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Mountain View News Saturday, August 17, 2024

SENIOR HAPPENINGS


FREE ASSISTED LIVING PLACEMENT SERVICE

 

 Discover the perfect assisted living community with 
Safe Path for Seniors. Our compassionate advisors 
specialize in assisting individuals with unique needs. 
Benefit from our extensive network and affordable 
options. Plus, we offer personalized tours to help you 
explore each community firsthand. Call (626) 999-
6913 or visit www.safepathforseniors.com for free 
assistance.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …AUGUST Birthdays*

Nancy Beckham, Karlene Englert, Juanita Fernandez, Jeanette Francis, 
Joseph Kiss, Jacquie Pergola, Pat Miranda, Jerry Burnett, Margaret Aroyan, 
Phyllis Burg, Beverly Clifton, Rosemary Morabito, Susan Poulsen, Joy Barry, 
Marcia Bent, Joan Spears, Ruth Torres, Jane Zamanzadeh. Helen Stapenhorst, 
Chandy Shair, Heidi Hartman, Erma Gutierrez, Margaret Switzer

 * To add your name to this distinguished list, please call the paper at 
626.355.2737. YEAR of birth not required 


From The Desk of Steve Sciurba, Safe Path For Senior


The White House described the results of its first Medicare negotiations for 
the price of 10 prescription drugs onThursday.

The announcement came before the second anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, the law giving 
the federal health insurer for older Americans the authority to haggle with drugmakers over the price 
of their products. Completion of the first negotiations would represent a milestone for the White 
House, which has made negotiating lower drug prices a centerpiece of its domestic agenda.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are slated to tout the details during an event in 
Maryland later, casting it as a key accomplishment of a policy platform focused on easing consumer 
costs. 

The administration faces a Sept. 1 deadline to disclose the negotiated rates. The private discussions 
between federal health officials and drugmakers kicked off last October, when the nine manufacturers 
whose drugs were selected agreed to opt into the process. Those drugs included Eliquis, Xarelto and 
Jardiance, among others.

Medicare must explain how it arrived at the prices by March 1 before they kick in Jan. 1, 2026. The 
agency plans to finalize guidance this fall for the next round of negotiations, and it’s scheduled to 
publish by Feb. 1 the new list of up to 15 drugs selected. The prices reached during those talks would 
go into effect in 2027.

Both the White House and the Harris campaign have envisioned the savings promised by the 
negotiations as playing a significant role in November’s election. Biden has repeatedly promoted the 
policy as evidence that his administration “beat Big Pharma” by fulfilling Democrats’ decades-long 
desire to grant Medicare negotiating power. And polling has consistently shown that negotiating drug 
prices appeals to a majority of voters in both parties.

Thermon "Rick" Holliday

626.600.2180 | service@trhinsurance.com

Lic.: CA #0M51552 | NV #4011220

TX #2500229 | GA #3513345


DOES MEDICARE COVER CATARACT SURGERY

Dear Savvy Senior:

How does Medicare cover cataract surgery? My eye doctor recently told me I’ve developed cataracts 
and should consider making plans for surgery in the next 
year or so. Almost 67

Dear Almost:

Like gray hair and wrinkles, cataracts are an inevitable 
part of the aging process. Eventually, everyone (usually 
in their 60s) will develop cataracts, a condition that causes cloudy or blurry vision. The only way to 
correct this is through cataract surgery.

Fortunately, Medicare does cover medically necessary cataract surgery, which includes removing 
the cataract and implanting a standard intraocular lens (IOL). This is a small, lightweight, clear 
disk that replaces the focusing power of the eye’s natural crystalline lens to restore clear vision. This 
procedure is performed using traditional surgical techniques or lasers.

This coverage can be a substantial savings, since cataract surgery often costs about $1,800 to $2,800 
per eye.

Cataract surgery is usually an outpatient procedure, covered under Medicare Part B. Once you pay 
the annual Part B deductible, which is $240 in 2024, you’re responsible for the Part B coinsurance.

That means you’ll pay 20 percent of the cost for covered services yourself. If you have a Medicare 
supplemental policy, also known as Medigap, you’ll have full or partial coverage for the 20 percent 
Part B coinsurance.

If you happen to be enrolled in a private Medicare Advantage plan, rather than original Medicare, 
you’ll also have coverage for cataract surgery. However, you may have to pay different deductibles 
or copayments and need to use an in-network provider. You’ll need to call your plan to find out its 
coverage details before you schedule surgery.

What’s Not Covered

Be aware that Medicare only covers cataract surgery with standard (monofocal) intraocular lenses, 
which improves vision at just one distance so you may still need glasses for close-up vision. Medicare 
will not cover premium (multifocal) intraocular lenses that can correct vision far away, up close and 
in between, so you can go glasses-free after surgery.

Premium interocular lenses are expensive, costing approximately $1,500 to $4,000 per eye, 
which you would be responsible for if you choose to upgrade. Talk with your doctor about your 
options and costs before your surgery.

Are Eyeglasses Covered?

Even though Medicare usually doesn’t cover eyeglasses or contact lenses, it will pay 80 percent for 
one set of corrective glasses or contacts after cataract surgery. Medicare, however, limits its coverage 
to standard eyeglass frames and lenses. If you want to get deluxe frames, progressive or tinted lenses 
or scratch-resistant coating for glasses, you’ll need to pay those costs yourself. Medicare also requires 
that you purchase the glasses or contacts from a Medicare-approved supplier.

Also, if you have any post-surgery complications or problems that are deemed medically necessary to 
address by a doctor, Medicare covers those expenses too. Any drops, antibiotics or other medication 
prescribed after your surgery would be covered by Medicare Part D or a Medicare Advantage plan 
that includes prescription drug coverage.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a 
contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder

SO WHAT IF I'M CRAZY?

The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and her wonderful husband 
celebrate 53 years of marital bliss this year. What an accomplishment.

It doesn’t seem possible that we have been married 53 years. After all, 
we don’t look that old! At least she doesn’t.

 It’s amazing how time flies; if you’re like me, you don’t even pay attention 
to it. Now that I’m just past the 70-year mark, things seem to be going faster than 
ever. I can wake up in the morning and it doesn’t take long for me to be ready to 
go back to bed. Where does all this time go? I think I want a refund.

 I have come to understand that no matter how things change, they always 
remain the same. Just because my age has changed doesn’t mean anything else 
about me has changed. I am still the same person The Gracious Mistress of the 
Parsonage married 53 years ago. I have no plans to change.

 As far as I know, she hasn’t changed either. And I am unanimous in that.

Down through the years of our marital Showboat adventure, The Gracious 
Mistress of the Parsonage has often asked me, “What’s wrong with you? Are you 
crazy or what?”

 That hasn’t changed since the beginning of our journey. I’ve been crazy 
from the beginning, and I still am, and I have no expectation of changing. If I’m 
going to change I would like to know what she means by the phrase “or what?”

The only thing that hasn’t changed is my understanding of everything that The 
Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage says. To this day, I do not know what her 
meaning of the word “crazy” is. When she asks me if I was crazy, I was not sure 
what she is asking. I just go along with her idea. What else can I do?

 Looking back over my life, especially the 53 years of our marriage, I can 
see a few moments of me being crazy. But I don’t see anything wrong with being 
crazy. In fact, being crazy has been the real fun in my life. Why can’t I be crazy 
once in a while? I’m sure my definition of crazy and her definition of crazy do not 
share the same dining room table.

 For one, crazy means that I don’t take things very seriously. That has been 
helpful down through the years, and I can verify that. It helps me to release stress.

Of course, I take many things in life seriously, but the ones that I don’t take 
seriously are important to me. That is the area of my crazy-itis. I have a hard time 
picking which ones are crazy and which ones aren’t.

The real difference between The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and me is 
that she takes everything seriously. I, on the other side of the room, don’t take 
everything seriously. Of course, there are sometimes, I must admit, I take the 
wrong thing not too seriously. That’s what really gets me into trouble.

I always think of the Abe Lincoln joke, where his wife asks him, “Does this dress 
make me look fat?”

 To be serious about that question is a lifesaver. However, not to be serious 
about that question can get a person into deep trouble. I know, I’ve been there.

One time, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage bought a new dress, brought it 
home, put it on, and came out to where I was sitting and asked me, “What do you 
think about this new dress of mine?”

 I wasn’t too serious at the moment, so I looked up at her and said, “I don’t 
think I could wear that dress anywhere and get away with it.”

Before I even finished that sentence, I knew I was in trouble.

“What?” she said, “You think you can wear one of my dresses?”

 Throughout the years of our marital bliss, I have often dug a hole so deep 
that I could not get out, yet I still kept digging.

I thought I was just joking, but she did not think it was a joke.

Looking at her, I laughed and said, “Oh, my dear, I was just joking.”

I thought I had gotten out of that hole, but was wrong.

“So,” she said sarcastically, “you think my dresses are jokes.”

It was at this level that I realized this wasn’t very funny. I may be crazy, but this 
was not the time to be crazy. If only I could learn how to control being crazy.

I have tried through the years to work on my crazyitis, but I don’t think I have 
worked hard enough because I have not seen any improvement on my side of the 
kitchen table.

 My problem is that I don’t hear very well. Actually, I do hear; I just am not 
listening. And boy, is there a difference there.

Our 53-year marital journey has been great. I credit that success to one of my 
favorite verses in the Bible. Amos 3:3, “Can two walk together, except they be 
agreed?”

 Throughout our journey we have agreed on more things than we disagree. 
In fact, the longer we live together the less we seem to disagree. That’s unity.

 We are headed in the same direction although, sometimes I’m looking out 
the right window and she’s looking out her left window. The destination is what 
really matters. And that we totally agree on.

SIERRA MADRE SENIOR EXCURSION:

SUMMER ON BIG BEAR LAKE 

AUGUST 28, 2024

The Community Services Department is accepting 
registrations for a trip to Big Bear Lake in the San 
Bernardino National Forest on Wednesday, August 
28, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Enjoy shopping and dining at your 
own pace in charming Big Bear Village. Afterward, the group will head to 
Pine Knot Marina to board the lovely Miss Liberty Paddle Wheeler for a 
scenic 1.5-hour lake cruise. The bus will depart from the Hart Park House 
Senior Center at 9:00 a.m. and return at 5:30 p.m. Please arrive 15 minutes 
before departure.

Date: Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Cost: $33.00 per person (Lunch not included)

Registration Deadline: Monday, August 26, 2024

Registrations may be made in-person at the Hart Park House Senior Center, 
or online at www.sierramadreca.gov/onlineregistration. 

For more information, please call the Community Services Department at 
(626) 355-5278.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com