Providing Valuable Information to Our Seniors

On Friday, April 11^th, I joined with Representative Mirra at the Groveland Council-on-Aging for a forum, which Representative Lyons also co-sponsored, to provide seniors with valuable information regarding the differences between observation and inpatient care at medical facilities.  The confusion between the two statuses has been particularly problematic for those who receive Medicare benefits, which can lead to a sizable financial impact, especially for those on fixed incomes.

To assist us in our effort, Susan Cripps, the S.H.I.N.E. (Serving the Health Information Needs of Elders Program) Director at the Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley, Inc., spoke at Friday’s event.  Susan was a vital asset to the forum because of her vast amount of experience and knowledge on the issue.  Seniors from Groveland, West Newbury, Newbury, Georgetown, and Boxford attended this very informative event.

Following Friday’s forum, members of my staff assisted interested seniors in applying for a “Reduced Fare Charlie Card”.  The reduced fare cards allow access to the Greater Boston Metropolitan Area on the MBTA transportation system at a fraction of the usual cost.

If you’d like to learn more about the differences between observation and inpatient status, call the Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley, Inc. at 1-800-892-0890 to speak with a S.H.I.N.E. counselor.  If you are interested in receiving a “Reduced Fare Charlie Card”, please click here to view the MBTA’s webpage regarding the program.  Posted below are several photos I was able to capture during Friday’s forum.