‘Health’ Archives
The Final Installment: Air Quality and Cumulative Impacts
Part III of a III Part Series By H. LYNN ADELSMAN and ROB HENDRICKSON It’s hard to know exactly which toxins are in our air and how much we inhale. What we do know is some of our neighbors have trouble breathing at certain times of day. We know too many children with asthma and heart problems; elders with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and other lung issues. We know the smells of certain buildings; the heavy air in our parks; the sounds and feelings of our streets.As we look at this article’s map, we can see it isn’t just one thing giving rise to these experiences when you live in the Phillips community. A map highlighting pollution sources in Phillips. This includes an experimental traffic exposure layer based on 2022 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) from MnDOT with values displayed as percentages of the highest value found in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. Dispersion was modeled using vehicle counts from all roadways and convolution with a [...]
Are You Eligible for a Medicare Savings Program or Low-Income Subsidy?
By AMANDA BIGUS for the Senior LinkAge Line and Trellis Many older Minnesotans qualify for federal or state programs to help pay for their Medicare costs, but many who are eligible do not apply for the benefits. Are you one of these people? Medicare Savings Program (MSP)Barbara Brown of Minneapolis received a check from the Social Security Administration because Hennepin County paid her Medicare payment. All she did was fill out an application.You too may be eligible for help paying your Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) premiums through the Medicare Savings Program. Most people eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid (called Medical Assistance in Minnesota) will qualify for the program, and because they do, they may not have to pay a Medicare premium. And, the Medicare Savings Program might also pay your deductibles, coinsurance and copayments, so it’s worth your time to apply.In many cases, to qualify for a Medicare Savings Program, you must [...]
Don’t Miss Out on Medicare Benefits
By JETTA WIEDEMEIER BOWER for the Senior LinkAge Line Barbara B. lives in Minneapolis, and she got a chair for her husband that helps him stand up after sitting in it and a button to wear around his neck to call for help if he needs it. She got these things because she called the Senior Linkage Line® to ask for help with getting Medicare benefits. “There are people out there who just don’t know what’s available to them,” Barbara says. “Older people worked hard for years, and we deserve these benefits.” Janice H., also of Minneapolis, says there are a lot of people in her African American community who don’t know about Medicare. “They assume it’s not for them because they don’t quite understand it,” she says. “And they don’t realize that a lot of services and benefits are available at no cost.” As the volunteer and outreach manager for the Senior LinkAge Line, I can tell you that Barbara and Janice are right. And that’s why we work to get [...]
