Union County board 3June 2019: Help for Medicare members

Union County, MS – Board of Supervisors, June 3 2019, Medicare assistance:

The Union County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted a plan to help save money for Union County Medicare enrollees.

Randy Kelly, executive director of Three Rivers Planning and Development District, told the supervisors about the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Kelly said SHIP can save Medicare patients substantial money on their Medicare Part D prescription drug plans. He was accompanied at the board meeting by Wade Holland, a Three Rivers Medicare specialist.

Medicare Open Enrollment begins October 15 and runs through December 7 each year. Kelly said an online  SHIP program helps Medicare patients shop for the most affordable drug plans available to them. Kelly said Three Rivers has been assisting Medicare beneficiaries in shopping for Part D prescription drug plans since 2015. He said Three Rivers had helped many Medicare beneficiaries save “about a hundred dollars a month” on their Medicare prescription drug plans.

Kelly told the county board that Three Rivers would provide trained personnel to help Union County residents participate in the SHIP program to help them save money. He asked that the county board provide office space with telephone and Internet service, so that the Three Rivers representatives can meet in-county with those desiring such assistance.

Kelly also thanked Union County Sheriff Jimmy Edwards and his department for help with security on the Tanglefoot Trail. He said maintaining public safety on the popular hiking and biking trail would not be possible without the help provided by Edwards and his department.

Also appearing and speaking briefly at the Monday morning county board meeting was Kevin Walls of Pontotoc County  Walls is a Republican candidate for the open District Three seat in the Mississippi state senate.

Kevin Walls, MS State Senate candidate, speaks at the June 3 Supervisors’ meeting

During the Monday morning meeting the board amended the county budget for the following departments:

• County Extensions Service Budget: reduced contractual services by $2,650, reduced consumable supplies by $1,200 and reduced grants and subsidies by $500. Increased capital outlay by $4,350.
• Road Fund Budget: Increased contractual services by $110,000 and consumable supplies by $60,000. Reduced working cash by $170,000.
• Bridge Fund Budget: Increased consumable supplies by $60,000 and reduced working cash by $60,000.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Union County Board of Supervisors will be June 17th.

More information on Three Rivers assistance to elderly: http://trpdd.com/aging/