Editor's Column
by
Tim Benjamin
If
you’re on Medicare, you’ll soon be receiving
an application for the new prescription drugs program.
I have been asked to encourage all our readers to apply
for the Medicare part D program even if you’re not
sure if you’re eligible or will be eligible. The
sooner you get your application in, the lower your premiums
will be if you are eligible. We will follow the program
very closely and will publish ongoing articles addressing
many of the issues of the new plans. There are still many
unknowns about the program and its eligibility requirements.
The best strategy is to fill out the application and mail
it in. If you are eligible, you will start out with the
lowest premiums, and if you’re not eligible the form
is pretty simple and will not take much of your time.
The “Russian Connections” article on the front page
is a must read! Medtronic sponsored the day of roundtable discussion
on disability issues at their headquarters in Fridley. It was a very
informative morning with lots of discourse on disability programs
in Russia and how our disability programs work in Minnesota and throughout
the United States. I’m not sure who learned the most; I do
know I learned a lot about life in Russia as a person with a disability.
I would have loved to have been able to spend much more time with
the delegates. The Russians are doing lots of positive things for
people with disabilities, especially in the area of education. And,
as we all know, education is a key to getting people with disabilities
into the mainstream of life.
Turning to the capitol
and the unresolved budget situation, at least we can say our legislators
have not yet voted for anything that would be bad for the disability
community. It sure is sad that so many people will be put out of
work because of the refusal by some in the legislature to compromise
in the best interest of all Minnesotans. Many state employees work
hard for little compensation and do not get paid if they don’t get their jobs done. Now, state employees
will lose income because legislators have not gotten their jobs done
and the state will lose income tax from those workers—all this
while the legislators retain their incomes. I’m not suggesting
our legislators are overpaid, but throughout the special session
they have received their per diems. I can not imagine that those
per diems will not be paid throughout the negotiations after the
state shutdown.
I don’t think we need any more casinos paying low wages and
catering to people of middle and low incomes. A state run casino
or “racino” will not attract high rollers or high-income
individuals that could afford to lose extra disposable income. I
think the answer is raising taxes and possibly raising taxes for
all of us. I certainly will pay a little more to maintain the good
quality of life we have in Minnesota.
I want to thank our
readers, advertisers, and the Friends of Access Press for being
so supportive of the paper and our staff. I wish Charlie Smith
could see the paper today. I think he would be very pleased with
the success of his brainchild and how it has evolved in the five
years since he left us. I don’t think Charlie,
and his mother and father who helped him get the paper started, would
have ever thought that Access Press would still be in existence after
15 years—and still fulfilling the mission they laid out all
those years ago.
Remember to contact us regarding placing an ad in the August issue
to show your support for the 15 years Access Press has been providing
information to the disability community.
