a light on the important issue of safety of older adults in the U.S.," according to an expert on aging.
FTC Halts Tech Support Scam as Part of Major Initiative Focused on Older Adults Hit Hardest by These Scams
As part of a state, federal, and international crackdown on tech support scams, the Federal Trade Commission has temporarily shut down a Utah-based scheme that tricked consumers into believing their computers were infected with viruses in order to sell them costly computer repair services.
Robo-calls are always part of the conversation when we do our Consumer Fraud presentation. This is good news for everyone sick of screening out so many unwanted calls.
Four robo-calling companies have agreed to shut down after the FTC fined them millions of dollars. Meanwhile, Verizon is rolling out new software that will offer its cellular customers free spam-blocking tools by the end of the week. Americans received nearly 50 billion robo-calls in 2018. THE VERGE...
Alameda County Area Agency on Aging (AAA) is proud to launch the Community Assessment Phase for the development of the 2021-2024 Countywide Plan for Older Adults! Please take the 10-15 minutes to complete this survey if you are 55+ and live in Alameda County.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HD7W82M
We do a lot of scam presentations and people want to know how to file a complaint. Here is a video from SMP showing what you can do to report scams and fraud.
If you've been ripped off or scammed, complain to the Federal Trade Commission. It can help put the bad guys out of business. To file a complaint, just go to...
SMP Back Brace extended
This is "SMP Back Brace extended" by MEDIASCRIPT on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.
Thank you to The Rotary Club of Oakland and especially to their Community Services Committee, for a $2,500 grant awarded last week to Legal Assistance for Seniors (LAS)! Funds will be used to purchase laptops for improving the Medicare counseling provided by LAS' Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP). For Medicare counseling in Alameda County, contact LAS' HICAP Statewide Toll Free Number, 1-800-434-0222.
VITA is a free program for low income people to get help with their taxes. Alameda County has many sites where people can go for help.
Are you confused about the REAL ID? Here is something from our friends at Justice in Aging that can help clear it up.
Beware of this scam going around. Social Security will not call you and ask you to verify your Social Security Number. They also are not going to suspend your account if you fail to provide it.
Come join us today at the Black Joy Parade and Festival in Oakland. We are here until 5pm.
Ombudsmen provide an incredible service to patients in Long Term Care facilities. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USACL/bulletins/230d7f7
Today, ACL posted new data on the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program’s impact in fiscal year 2017. Looking through the data, I am struck by both the scope and the impact of the work that ombudsmen do every day.
News From Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services:
New App Displays What Original Medicare Covers-
Newest eMedicare Tool Provides Valuable Information to Mobile Users
Recently, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched a new app that gives consumers a modernized Medicare experience with direct access on a mobile device to some of the most-used content on Medicare.gov.
The new “What’s Covered” app lets people with Original Medicare, caregivers and others quickly see whether Medicare covers a specific medical item or service. Consumers can now use their mobile device to more easily get accurate, consistent Original Medicare coverage information in the doctor’s office, the hospital, or anywhere else they use their mobile device.
CMS created the app to meet the needs of the growing population of people with Medicare. The Medicare population is projected to increase almost 50 percent by 2030—from 54 million beneficiaries in 2015 to more than 80 million beneficiaries in 2030. As of 2016, about two-thirds of Medicare beneficiaries indicate they use the Internet daily or almost daily (65 percent). Questions about what Medicare covers are some of the most frequent inquiries that CMS receives.
The What’s Covered app is available for free in both Google Play and the Apple App Store. The app is available in Google Play at: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gov.medicare.coverage, and is available in the Apple App Store at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/whats-covered/id1444143600?mt=8.
Consumer Alert from the FTC
Ads abound for products that claim to treat or prevent serious health conditions.
Scamming Grandma: Financial Abuse of Seniors Hits Record
U.S. banks reported 24,454 suspected cases of elder financial abuse to the Treasury Department last year, more than double the amount five years earlier.
"Social Security employees will never threaten you or promise a Social Security benefit approval or increase in exchange for information. In those cases, the call is fraudulent, and you should just hang up."
Beware of Scammers Pretending to be Social Security Posted on January 17, 2019 by Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications In the digital age, frauds and scams are an unfortunate part of doing business online. During the holiday season, Social Security has traditionally seen a spik...
During our HICAP counseling appointments and Community Education presentations we are often asked about Medicare's coverage of Oral Health. Unfortunately Medicare does not cover any routine dental care such as cleanings, fillings, or even root canals. Public comments are being sought on or before January 25, 2019 to help guide the development of a Surgeon General's Report. For anyone who has thoughts or opinions about how Medicare should cover oral health this is your opportunity to provide your input.
The United States National Institutes of Health recently commissioned a Surgeon General's report to document the progress that has been made in oral health since the year 2000 and identify gaps and formulate a plan to address oral health for the future.
A reminder that today is the last day of the Medicare Annual Election Period. Call us at HICAP or reach out to medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE if you need help.
https://cahealthadvocates.org/medicares-open-enrollment-ends-friday-dec-7-nows-the-time-to-make-your-coverage-choices-for-2019/
Medicare’s Open Enrollment Ends Friday, Dec 7 ~ Now’s the Time to Make Your Coverage Choices for 2019 December 3, 2018 Medicare’s Open Enrollment Ends Friday, Dec 7 ~ Now’s the Time to Make Your Coverage Choices for 2019 Posted by Karen Fletcher on December 3, 2018 in Fraud & Abuse, Fraud & ...
We at LAS are pleased and grateful to have our organization and the work we do in the community honored by the East Bay Times and Contra Costa Crisis Center with the Share the Spirit #STSEastBay201 campaign this season.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2018/12/06/legal-assistance-for-seniors-oakland-share-the-spirit-elder-abuse/
Last year, one of Jagdish Chawla’s daughters got a surprise phone call: Your dad is homeless, sleeping on the floor of the local temple. He was able to rebuild his life with help from Legal A…
From the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection
Millions of Americans manage money or property for a loved one who’s unable to make financial
decisions or pay bills. Check out the Managing Someone Else’s Money video at
consumerfinance.gov/msem to learn more.
Millions of Americans manage money or property for a loved one who’s unable to pay bills or make financial decisions. To help financial caregivers, we’ve released easy-to-understand guides.
For those affected by the Marriott data breach here is some advice from the FTC on what to do:
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2018/12/marriott-data-breach?utm_source=govdelivery
Marriott International says that a breach of its Starwood guest reservation database exposed the personal information of up to 500 million people.
CMS Press Release with Medicare information for people affected by the fires.
https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-strengthens-federal-support-california-residents-affected-wildfires-2?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=a5d19b57-d31b-40f3-937e-329c8b133b3e
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma today announced that the agency has taken steps and is monitoring conditions in support of California residents displaced and recovering from the wildfires destroying portions of the state.
San Mateo County Health
Are you heading home for the holidays? Make sure you check in with your older loved ones or loved ones living with disabilities to show support and ensure they are living well, free of abuse and neglect. Keep an eye out for the signs listed on this flyer from our friends at the National Center on Elder Abuse to gauge their wellness levels. If you are concerned about a relative that resides in San Mateo County, call 1-800-675-8437 to speak to a trained counselor. All calls are confidential.
Medicare's Annual Enrollment period goes through Dec 7th. If you need help making decisions about how to do your Medicare check out this article or call HICAP for a counseling appointment.
https://cahealthadvocates.org/be-informed-with-the-medicare-fully-informed-project/
A new Scam where the scammers are spoofing the Social Security phone number. Stay vigilant and never give out personal information over the phone if you did not initiate the call to an agency or banking institution.
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2018/10/hang-spoofed-ssa-calls?utm_source=govdelivery&eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=909b4cd5-ae14-46e0-ad01-1d4a2e4b5e30
If you get a call that looks like it’s from the Social Security Administration (SSA), think twice.
Thank you to the reporter and photographer at @EastBayTimes for interviewing a Legal Assistance for Seniors (LAS) client last week as part of our #STSEastBay2018 grant.This $5K Share the Spirit (STS) grant, awarded by the Contra Costa Crisis Center, will provide funding for LAS legal services and community education. And, an LAS client story may be featured this winter in the East Bay Times. Thanks again to the @EastBayTimes, Contra Costa Crisis Center, and to everyone who is Sharing the Spirit of providing help and hope to seniors this holiday season.
LAS is excited to announce that we've received funding for our #STSEastBay2018 legal services and community education. This Share the Spirit (STS) grant was awarded by the Contra Costa Crisis Center with the goal of raising awareness of our cause. Through this Share the Spirit grant we may be featured in the East Bay Times. Thanks to East Bay Times readers for supporting Share the Spirit so we can provide help and hope to seniors throughout the East Bay!
Thank you to Wendy Peterson with the Senior Services Coalition of Alameda County for sharing this information!
This midterm election season, some candidates want to take away health insurance protections for people with preexisting conditions. This would allow health insurers to return to abusive practices that were widespread before protections against preexisting condition discrimination were in place. The...
The City of Hayward is conducting a Community Needs Assessment to help identify what you consider to be the top needs of residents in the areas of Transportation, Housing, Employment and Health and to identify barriers that may prevent Hayward residents from accessing services. The City has engaged Crescendo Consulting to support the process of learning the top needs and how Hayward compares to other communities.
A wide range of interested individuals and organizations have provided ideas and recommendations through interviews and focus discussion groups. Now you have the opportunity to help rate and prioritize ideas that merit for more attention and focus.
The survey will take less than 6 minutes, and your comments will be kept confidential. Please respond as soon as you by clicking on the link below:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HaywardCommunSurvey
If you have any questions about the survey, please direct them to Jeremy Vandroff, Crescendo Consulting at [email protected].
Thanks in advance for your participation in this important project.
Web survey powered by SurveyMonkey.com. Create your own online survey now with SurveyMonkey's expert certified FREE templates.
Justice in Aging put together useful information for Medicare beneficiaries who may have been affected by Hurricane Florence. Please share this widely.
https://justiceinaging.salsalabs.org/medicareanddisastersinformationforadvocates/index.html?wvpId=de0ca05b-0833-42ed-928a-6eea692e9fcb
When Hurricane Florence or other disasters strike, older adults and people with disabilities require additional help to ensure they have access to the Medicare benefits they rely upon. Many may have been forced to leave walkers or other medical equipment behind or lost prescription drugs during an e...
Can your Social Security Number be suspended or is it a scam?
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2018/09/your-social-security-number-isnt-suspended-ever
A caller says that he’s from the government and your Social Security number (SSN) has been suspended.
333 Hegenberger RD STE 850
Oakland, CA
94621
We are located a short bus ride from the Coliseum BART station in Oakland. You can take the line 73 or 98 and exit at Edgewater. Our building is the 8 story building.
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