KDADSOfficial

Happy Easter! The SHICK, MIPPA, & SMP teams are grateful to serve our communities year-round—helping you navigate Medicare, avoid scams, and stay informed. We hope your day is filled with joy, family, and a little spring sunshine! Don’t forget, if you need us, call 1.800.860.5260 to talk to a local counselor today!

Fraud Friday: Annual Wellness Visit With the HealthCare.gov Marketplace tax credit renewals being in the news recently, scammers are using this to their advantage. Watch out for callers asking if you've gotten your Marketplace subsidies, offering financial help, or other unsolicited help with your insurance. If you have questions or concerns about Medicare Fraud, Errors, or Abuse, or just want to talk to someone about what Medicare covers, call 1.800.860.5260 to talk to a free, unbiased, local SHICK counselor today!

Wellness Wednesday: April Fools' Day Medicare scams are no joke. They are detrimental to beneficiaries, their families, caregivers, and the Medicare program. Medicare fraud costs taxpayers billions. For more information on how to prevent, detect, and report Medicare fraud, errors, or abuse, call 1.800.860.5260 to talk to a local SMP counselor today!

National Nutrition Month Data for KDAD's Senior Nutrition Program ~3,284,252 meals provided ~For many older adults, the meal they receive is often the only meal they can rely on each day. ~Researchers found that every $1 spent on home-delivered meals reduced the cost of hospital readmission by $3.87 (Martin et al., 2018). ~Services available: congregate, home-delivered, grab-and-go meals, nutrition education. ~Eligibility requirements: Individuals 60 years or older and their spouses. ~ Find your local AAA: kdads.ks.gov/partners-provi…

Medicare Monday: Retiree Coverage Retiree insurance is almost always secondary to Medicare, meaning it pays after Medicare and may cover Medicare cost-sharing, such as deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance. Whether to keep retiree coverage after you enroll in Medicare is a personal decision that depends on your costs and anticipated health care needs. Retiree coverage premiums can be costly, but it may be worthwhile to keep your plan if you anticipate high Medicare costs. Retiree coverage may also pay for care or other items and services that Medicare does not cover, such as vision care, dental care, and/or off-formulary or over-the-counter prescription drugs. Also, keep in mind that your spouse and dependents are not eligible to use your Medicare coverage and may need other insurance if you drop your retiree plan. For more information on the services covered by your retiree insurance plan, contact your benefits administrator or your employer’s human resources department. Chat with your local SHICK counselor at 1.800.860.5260 to learn about your Medicare options!

Fraud Friday: Chocolate Dipped Even though [most] everything tastes better dipped in chocolate, you should leave your Medicare card out of the fondue pot! Kidding aside, contact your local SMP if someone calls you claiming you are getting a new plastic Medicare card or that Medicare is switching to a card with a chip. These are Medicare card scams. Learn more about Medicare card scams and how to report suspected fraud here: smpresource.org/.../fraud.../m… If you would like to report suspected fraud or learn more, contact your local SMP at 1.800.860.5260 to speak to someone!

Join Maximus, the Statewide HCBS Assessing Organization, “on the road” for several opportunities to connect in the community throughout the month of April. Be sure to check the KDADS calendar of events page for frequent updates as new engagement opportunities are added later this spring. Calendar of Events: kdads.ks.gov/services-progr…

Wellness Wednesday: Extra Help The Extra Help program helps people with limited income and resources lower or cut Part D costs. You can contact your local SHICK counselor at 1.800.860.5260 for free help with the application process Visit SSA.gov/extrahelpfor more information.

If you're feeling stressed or anxious, the @988Lifeline is here for you, whenever you need someone to talk to. Call, text, or chat 988 - or find more resources at 988lifeline.org. 💙

SOUTHEAST KANSAS AREA AGENCY ON AGING Joins National Campaign to Reduce Food Insecurity Among Older Americans During National Senior Nutrition Month “Eat Well. Live Well. Age Well.” Highlights the importance of nutrition in promoting healthy aging, the different kinds of meal programs and nutrition services available to older adults in their communities, and how to find them. Full story: sentineltimes.com/articles/featu… Call 620-431-2980 or visit sekaaa.com/nutrition to learn more.

Medicare Monday: Weight Loss DYK: If your body mass index (BMI) is 30 or more, Medicare Part B can help you with obesity screenings and counseling. This means you can get support from your primary care doctor, right in their office. They will help you create a personalized plan to improve your health. It's also helpful to know that if your doctor accepts Medicare's guidelines, you won’t have to pay anything for this service! If you have questions or need more information, please contact a SHICK counselor at 1.800.860.5260 or learn more at: medicare.gov/coverage/obesi…

In some cases, SMPs do more than educate. When Medicare beneficiaries are unable to act on their own behalf to address suspected Medicare fraud, errors, or abuse, the SMPs work with them, their families, caregivers, and others to address these issues. If necessary, SMPs make referrals to outside organizations. Here are the steps SMPs recommend beneficiaries take to report concerns: • Call your health care provider or supplier to ask about the charge. If it was an error, ask them to correct it. • If your provider or supplier can’t answer the question, call Medicare or the insurance company that paid the bill. Their contact information can be found on your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) or Explanation of Benefits (EOB). • If you are not satisfied with the response you get from a provider, supplier, or insurance company, you can contact your local SMP. The SMP helps beneficiaries distinguish between suspected fraud, errors, and abuse. SMPs also assist beneficiaries in addressing suspected errors. If fraud or abuse is suspected, SMPs refer cases to the proper authorities for further investigation. Contact your local SMP at 800.860.5260.

Celebrate the Senior Nutrition Program: Virtual Event Thursday, March 26, 2026 2:00-3:00 p.m. E.T. (1:00-2:00 pm C.T.) Register Now @d58addea-5053-4a80-8499-ba4d944910df" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/828761cd… The @ACLgov Senior Nutrition Program offers more than food. Older adults learn about good nutrition, how to improve their health, and where to connect with other resources. Celebrating 54 years of impact this March! youtu.be/RERcdAGeTZ8 #SeniorNutritionProgram

Nutrition Program Awareness Month: March for Meals Fundraising Event The Wyandotte/Leavenworth Area Agency on Aging is inviting community partners, supporters, and friends to participate in its March for Meals fundraiser in support of senior nutrition programs. Participants can walk, run, or jog, and ask friends, family, or coworkers to sponsor them. A suggested donation of $3.50 per sponsor helps support the cost of providing meals to older adults in our community. Your participation—whether as a fundraiser, sponsor, or supporter—directly helps reach more seniors and reduce barriers to accessing essential nutrition services. For more information, visit wycokck.org/Engage-With-Us… Questions? Please contact the Area Agency on Aging at 913-573-8531.

Did you know Medicare covers glaucoma screenings if you’re at a high risk for developing glaucoma because at least one of the following conditions applies: · You have diabetes. · You have a family history of glaucoma. · You’re African American and 50 or older. · You’re Hispanic and 65 or older. Glaucoma screenings painlessly check your vision and optic nerve health to look for signs of the eye disease glaucoma. Call your local SHICK counselor to learn more about Medicare’s preventative services or for all your Medicare questions at 1.800.860.5260.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! If you need help reading your Medicare statements or need to report suspected Fraud, Errors, or Abuse, call your local SHICK or SMP counselor at 1.800.860.5260.

Fraud Friday: Pain Scammers Be on the lookout for calls or commercials about free back, knee, or wrist braces. Medicare will never call you to send you these items. If you need these items, talk to your doctor. Never order them over the phone. Learn more at smpresource.news/DME-fraud or call 800.860.5260 to talk to a local SMP counselor today!

Federal labor officials have selected Kansas to serve as a central state in the expansion of employment opportunities for people with mental health conditions. ksnt.com/news/kansas/ka…