Each year Medicare beneficiaries are bombarded with information during the Medicare Open Enrollment period (which runs from October 15 to December 7). For most beneficiaries this is the only time they can make changes to their Medicare Advantage (health plan) and/or prescription drug (Part D) coverage. Most have many choices and only this short timeframe to make comparisons and decisions. Unfortunately every year unscrupulous insurance agents and companies take advantage of beneficiary confusion during this Open Enrollment season. In an effort to stop this unwanted activity the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has developed a toolkit. The toolkit includes the “Agent in My Home” fact sheet which explains how agents/brokers should conduct themselves when meeting people and the SMART Referral Form used for reporting suspicious marketing activities.

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DCA Seeks Executive Director

Direct Care Alliance is seeking its next dynamic Executive Director to lead its growing movement to improve direct care jobs. Find more information about this exciting opportunity here.

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Consumer Voice Awards Grants to Two Citizen Advocacy Groups

The Consumer Voice is pleased to announce that the Long Term Care Community Coalition and Friends of Residents in Long-Term Care have each been selected to receive a six month grant from the Consumer Voice. These grants are provided as part of phase two of our Quality Care, No Matter Where: Consumer Guides for Self-Advocacy project, funded by the Milbank Foundation for Rehabilitation. The goals of this project are as follows: (1) to educate older adults and individuals with disabilities about the various options for long-term services and supports available across the long-term care continuum; (2) to empower older adults and persons with disabilities to be self-advocates for quality services and supports; (3) to strengthen citizen advocacy groups (CAGs) that work on behalf of long-term care consumers; and (4) to forge new and meaningful partnerships with national and state disability groups. The CAGs will work on developing either a state long-term care consumer guide or consumer factsheets, as well as engaging in a consumer outreach campaign to the aging and disability communities. We look forward to working with these two groups over the next few months!

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Help Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Nursing Home Reform Law with the Consumer Voice!

Advocates work so hard. It’s time to have a little fun, don’t you think?! The Consumer Voice is hosting a virtual 25th Anniversary party to celebrate the Nursing Home Reform Law (NHRL) via telephone and webinar, and we'd love for you to attend! The party will take place Friday, December 14th from 1:00-2:30 pm ET. Our entire network is invited to participate in this FREE event. There will be speakers discussing how the NHRL has made a difference and where we still need to go, and other fun and informative activities! Everyone who registers will be automatically added to our Action Network e-mail list and entered into a raffle for an iPod that we'll draw for LIVE during the event!

Register for the party by clicking here and spread the word to your friends, families, and colleagues, and save the date!

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Webinar with Senator Bennet about LGBT Elder Americans Act of 2012

Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) and One Colorado are holding a conversation with Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) about the LGBT Elder Americans Act of 2012. The Act proposes several amendments to the Older Americans Act, and it would increase services and supports to millions of LGBT older adults nationwide.

No registration necessary. Phone number: (805) 399-1200, Participant Access Code: 917325

For more information, visit One Colorado's website.

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