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Great
Idea!
Visiting
Nurses Celebrate Grandparents Day Educating Seniors on Medicare
Sept.
11, 2004 - On Sunday, September 12, Visiting Nurses throughout the
country will honor national Grandparents Day by hosting informative
meetings about the new Medicare-Approved Prescription Drug Discount Card
Program for seniors, as well as their family members and caretakers.
The
sessions will focus on educating seniors about the savings available
through the Medicare drug discount cards, including a $600 federal
subsidy for low- income Medicare beneficiaries that can be used to
purchase prescription medicines.
"Grandparents Day is a good time to remember not only our own
grandparents, but all of the senior citizens who touch our lives," noted
Carolyn Markey, President and CEO of the Visiting Nurse Associations of
America. "The VNAA thinks it is important to help seniors take advantage
of the potential savings being offered through the Medicare drug
discount cards. We have specially trained clinicians on this new
Medicare program so we can help our patients maximize access to the
medicines they need."
The
seminars will be held in Des Moines (IA), Little Rock (AR), South Boston
(MA), Minneapolis (MN), Louisville (KY), Columbus (OH) and Glendale
(CA). The VNAs will conduct a presentation for attendees for
approximately 45 minutes, and then answer questions from patients,
family caregivers and other community members.
These
seminars are part of a national educational campaign sponsored by the
Visiting Nurse Associations of America and Pfizer Inc. The seminars are
taking place in several states around the country to provide answers to
questions that Medicare beneficiaries, their family and friends, and the
medical community may have about the new Medicare program.
The
VNAA also has an online Medicare Drug Card Center to provide information
to clinicians and patients, click
http://www.vnaa.org/vnaa/g/?h=html/rx_drug(unde rscore)card or go to
http://www.vnaa.org.
Seniors
who would like to learn more about the Medicare Drug Discount Card
program can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227 or TTY
1-877-486-2048) or visit
http://www.medicare.gov.
About
the VNAA
The
VNAA is the official national association for non-profit,
community-based Visiting Nurse Agencies, who care for and treat
approximately 4 million patients each year. The nation's network of
415-plus Visiting Nurse Associations employ nearly 150,000 health care
professionals, and share a non-profit mission to provide cost-effective
and compassionate home health care to some of the nation's most
vulnerable individuals, particularly the elderly and individuals with
disabilities. The VNAA has a wide range of resources available on its
award-winning website about home health care and things to ask about
when considering home health care. Click www.vnaa.org to locate a VNA
near you.
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