Elder Abuse
Elder Abuse Information, RI
Elderly abuse of Rhode Islanders, ages 60 and older, by a family member, caregiver or person with duty of care.
Abuse may include physical, emotional, sexual, financial exploitation, or abandonment.
Self-Neglect occurs when a person is no longer able to care for himself/herself.
To file an elderly abuse or self-neglect report, call the DEA Protective Services Unit at 462-0555.
Rhode Island law requires any person who has reasonable cause to believe that an elderly person has been abused to report it to the DEA. Failure to report abuse of a person 60 or older can result in a fine of up to $1,000.
SOCIAL SECURITY INFORMATION
The Social Security Administration is the primary source of information about Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Medicare enrollment.
The Personal Earnings and Benefit Estimate Statement provide workers with a year by year record of their earnings and an estimate of their Social Security benefits. For information, call 1-800-772-1213. http://www.ssa.gov/
If you have a problem, you should first contact your local office or call our 800 number. Please include your Social Security number or claim number whenever you write to us.
If you still need additional help, you may write to the Office of Public Inquiries:
Social Security Administration
Office of Public Inquiries
Windsor Park Building
6401 Security Blvd.
Baltimore, MD 21235
Local offices include:
Newport
849-3487
130 Bellevue Avenue 02840
Pawtucket
724-9611
55 Broad Street 02860
Providence
528-4501
380 Westminster Mall 02903
Warwick
822-1463
30 Quaker Lane 02886
Westerly/Vicinity
860-443-8455
2 Shaws Cove -Rm.203
New London, CT 06320
Woonsocket
766-8423
127 Social Street 0289
How Health Care Reform Will Affect You
According to an article on WebMD Heath by Andy Miller and reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD
How Health Care Reform Will Affect You?
Historic Bill Will Change Health Care in the Short Term and Long Term for Consumers and Employers
March 22, 2010 -- The yearlong, often ugly journey toward health care reform reached a historic milestone late Sunday night, with the House approving legislation that would extend coverage to 32 million more Americans and impose new restrictions on the insurance industry.
What provisions begin soon?
Starting this year, children up to age 26 would be allowed to remain on their parents' health plan. People with pre-existing medical conditions would be eligible for a new federally funded "high-risk" insurance program. Small businesses could qualify for tax credits of up to 35% of the cost of premiums. Insurance plans would be barred from setting lifetime caps on coverage and would no longer be able to cancel policies when a patient gets sick. Health plans would also be prohibited from excluding pre-existing conditions from coverage for children.
When do the main reform changes kick in?
In 2014, that’s when insurance marketplaces, or exchanges, would be set up in states to offer competitive pricing on health policies for individuals and small businesses that don’t have coverage. People with a pre-existing condition would no longer be denied coverage, and all lifetime and annual limits on coverage would be eliminated. Medicaid would be expanded to cover more low-income Americans.
What are the requirements for individuals to buy insurance?
Starting in 2014, a person who did not obtain coverage would pay a penalty of $95 or 1% of income, whichever is greater. That penalty would rise to $695 or 2.5% of income by 2016. The bill would exempt the lowest-income people from that insurance requirement.
How does the bill affect Medicare recipients?
Seniors will get immediate help on the "doughnut hole" - a gap in their coverage for prescription drugs. This year, those reaching that hole would get $250 to help pay their drug costs. Next year, they would receive a 50% discount on the cost of brand-name drugs in the doughnut hole. Meanwhile, preventive screenings would be free to beneficiaries beginning this year.
But federal payments to Medicare Advantage plans would be cut substantially, starting in 2011. So seniors in those plans may lose some extra benefits, such as free eyeglasses.
What changes will occur in Medicaid?
Individuals and families with incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level (below $29,327 for a family of four) will gain coverage. The federal government will pay all the states’ costs for the newly eligible Medicaid beneficiaries for three years. And primary-care doctors treating Medicaid patients will get an increase in their fees.
Will reform reduce health insurance costs?
Many health care experts say that while it contains some cost-cutting provisions and pilot programs, the legislation doesn’t go far enough to tame rising costs. People with chronic medical problems, though, generally would see their premiums decrease because of the new ban on pre-existing condition discrimination.
How will the $940 billion price tag (over 10 years) be paid for?
Wealthier families will pay more in taxes. Starting in 2013, families with annual incomes above $250,000 (and individuals earning more than $200,000) would pay an additional 3.8% tax on investment income, and also face a higher Medicare payroll tax. Expensive, "Cadillac" insurance plans would draw a new tax starting in 2018. And the Medicare program would receive substantial cuts, including a $132 billion reduction in funding for Advantage plans run by private insurers.
What are some reform provisions that have gone under the radar?
A new, voluntary long-term care benefit would help people who become disabled. Indoor tanning sessions will face a new tax. And the bill requires chain restaurants with 20 or more outlets to post calorie counts on menus and menu boards.
For more information, please follow the link bellow:
http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/news/20100322/faq-how-health-care-reform-will-affect-consumers-employers
DISABILITY RESOURCES
Board of governors Commission on Disability
John O. Pastore Center
41 Cherry Dale Court
Cranston, RI 02920
401-462-0100
RI Commission on Deaf & Hard of Hearing
1 Capitol Hill
Providence, RI 02908
401-222-1204
Emergency Sign Language Interpreter Services
401-586-6100
RI Department of Human Services
Office of Rehabilitation Services
40 Fountain Street
Providence, RI 02903
401-421-7005
RI Disability Law Center
349 Eddy Street
Providence, RI 02903
401-831-3150