CARING FOR A SICK OR DISABLED RELATIVE ON FRIEND?
The Adult Fan=mily Care Porgram pays family members and friends to provide are at home.
Receive up to $18,000 per year to provide care that prevents or delays Instituional care.
Sick or disabled individual must be 18 years or older and eliglbe for MaasHealth
CARING CHOICES
www.eldercare.org
CALL THE AGING INFORMATION CENTER AND ASK ABOUT ADULT FAMILY CARE
617-628-2601 EXT 3151
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Health care
SECOND CAREERS 55+
A rare sector that added jobs during the recession, health care dominates the list of hot second careers. Demand remains strong for traditional positions, such as home health aides, nurses and medical assistants. But a changing health care landscape and an aging population are also creating new jobs in support, education and advocacy to patients. Experts say there is already a need for chronic illness coaches, community health workers, patient navigators and home modification specialists
A rare sector that added jobs during the recession, health care dominates the list of hot second careers. Demand remains strong for traditional positions, such as home health aides, nurses and medical assistants. But a changing health care landscape and an aging population are also creating new jobs in support, education and advocacy to patients. Experts say there is already a need for chronic illness coaches, community health workers, patient navigators and home modification specialists
Monday, March 15, 2010
Massachusetts Department of Revenue Blog
Welcome to DOR’s New Blog
http://revenue.blog.state.ma.us/blog
The Massachusetts Department of Revenue’s new blog is now available at the
link above. We hope to use this blog to carry on conversations with Massachusetts
residents on matters related to taxes and revenues. The blog will
also provide a forum to discuss city and town finances in accordance with the
work done by the Division of Local Services. Please keep in mind that this blog
is not the place for the airing of individual tax matters or for formal comments
on DOR rules and regulations. Questions about individual tax matters should
continue to be directed to DOR Customer Service, either by using the “Contact
Us” information on the website or by calling Customer Service at 800-392-6089
or 617-887-6367.
The blog will however be used to link to or describe issues in taxation at the
local, state and federal level. The dramatic declines in revenue have precipitated
a robust discussion in Massachusetts about budget cuts, reductions in
services and the creation of new revenues to partially fill the hole left in the
budgets of cities and towns that rely on the state for local aid payments. This
type of discussion is taking place in virtually every state in the nation thanks to
the ongoing national economic downturn. We hope to continue the discussion
online with the Local Services component of DOR’s blog.
http://revenue.blog.state.ma.us/blog
The Massachusetts Department of Revenue’s new blog is now available at the
link above. We hope to use this blog to carry on conversations with Massachusetts
residents on matters related to taxes and revenues. The blog will
also provide a forum to discuss city and town finances in accordance with the
work done by the Division of Local Services. Please keep in mind that this blog
is not the place for the airing of individual tax matters or for formal comments
on DOR rules and regulations. Questions about individual tax matters should
continue to be directed to DOR Customer Service, either by using the “Contact
Us” information on the website or by calling Customer Service at 800-392-6089
or 617-887-6367.
The blog will however be used to link to or describe issues in taxation at the
local, state and federal level. The dramatic declines in revenue have precipitated
a robust discussion in Massachusetts about budget cuts, reductions in
services and the creation of new revenues to partially fill the hole left in the
budgets of cities and towns that rely on the state for local aid payments. This
type of discussion is taking place in virtually every state in the nation thanks to
the ongoing national economic downturn. We hope to continue the discussion
online with the Local Services component of DOR’s blog.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Health Care Reform
The pending health reform legislation will help keep insurance premiums affordable for America’s families.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that, under the Senate bill, premiums will fall by as much as 3 percent in the large group market and 2 percent in the small group market.5 Most significantly, premium costs will be subsidized on a sliding-scale basis for middle-class families if their incomes are below 400 percent of the federal poverty level ($88,200 in annual income for a family of four in 2010). The legislation also requires insurers to spend a reasonable share of premiums on actually delivering care (instead of on administration and profits), and it enables the Secretary of Health and Human Services to intervene to prevent unreasonable premium hikes.
Failure to act on meaningful reform means out-of-pocket health care costs will keep rising, and medical costs will continue to be a major cause of debt and bankruptcies, even for those with health insurance.
While premiums are rising, families are receiving less coverage for their premium dollars. Policies have higher deductibles and copayments, and they cover fewer services.6 If health reform is not adopted, this trend will continue. Medical costs will be an increasing burden for the insured and uninsured alike.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that, under the Senate bill, premiums will fall by as much as 3 percent in the large group market and 2 percent in the small group market.5 Most significantly, premium costs will be subsidized on a sliding-scale basis for middle-class families if their incomes are below 400 percent of the federal poverty level ($88,200 in annual income for a family of four in 2010). The legislation also requires insurers to spend a reasonable share of premiums on actually delivering care (instead of on administration and profits), and it enables the Secretary of Health and Human Services to intervene to prevent unreasonable premium hikes.
Failure to act on meaningful reform means out-of-pocket health care costs will keep rising, and medical costs will continue to be a major cause of debt and bankruptcies, even for those with health insurance.
While premiums are rising, families are receiving less coverage for their premium dollars. Policies have higher deductibles and copayments, and they cover fewer services.6 If health reform is not adopted, this trend will continue. Medical costs will be an increasing burden for the insured and uninsured alike.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Census 2010
In Malden we have a large population of Chinese and Vietnamese to the
Malden Senior Community Center and many Foreign churches (groups) The
Immigration Learning Center in Malden that should become involved.
The Great Wall Inc should be involved.I am interested in seeing Mass
Senior Action involved in the public housing unitsCensus 2010: Key Dates
Ideas for Partners . Volunteers help paint a census
mural in neighborhood of Malden.
U.S. Census Bureau Boston Regional
Census Center
One Beacon Street, 7th Floor Boston,
MA 02108
Phone: (617) 223-3610 E-mail: Boston.
PDSP@census.gov
Overcoming Language Barriers with Questionnaire
Assistance Centers/Language Program Do you serve populations that speak
a language other than English? Are you willing to donate space for at least
15 hours a week that can be used by census employees to provide language
assistance for people completing 2010 Census forms? If so, we want to hear
from you. The Census Bureau is currently identifying facilities that can be used
as Questionnaire Assistance Centers (QAC).
We need 2,460 sites in the Boston Region alone. Questionnaire Assistance Centers
simply require a small private place in a public facility where the Census Bureau
can staff a table with translators to provide in-language assistance to help non-English speakers complete the 2010 questionnaire. Questionnaire Assistance Center will be open between mid-March and mid-April 2010.
If you would like to serve as a QAC,
please contact your partnership specialist
by December 21.In addition to in-language assistance at QACs,
the Census Bureau will also reach foreign-born
communities with questionnaire assistance guides in 59 languages available for download at www.2010census. gov. The partnership team for the Boston Region consists of over 200 people, including partnership specialists and assistants who collectively speak 18 languages.Nov - Dec 2009 Targeted recruitment for local
2010 Census operations jobs begins.Feb - Mar 2010 Census questionnaires are
mailed or delivered to households. April 2010 April - July 2010 Resdents
fill out and return Census questionnaires. Census takers visit households that did not return a questionnaire by mail.
December 2010 March 2011
By law,
Census Bureau delivers population counts
to President for apportionment. By law,
Census Bureau completes delivery of
redistricting data to states.
In Malden we have a large population of Chinese and Vietnamese to the
Malden Senior Community Center and many Foreign churches (groups) The
Immigration Learning Center in Malden that should become involved.
The Great Wall Inc should be involved.I am interested in seeing Mass
Senior Action involved in the public housing unitsCensus 2010: Key Dates
Ideas for Partners . Volunteers help paint a census
mural in neighborhood of Malden.
U.S. Census Bureau Boston Regional
Census Center
One Beacon Street, 7th Floor Boston,
MA 02108
Phone: (617) 223-3610 E-mail: Boston.
PDSP@census.gov
Overcoming Language Barriers with Questionnaire
Assistance Centers/Language Program Do you serve populations that speak
a language other than English? Are you willing to donate space for at least
15 hours a week that can be used by census employees to provide language
assistance for people completing 2010 Census forms? If so, we want to hear
from you. The Census Bureau is currently identifying facilities that can be used
as Questionnaire Assistance Centers (QAC).
We need 2,460 sites in the Boston Region alone. Questionnaire Assistance Centers
simply require a small private place in a public facility where the Census Bureau
can staff a table with translators to provide in-language assistance to help non-English speakers complete the 2010 questionnaire. Questionnaire Assistance Center will be open between mid-March and mid-April 2010.
If you would like to serve as a QAC,
please contact your partnership specialist
by December 21.In addition to in-language assistance at QACs,
the Census Bureau will also reach foreign-born
communities with questionnaire assistance guides in 59 languages available for download at www.2010census. gov. The partnership team for the Boston Region consists of over 200 people, including partnership specialists and assistants who collectively speak 18 languages.Nov - Dec 2009 Targeted recruitment for local
2010 Census operations jobs begins.Feb - Mar 2010 Census questionnaires are
mailed or delivered to households. April 2010 April - July 2010 Resdents
fill out and return Census questionnaires. Census takers visit households that did not return a questionnaire by mail.
December 2010 March 2011
By law,
Census Bureau delivers population counts
to President for apportionment. By law,
Census Bureau completes delivery of
redistricting data to states.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
First and Second time Home Buyers
Four Malden banks have committed $8 million to a loan pool for first and second time homebuyer program run by the Malden Redevelopment Authority.
Eastern Bank,Century Bank and bank Malden each pledged $2 million to fund the program for the next two years.
Malden with a population of about 57,000 has a homeownership of 43% compared with the State average of 62% according to census data.
The loan pool will make below market rate loans to low and moderate home buters in Malden.
In Malden the medium price of a single family home was #340,000 for the first 11 months of last year,accoring to the most recent sales data from the Warren Group a Boston Firm that tracts the real estate industry.
Income limits are capped at $99,000 for a household plus $1500 for each dependant.
Buyers must make a 5% down payment
Loans are capped at $417,000 for a single family home, 4533,850 for a two family and $645,300 for a three family according to the redeveloment authority.
Application are available the the authority office at City Hall
The number is 781 324 5720
Eastern Bank,Century Bank and bank Malden each pledged $2 million to fund the program for the next two years.
Malden with a population of about 57,000 has a homeownership of 43% compared with the State average of 62% according to census data.
The loan pool will make below market rate loans to low and moderate home buters in Malden.
In Malden the medium price of a single family home was #340,000 for the first 11 months of last year,accoring to the most recent sales data from the Warren Group a Boston Firm that tracts the real estate industry.
Income limits are capped at $99,000 for a household plus $1500 for each dependant.
Buyers must make a 5% down payment
Loans are capped at $417,000 for a single family home, 4533,850 for a two family and $645,300 for a three family according to the redeveloment authority.
Application are available the the authority office at City Hall
The number is 781 324 5720
Friday, September 19, 2008
HELP UTILITY BILLS
CHECKLIST OF KEY PROTECTIONS FOR UTILITY CONSUMERS
1. SERIOUS ILLNESS: ALWAYS ask your client if there is ANY person in the household (adult or child) who has a serious illness. Utilities cannot shut off (and must restore) utility service if anyone in the house has a serious illness. An illness can be physical (pneumonia, etc.) or mental (depression, bipolar, ADHD), short-term (e.g., flu) or long-term (cancer). The utility company does NOT get to decide what is a serious illness. All you need is a letter from a doctor. A phone call from the doctor to the company is initially ok, if later followed by a letter. We should expect and demand that utility service be restored the same day (at worst, the next day) whenever we document a serious illness, by phone, fax or letter from a doctor. You will also need to document that the client has a “financial hardship” in paying bills. The regulations are 220 CMR 25.03 (see #8 below). Any client who receives LIHEAP (fuel assistance) is automatically presumed to have a financial hardship.
3. CHILD UNDER 12 MONTHS: ALWAYS ask if there is a child under the age of 12 months in the household. A utility company cannot terminate service if there is a young child in the home, and must restore service that has been terminated if the child was in the home at or prior to the time of termination. The child’s age can be documented by birth certificate, baptismal certificate, or any other reasonable means. “Financial hardship” must also be shown. 220 CMR 25.03 (see #8 below).
4. WINTER MORATORIUM: Utilities cannot terminate service that is heat-related (meaning: natural gas service, if used to heat the home; or electricity, if the tenant pays for heat because electricity is needed for furnace/boiler controls) between Nov. 15 and Mar. 15, if the household has a “financial hardship.” These dates are often extended to April 15 or April 30. 220 CMR 25.03 (see #8 below).
5. ELDERLY CLIENTS: If every person in the household is age 65 or over, the company needs the explicit approval of the DPU to terminate service, which is almost never granted. ALWAYS notify the company if everyone in the household is age 65 or over. If service has been terminated, it should be restored. 220 CMR 25.03 (see #8 below).
6. DISCOUNT RATES: ALWAYS determine if your client is on the low-income discount rate. However, many clients will not know. When in doubt, call the company to see if your client is on the rate. It’s very easy for the company to check. Many advocates have been able to get their clients on the rate retroactively to the date that the client became income eligible. This can be extremely helpful if the client has been terminated and owes a large amount because a retroactive adjustment will reduce or eliminate the arrearage. However, get advice from NCLC if you are trying to do this. Discount rates are mandated by law, and all companies have them. Clients on LIHEAP and with income at or below 200% of poverty are eligible for the discount and will usually get the discount automatically via the fuel assistance agency notifying the utility (but worth checking). Clients on TAFDC, Food Stamps, Mass Health, WIC, and other income-tested programs with income at or below 200% of poverty are also eligible, but may have to apply to the utility directly; some of these are being automatically enrolled as of 2005. Some of the companies post their discount rate applications on the web).
7. PAYMENT PLANS: ALL clients are entitled to PAYMENT PLANS. This allows a client who is behind on her bills to spread the payments over several months. If the client has NOT yet been terminated, the company MUST offer a payment plan of AT LEAST four months. Some payment plans go 12 months or longer. If the client has been terminated, the rules are not as favorable, and are strictest during the fall (because the winter moratorium is about to begin and companies are most aggressive in trying to shut off service). ALWAYS insist on a payment plan that your client can afford. 220 CMR 25.01(2), 25.02(6).
8. GO TO http://www.mass.gov/Eoca/docs/dte/cmr/220cmr2500.pdf AND BOOKMARK THIS PAGE. (If you don't know how to bookmark, ask someone in your office). This page includes the most relevant state regulations governing the billing and termination practices of utility companies. In this Checklist, the regulations are referred to as “220 CMR, (section #)” because these regulations are found in Title 220 of the Code of Massachusetts Regulations.
9. If you have trouble getting a utility to comply with any of the protections or programs described above, call the DPU’s Consumer Division at 800 392-6066. The front-line phone representative should intervene on your client’s behalf. If not, ask to speak to his or her supervisor. Ultimately, you can speak to Karen Robinson, Director of the Consumer Division. If you need to take the complaint this far, contact Charlie Harak (see below).
Charles Harak, Esq.
National Consumer Law Center
77 Summer Street, 10th flr.
Boston, MA 02110-1006
617 542-8010 (voice)
617 542-8028 (fax)
charak@nclc.org
1. SERIOUS ILLNESS: ALWAYS ask your client if there is ANY person in the household (adult or child) who has a serious illness. Utilities cannot shut off (and must restore) utility service if anyone in the house has a serious illness. An illness can be physical (pneumonia, etc.) or mental (depression, bipolar, ADHD), short-term (e.g., flu) or long-term (cancer). The utility company does NOT get to decide what is a serious illness. All you need is a letter from a doctor. A phone call from the doctor to the company is initially ok, if later followed by a letter. We should expect and demand that utility service be restored the same day (at worst, the next day) whenever we document a serious illness, by phone, fax or letter from a doctor. You will also need to document that the client has a “financial hardship” in paying bills. The regulations are 220 CMR 25.03 (see #8 below). Any client who receives LIHEAP (fuel assistance) is automatically presumed to have a financial hardship.
3. CHILD UNDER 12 MONTHS: ALWAYS ask if there is a child under the age of 12 months in the household. A utility company cannot terminate service if there is a young child in the home, and must restore service that has been terminated if the child was in the home at or prior to the time of termination. The child’s age can be documented by birth certificate, baptismal certificate, or any other reasonable means. “Financial hardship” must also be shown. 220 CMR 25.03 (see #8 below).
4. WINTER MORATORIUM: Utilities cannot terminate service that is heat-related (meaning: natural gas service, if used to heat the home; or electricity, if the tenant pays for heat because electricity is needed for furnace/boiler controls) between Nov. 15 and Mar. 15, if the household has a “financial hardship.” These dates are often extended to April 15 or April 30. 220 CMR 25.03 (see #8 below).
5. ELDERLY CLIENTS: If every person in the household is age 65 or over, the company needs the explicit approval of the DPU to terminate service, which is almost never granted. ALWAYS notify the company if everyone in the household is age 65 or over. If service has been terminated, it should be restored. 220 CMR 25.03 (see #8 below).
6. DISCOUNT RATES: ALWAYS determine if your client is on the low-income discount rate. However, many clients will not know. When in doubt, call the company to see if your client is on the rate. It’s very easy for the company to check. Many advocates have been able to get their clients on the rate retroactively to the date that the client became income eligible. This can be extremely helpful if the client has been terminated and owes a large amount because a retroactive adjustment will reduce or eliminate the arrearage. However, get advice from NCLC if you are trying to do this. Discount rates are mandated by law, and all companies have them. Clients on LIHEAP and with income at or below 200% of poverty are eligible for the discount and will usually get the discount automatically via the fuel assistance agency notifying the utility (but worth checking). Clients on TAFDC, Food Stamps, Mass Health, WIC, and other income-tested programs with income at or below 200% of poverty are also eligible, but may have to apply to the utility directly; some of these are being automatically enrolled as of 2005. Some of the companies post their discount rate applications on the web).
7. PAYMENT PLANS: ALL clients are entitled to PAYMENT PLANS. This allows a client who is behind on her bills to spread the payments over several months. If the client has NOT yet been terminated, the company MUST offer a payment plan of AT LEAST four months. Some payment plans go 12 months or longer. If the client has been terminated, the rules are not as favorable, and are strictest during the fall (because the winter moratorium is about to begin and companies are most aggressive in trying to shut off service). ALWAYS insist on a payment plan that your client can afford. 220 CMR 25.01(2), 25.02(6).
8. GO TO http://www.mass.gov/Eoca/docs/dte/cmr/220cmr2500.pdf AND BOOKMARK THIS PAGE. (If you don't know how to bookmark, ask someone in your office). This page includes the most relevant state regulations governing the billing and termination practices of utility companies. In this Checklist, the regulations are referred to as “220 CMR, (section #)” because these regulations are found in Title 220 of the Code of Massachusetts Regulations.
9. If you have trouble getting a utility to comply with any of the protections or programs described above, call the DPU’s Consumer Division at 800 392-6066. The front-line phone representative should intervene on your client’s behalf. If not, ask to speak to his or her supervisor. Ultimately, you can speak to Karen Robinson, Director of the Consumer Division. If you need to take the complaint this far, contact Charlie Harak (see below).
Charles Harak, Esq.
National Consumer Law Center
77 Summer Street, 10th flr.
Boston, MA 02110-1006
617 542-8010 (voice)
617 542-8028 (fax)
charak@nclc.org
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