[NOV. 2, 2000]  On Tuesday, Joni Castleman, coordinator for Services in the Neighborhood for Seniors (SINS), visited Lincoln’s Oasis Center to explain Medicare 2000 and answer questions. This was the last in a series of three informational sessions presented at the Oasis.

[click here for Part 1]

After explaining Medicare services and requirements, Castleman went on to discuss filing for benefits. One question is very crucial when discussing filing for benefits: Does the doctor accept assignment? A doctor who accepts assignment agrees to charge only what Medicare considers a reasonable price. This doctor will file a claim directly with Medicare — usually without charging the patient that day. The cost will not be more than Medicare allows. Once an individual pays the $100 deductible, Medicare will pay 80 percent of the bill, and the patient pays 20 percent. Ninety percent of the doctors in Illinois accept assignment. If a doctor does not accept assignment, ask about making an exception. Doctors are allowed to accept assignment on an individual basis.

Doctors who do not accept assignment, or Medicare’s set price, may charge a patient 15 percent more than Medicare’s accepted price, thanks to legislation in 1992. Before that, doctors could charge any amount they chose. Doctors who do not accept assignment are still obligated to file patients’ claims, although the doctor’s office will probably ask for the payment that day. In this case Medicare reimburses the patient.

Some seniors complain that Medicare does not reimburse them quickly enough. Medicare disperses a refund within 31 days of receiving the claim, but a doctor’s office may wait up to 12 months to file the claim.

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Castleman had some good news about the "Explanation of Benefits" sheets that people receive after every doctor visit or procedure. In August, Medicare began sending out monthly "Summary Notices" of this information, to reduce paperwork. So those medical bill files that patients keep should not be as thick as before.

At the end of the presentation, Castleman handed out a "Medication Profile" and "Medicare Claims Ledger." These are two ways to summarize your medicines and bills. She reiterated what Jim White urged last week: Keep an accurate list of all your medicines. Include prescription drugs, regularly taken over-the-counter drugs — such as aspirin — and herbal products. She said that EMTs are trained to look for such lists posted on the refrigerator or other conspicuous places so that they know what you are taking. This can drastically influence the medical treatment you should receive.

A member of the audience advised that individuals get all their prescriptions from the same pharmacist so that the pharmacist can double-check the possible reactions between prescribed, over-the-counter and herbal medicines.

If you have questions about Medicare or need help with your medical paperwork, call Joni Castleman or another representative at SINS: 217-726-3761 or 1-800-621-7584. If you want to know if a doctor accepts assignment, just ask the doctor’s office or call Medicare Claims Part B at 1-800-642-6930.

[Jean Ann Carnley]

Habitat house site dedicated in Mount Pulaski

Present for this morning’s dedication were Mount Pulaski city officials John Bates (mayor), Marla Durst (city clerk), Mike Patridge (public works director) and Lyle Fout (code enforcement official); Mount Pulaski aldermen John Poffenbarger, Rhonda Mattern, Dennis Clemmons and Bill Glaze; and Logan County Habitat for Humanity board members George Dahmm, Bill Sahs and Phil Dehner. Not present was Jim Coogan of Coogan's Excavating, who voluntarily cleared the site.

[NOV. 1, 2000]  On Tuesday, Joni Castleman, coordinator for Services in the Neighborhood for Seniors (SINS), visited Lincoln’s Oasis Center to explain Medicare 2000 and answer questions. This was the last in a series of three informational sessions presented at the Oasis.

SINS is a branch of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. SINS does not sell any products but helps individuals understand the paperwork and bills generated from doctor’s offices, hospitals, Medicare and secondary insurance providers. Representatives of SINS do not claim to have a complete knowledge of every insurance company’s system, but because they see so many different forms and bills, they are well practiced at deciphering seemingly illegible forms.

Castleman travels around 40 counties to do presentations similar to the one she did at Lincoln’s Oasis Center. Her goal is to help seniors better understand their Medicare and secondary insurance coverage. She has a booklet, "Understanding Medicare 2000," which simplifies the whole process.

The first part of Castleman’s talk concerned Part A of Medicare, which only covers hospital visits and skilled nursing care. If an individual has worked 10 years, cumulative, the Medicare A premium is waived, because the person has already paid. For those who have not worked, the premium is $301 per month. If someone has worked between one and 10 years, the premium is prorated. The deductible for each illness is $776, provided that the person recovers in 60 days. Next year the deductible will increase by $16 to $792. Medicare A does not pay for private hospital rooms unless the doctor orders one, although a person may choose to have a private room and pay the difference.

In addition to hospital rooms, Part A also pays for skilled nursing care that follows a three-day hospital stay. Skilled nursing care facilities are different from nursing homes, because these facilities do not have custodial care — that is, bathing and feeding. Skilled nursing care may be given in a rehab center or in one’s home. Medicare pays for skilled nursing care because it focuses on short-term rehabilitation or healing. There are a lot of guidelines surrounding skilled nursing care under Medicare A, so it is good to talk to someone like Joni Castleman who can explain the proper procedures.

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In transition to the next topic of discussion, Castleman said that people rarely have problems with Medicare A, especially when compared to Medicare B. Medicare B is more confusing than Medicare A because it covers so many different services. The premium for Part B, if a person accepts coverage at age 65, is $45.50 a month. Next year that amount will increase by $4.50 to $50. If people wait to add Medicare B to their Medicare A coverage, the premium for Part B will increase by 10 percent every year that they wait. Unlike Medicare A’s $776 deductible (possibly every two months), Medicare B has an annual deductible of only $100, and it is not expected to increase in the year 2001. Once this deductible is met, Medicare pays 80 percent of all approved expenses.

Medicare B covers doctor’s care, surgery, outpatient care, lab tests, x-rays, home healthcare, durable medical equipment, other medically necessary services and supplies, and some preventative tests and shots. Part B does not cover dental exams, hearing aids, eyewear, eye exams, prescription drugs, hearing tests and routine physicals. Although Medicare B covers preventative screenings and tests, be extra careful when scheduling appointments. Some annual exams are only covered if the tests are a year and a day apart. If the tests are exactly a year apart, the individual will be charged for the second test. Medicare will pay for more frequent screenings only if a doctor prescribes them.

(To be continued)

[Jean Ann Carnley]

[click here for Part 2]

[OCT. 31, 2000]  The Logan County Board, in two separate motions, voted unanimously Monday night to purchase the Union Planters Bank building at the corner of Pulaski and McLean streets.

The $99,000 purchase price represents 22 percent of the current market value of $455,010 and 16 percent of the last selling price of $615,926.89 in June of 1997, according to Rod White, chairman of the Finance Committee.

Dick Hurley, chairman of the Building and Grounds Committee, worked with representatives of Union Planters’ management in order to finalize arrangements.

The board had made an initial proposal of $75,000 to the bank and was given the counter offer of $99,000 to purchase the bank "as is."

Hurley told board members that a survey of the building did not reveal any structural problems or any major maintenance problems with the existing equipment.

The second vote taken by the board was to transfer $70,000 of unused contingency funds to the building and grounds budget in order to make necessary arrangements to open the building.

The board for some time has been exploring different solutions to a growing space shortage in order to accommodate services of various county functions, including space for the coroner's office.

The property also has drive-up windows that would allow the public easier access in order to pay various fees.

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The vaults would be used to provide a secure location for records generated and money that would be collected.

White estimated that the 5,000-square-foot structure, with 2,500 square feet upstairs and 2,500 square feet downstairs, would probably cost in the area of $10,000 to $14,000 per year for maintenance. Since records aren't currently available for past utility bills, the estimate was based on similar buildings and their maintenance costs.

The property also contains a parking lot that is in good condition, according to Hurley, and would accommodate 27 off-street parking spaces.

In the past the board has been confronted with inadequate parking for the public and employees, and this purchase would also help alleviate that problem, said other board members during the discussion session.

The board's next job, according to member Doug Dutz, is to determine which offices will be housed in the building and who will occupy the space made available by those moves.

[Fuzz Werth]

Notice of Open Burn Code released
by Fire Department

Open Burning code for the City of Lincoln

BOCA National Fire Prevention Code 1996 Chapter 4 City Code Book Fire Regulations Chapter 3

BOCA

F-403.4.3 OPEN BURNING PROHIBITED: The code official shall prohibit open burning that will be offensive or objectionable due to smoke or odor emissions when atmospheric conditions or local circumstances make such fires hazardous. The code official shall order the extinguishments, by the land owner or the fire department, of any open burning that creates or adds to a hazardous or objectionable situation.

F-403.5 LOCATION OF OPEN BURNING: Shall not be less than 50 feet from any structure.

F-403.7 ATTENDANCE: Any open burning shall be constantly attended until the fire is extinguished. A water supply such as buckets of water or a connected and charged garden hose shall be available for immediate utilization.

CITY CODE BOOK Chapter 3 Fire regulations

5-3-2 FIRE ON PAVEMENTS: Fires are not allowed on blacktop streets, alleys or concrete sidewalks ($25 fine)

5-3-4 BURNING IN THE CITY: E-1 recreational fires shall contact the Lincoln Fire Department and notify them of the date and time of the wiener roast. No garbage shall be burned and burning must be consistent with other laws.

E-2: From October 2 through May 31 between 7:00 A.M . and 5: 00 P.M. residents are allowed to burn landscape waste only. (Leaves, trees, tree trimmings, branches, stumps, brush, weeds, grass, grass and yard trimmings only)

Fines for violations of the following codes are a minimum of $15 issued by fire crews handling complaints and illegal fires.

Persons complaining about fires must sign a complaint with the Fire Department before extinguishments of legal fires is carried out. No fines will be issued to persons burning with in the boundaries of the code. The persons burning will be advised of the signed complaint and asked to extinguish the fire or the Fire Department will extinguish the fire.

[OCT. 11, 2000]  Beginning Monday, Oct. 16, the Lincoln City Landfill will be open extended hours to allow residents to dispose of leaves and yard waste, according to Donnie Osborne, street superintendent. The landfill will open at 8 a.m. and remain open until 4 p.m. seven days a week, probably until mid-December, he said. Residents may bring in leaves any way they like — in bags, boxes or pickup trucks — but they must take the leaves out of the containers and take the containers back home with them.

[OCT. 10, 2000]  The office of the city clerk in Lincoln will be open for filing petitions for nomination for the Feb. 27, 2001, consolidated primary election, with petitions accepted from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the following dates: Dec. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 18.

Petitions will be accepted for the following city offices:

• Mayor
• City treasurer
• City clerk
• Alderman Ward 1
• Alderman Ward 2
• Alderman Ward 3
• Alderman Ward 4

• Alderman Ward 5

[Juanita Josserand, city clerk]

[OCT. 9, 2000]  Registered voters expecting to be absent from the county on the Nov. 7 election day may vote in person at the Logan County Clerk’s Office, second floor, Courthouse, Room 20, Lincoln, from now until Nov. 6.

Election Authority

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