Medicare Open Enrollment Season Begins

Dear Friend,

In less than a week Medicare open enrollment season will begin.  This is the only time during the year that changes in drug plans and Advantage plans are allowed.  The Aging Commission of the Mid-South’s SHIP will be kicking off Medicare Drug Plan Open Enrollment on October 15 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Middle Baptist Church, 801 Whitehaven Lane, Memphis.

Medicare Open Enrollment Season Begins
Readiness Cooperative Agreement
Blue Violin Foundation
TheMiddleClass.org Scorecard
Free Photo Identification
Grant Announcements

Medicare Open Enrollment Season Begins

The Aging Commission of the Mid-South’s SHIP (State Health Insurance Program) will be kicking off Medicare Drug Plan Open Enrollment on October 15 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Middle Baptist Church, 801 Whitehaven Lane, Memphis.  Helping to kick-off the event will be representatives from my office. Anyone with a Medicare drug plan needs to have their drug plan evaluated annually during open enrollment, which is October 15 through December 7.  

This is the only time during the year that changes in drug plans and Advantage plans are allowed. SHIP is an unbiased, objective counseling service that provides beneficiaries with information so that they can make educated decisions concerning their plans.  The SHIP program does not sell insurance.  If you have questions regarding Medicare or would like to know about other counseling locations, please call SHIP at 901-222-4111. Services are provided by Aging Commission of the Mid-South, Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability, Centers for Medicare Services, and Senior Medicare Patrol.

Readiness Cooperative Agreement
On Tuesday I announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded the State of Tennessee $1,345,108 in new federal funds to be used in the City of Memphis to help finance the Readiness Cooperative Agreement. The purpose of the Agreement is to continue the development and maintenance of National Urban Search and Rescue Response system resources to be prepared for mission response and to provide qualified personnel in support of Emergency Support Function-9 activities under the National Incident Management System and the National Response Framework.

Blue Violin Foundation

This week Memphis’ Blue Violin Foundation was in Washington, D.C. to perform at several venues including Howard University, the Lincoln Memorial, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and some of the D.C.’s public schools. The Youth Symphony String Ensemble -- which is led by Lila Hood -- also toured the Capitol and visited my office.  Click here to learn more about this talented group of Memphis musicians.

TheMiddleClass.org Scorecard
I was the only member of the Tennessee Congressional delegation to receive a perfect score on TheMiddleClass.org’s 2012 Voter Guide.  TheMiddleClass.org provides information and analysis on bills in Congress that have a significant impact on the economic interests of America’s middle class and on low-income Americans seeking to enter the middle class. It also enables citizens to evaluate members of Congress based on how they voted on these bills. TheMiddleClass.org is distinctive in its focus on an overall agenda of expanding opportunity for middle-class and aspiring middle-class Americans.  Click here to learn more.

Free Photo Identification
State officials recently announced plans to open eight driver service centers, including one in Memphis, on the first Saturday of November to give citizens more opportunities to get photo identification cards required for voting in the November election.  The centers will open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on November 3 but only for issuing voter photo IDs and converting non-photo driver’s licenses into photo driver’s licenses.  In Shelby County, only the driver service center at 3200 East Shelby Drive will open on the Saturday.

However, registered voters without any of the government-issued photo IDs approved for voting purposes may obtain the voter photo IDs at the three other driver service centers in Shelby County during their regular business hours -- 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. They are at 3040 Walnut Grove, 6340 Summer and 5019 West Union Road in Millington. They are also available at the limited-service License Reinstatement Center in Hickory Ridge Mall during its regular business hours on weekdays.  If you only need to get an ID for voting purposes, there is a special line to serve your needs.  And if you are a Veteran who needs ID you can get free government-issued photo IDs at the Veterans Administration.

Grant Announcements
I regularly release a list of grant announcements from federal agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Transportation, and others.  These federal funding opportunities are available to faith-based and neighborhood associations, nonprofits and other community organizations in the 9th district. The announcements are updated regularly on my website.

Wishing you a happy and safe weekend,

As always, I remain,

Most sincerely,

Steve Cohen
Member of Congress