Medicare Open Enrollment Begins Today Across Country

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Dave Loebsack (IA-02) and Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) joined together to ensure that Medicare open enrollment is not affected by the current reckless and irresponsible government shutdown. In a joint letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Marilyn Tavenner, Loebsack and Bustos urged her to make sure that any shutdown related delays or problems surrounding Medicare open enrollment are swiftly addressed.

Medicare open enrollment is the period during which seniors can make changes to their Medicare plan. Starting today through December 7^th, seniors can sign up for 2014 coverage or make changes to their Medicare plan.    

A copy of the Loebsack-Bustos letter is below and HERE.

October 15, 2013

Marilyn Tavenner

Administrator

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Department of Health and Human Services

Room 314G

200 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, DC  20201

Dear Administrator Tavenner:

We write today to urge you to ensure that seniors across our regions of Illinois and Iowa are able to access the resources that they need to make informed decisions during this year's Medicare open enrollment period.

The open enrollment period is an important time for seniors.  The ability to switch Medicare Advantage plans or move between Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare gives seniors flexibility and confidence that Medicare is working for them.  We understand that the government shutdown has resulted in employee furloughs at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).  However, the open enrollment period is without a doubt an essential duty, and we stand ready to work with you to ensure that this critical service for seniors moves forward without a hitch despite the reckless politics that we are seeing in Washington.

As seniors explore their options, it is critical that all resources and assistance provided by CMS are as readily accessible as they have been in prior years.  To protect seniors, we urge you to act swiftly if any problems stemming from the government shutdown arise during the open enrollment period.  Should the need arise, we ask you to consider ways to protect seniors such as an extension of the open enrollment period.  We stand ready to work with you to guarantee a seamless open enrollment period.

Sincerely,

Cheri Bustos                         Dave Loebsack

Member of Congress           Member of Congress

Amidst the sad specter of yet another grid-locked Congress, medical research stopped in is tracks at the National Institutes of Health, and U.S. Park Rangers turning away elderly World War II vets trying to visit their hallowed memorial on the National Mall, DC's top Yoga Instructor said "enough is enough".

Jill Abelson, author of the EXTRA LOVE series of Yoga Instructional Books on yoga alignment and nationally recognized instructor, is leaving the DC political gridlock behind for the more sensible folks of Iowa City this weekend, where she'll appear, instruct and sign copies of her best selling "Extra Love" books at the Iowa City Yoga Festival in Coraville.

"It's so bad mentally in DC right now, that this past weekend Whole Foods put the word out for yogi's to come together, and over 200 showed up at the last minute...Democrats, Republicans, furloughed government workers.  It was a sea of multi-colored mats there", says Abelson.  "How cool is it that when our politicians check OUT, yogis check IN to support transcendental public art in the nation's capital?"

Ask Jill Abelson:

-  What the mindset is in DC, with mass shootings, a government shutdown, cars crashing into the gates of the White House and people catching themselves on fire at the National Mall-all in the past three weeks?

-  How Yoga can help in times of extreme stress, and can bring very different people together in unity

-  What a "Downward Facing Dog" is (hint: it's not a nickname for a member of Congress...but maybe it should be!)

-  Why folks in Iowa City are PERFECT to experience Yoga, and learn about its benefits at the Iowa City Yoga Festival this weekend

Jill Abelson is a nationally recognized yoga teacher, workshop presenter and author based in Washington, DC and San Francisco.   Her best-selling series of books on yoga alignment and assisting, EXTRA LOVE, are available at bookstores, on Amazon and at  www.yogaofliberation.com.  Jill is appearing this weekend at the Iowa City Yoga Festival in Coraville.  You can find out more at www.iowacityogafestival.com.

To speak with Jill, contact Allen Media Strategies Jessica Lloyd at (703) 589-8960 or Jessica@allenmediastrategies.com.

The improper use of medicines is the fastest growing form of substance abuse in Iowa. Teens are more likely to misuse or abuse prescription or OTC medicines than illicit drugs due to the ease of access to prescription medicines, according the 2012 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS). More than four in 10 teens nationally who have misused or abused a prescription drug say they took it from their parent's medicine cabinet.

"Iowa parents must be informed of this dangerous and growing problem and start taking the right steps to protect their teens from prescription and OTC medicine misuse and abuse," said Emily Blomme, program manager, Iowa Substance Abuse Information Center. "Prevention starts with talking with your teens, securing these drugs and connecting with our center for help and to learn more. Iowa Medicine TLC is a new kind of TLC we encourage all parents to give to their teens."

PATS results show the most effective way to prevent Iowa teens from misusing or abusing medicines is for parents to discuss the dangers with their teens. PATS found only 14 percent of parents have discussed the misuse or abuse of prescription drugs with their teens, as opposed to about 80 percent of parents who talk to their teens about alcohol or marijuana.

Many parents may not realize that prescription and OTC medicines, when misused, can be just as dangerous or deadly as street drugs like heroin or cocaine. According to the most recent data available from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study, more Americans die of drug overdoses than car crashes. The study showed that 60 percent of these overdoses were from prescription drugs and 74 percent of the overdoses were unintentional.

Mary Patch of Dubuque, Iowa, knows firsthand that it only can take the misuse of three prescription pills to take your child's life. Patch was the guardian of her niece, Vanessa, who died in 2007 of an accidental overdose of prescribed medicines?two antidepressants and one painkiller.

Since Vanessa's death, teen prescription abuse has been on the rise. According to PATS, one in four American teens reported having misused or abused a prescription drug at least once in their lifetime, which is a 33 percent increase from 2008 to 2012. Iowa has had one of the lowest self-reported rates of prescription drug misuse in the past?with only 6 percent of Iowa 11^th graders reporting to have used prescription drugs for non-medical purposes, according to a 2012 Iowa Youth Survey.

"Although teen self-reporting is lower in our state, other indicators are showing a steep rate of increase of prescription drug misuse and abuse?and this has us very concerned," said Steve Lukan, director, Iowa Office of Drug Control Policy. "During the last decade, the number of Iowans age 12 or older treated for prescription pain reliever abuse has increased more than 250 percent, and overdoses due to pain medicines have increased 1,200 percent."

Taryn Erbes, a 17-year-old Kennedy High School student, was a good student, involved in extracurricular activities like track and wrestling. She was introduced to prescription pain relievers, including the opiate Oxycontin, and the tranquilizer Xanax, at a local "Pharm Party," where kids bring prescription medicines (often their own meds or meds stolen from a parent), mix them in a bowl and take a variety of unknown medicines to get high. Erbes is currently in Area Substance Abuse Council's (ASAC) inpatient recovery program in Cedar Rapids for prescription drug abuse.

Parents need to be aware of the most commonly abused medicines to protect their teens from medicine misuse and abuse. In addition to prescription pain relievers and tranquilizers, prescriptions to monitor carefully include stimulants used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), such as Adderall and Ritalin. According to Lukan, college students are more apt to misuse ADHD medicines in an effort to perform better on exams, while tweens are more apt to abuse Dextromethorphan, a cough-suppressant ingredient found in many OTC cold medicines.

An indicator Iowans are more aware of the risks of prescription drugs is the volume of prescription drugs subject to abuse collected through the Iowa "Take-Back" initiative, which includes biannual prescription drug drop-off events. Iowans returned nearly 8,000 pounds of unused or expired drugs during the April 2013 event, versus roughly 5,000 pounds for the September 2012 event. The next series of community Take Back events is scheduled for October 26.

Iowa parents are encouraged to not only talk to their own teens about proper medicine use, but also prevent more cases of teen medicine misuse by properly securing and disposing of medicines. For proper disposal at home, ODCP recommends removing identifying labels and mixing prescriptions with used kitty litter or coffee grounds in a plastic bag, sealing the bag and placing it in household trash.

The ISAIC public education program includes mass-media public service announcements and digital strategies targeting parents, including social media and email campaigns and a new website, IowaMedicineTLC.org, complete with resources and tools. Funding for this project is from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS CFDA #16.710, Grant #2009CKWX0379).

ISAIC is a Cedar Rapids Public Library program funded by the Iowa Department of Public Health. ISAIC, a member of Substance Abuse Librarians & Information Specialists, provides individuals and organizations with educational tools to aid in the prevention and recovery of substance abuse. The Governor's Office of Drug Control Policy improves the health and safety of all Iowans by promoting strategic and collaborative approaches to reduce drug use and related crime. To learn more about the "Iowa Medicine TLC" public education program, visit IowaMedicineTLC.org or call 866-242-4111.

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Q&A on Breast Cancer with U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley

Q:        Why is October proclaimed National Breast Cancer Awareness Month?

A:        Consider this annual campaign as a catalyst that can help save lives.  Let's put it this way: Breast cancer has the potential to affect every American across the United States.  By calling attention to this insidious disease, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month helps to educate the public about symptoms, risk factors, screenings and prevention.  It also serves as a reminder to diagnosed patients, survivors and victims' loved ones that America stands strong in the march to find a cure.  By year's end, breast cancer will turn the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans upside down.  The National Cancer Institute projects 232,340 women and 2,240 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013.  And 39,620 families will lose their grandmother, mother, wife, sister, daughter, aunt, niece or granddaughter to this disease before the New Year. The State Health Registry of Iowa estimates 2,300 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013; 410 Iowa women will lose their life to the disease.  Designating the month of October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month helps mobilize communities across the country to show solidarity.

Q:        How do you observe this campaign?

A:       For starters, I give thanks and praise that I'm able to wish my wife Barbara another happy, cancer-free birthday.  Barbara is a 26-year breast cancer survivor whose birthday coincides with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Like many survivors, Barbara attributes early detection and treatment with her recovery and survival.  Barbara also uses her birthday as a personal reminder to schedule her annual mammography screening.  We are grateful to participate in community awareness events, such as Race for the Cure, to stand together with families who have confronted this disease and the risk of losing everything from it.  Barbara and I want to show support for Iowa families struggling with a diagnosis, enduring treatment, considering preventive medical choices stemming from inherited genetic mutations to reduce risk of the disease, or mourning the loss of a loved one.  Since Barbara's diagnosis in 1987, America has made promising medical advances in the effort to diagnose, treat, prevent and find a cure to this second-leading cancer killer of women.

Q:        How can Iowans get involved to make a difference?

A: First, I would kindly challenge Iowans to hold their loved ones accountable.  Ask them if they conduct monthly self-exams.  Check whether they are up-to-date on an annual clinical breast exam from a medical provider.  Make sure they have had their mammography screening, which is considered the gold standard for early detection.  If not, don't drop the issue until one is scheduled.  The five-year survival rate if diagnosed and treated before the cancer spreads beyond the breast approaches 99 percent. Look for events, races and fund-raisers in local communities and neighborhoods.  Patronize local businesses that donate proceeds to breast cancer prevention and research.  National Breast Cancer Awareness Month helps keep America a step ahead of this pervasive disease by firing up the public's attention, fueling fund-raising and focusing on the life-saving screenings, treatments and research that save lives.  When it comes to public health and wellness, complacency could be considered public enemy no. 1.  Men and women need to know the warning signs to fight this disease.  The population considered at higher risk for breast cancer includes older women, those who have a family history of the disease, and obesity, particularly post-menopausal. It is said an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Choosing healthy lifestyles and following early, consistent screening recommendations will increase the odds Iowans will celebrate the gift of life with loved ones for many years to come.

For more information, visit the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month website at http://www.nbcam.org.  This year-round online resource offers a virtual repository of information to learn more about breast cancer, breast health, the latest developments in research, awareness events and patient resources.