Help offered to navigate options during Medicare Annual Enrollment
The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is a free and impartial counseling program for people with Medicare. SHIP is facilitated by the Indiana Department of Insurance and Administration for Community Living. SHIP is part of a federal network of State Health Insurance Assistance Programs located in every state. All of SHIP’s services are offered at no charge to consumers. SHIP is not affiliated with any insurance company or agency and does not sell insurance. SHIP is staffed by a crew of volunteer counselors who have completed intensive training to offer Medicare beneficiaries objective assistance in complete confidence.
The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (open enrollment) is October 15 through December 7. This is the one time of year when ALL people with Medicare can make changes to their Medicare Advantage health and prescription drug plans for the next year. During the Medicare open enrollment period, you can:
- Switch from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage (as long as you’re enrolled in both Medicare Part A and Part B, and you live in the Medicare Advantage plan’s service area)
- Switch from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare (plus a Medicare Part D plan, and possibly a Medigap plan)
- Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another
- Switch from one Medicare Part D prescription drug plan to another
- Enroll in a Medicare Part D plan if you didn’t enroll when you were first eligible for Medicare. If you haven’t maintained other creditable coverage, a late-enrollment penalty may apply
If you purchase a new Medicare Advantage or Part D plan or switch plans during the annual enrollment period, the changes will begin January 1, 2022.
With more than 100 SHIP sites throughout the state of Indiana, a SHIP counselor is never far away from those who need assistance. SHIP offers numerous events and presentations throughout the state of Indiana to assist Medicare beneficiaries. If you or someone you know needs help with their Medicare questions, call the SHIP helpline at 1-800-452-4800 or the TTY line for the hearing impaired at 1-866-846-0139. You also can find SHIP online at www.Medicare.IN.gov.
Indiana launches $540 million grant program to support early childhood education programs
Child care, early childhood education and out-of-school time programs are eligible to apply for grants covering three months of operating expenses . . . The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration announced new Build, Learn, Grow Stabilization Grants, intended to support child care, early care and education and out-of-school time programs that have faced increased costs and challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Funds will be distributed across at least two grant rounds, with the first round covering three months of providers’ operating expenses, allowing them to stabilize their operations and invest in their businesses to build capacity for the future. Stabilization grants are made possible by funding Indiana received from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act. Build, Learn, Grow Stabilization Grants are non-competitive and awarded on a rolling basis, but providers are encouraged to apply quickly to gain immediate access to funding. Providers can use grant funds to cover different expenses:
- Personnel costs focused on increasing employee compensation
- Employee recruitment and retention to attract and retain staff
- Facility fees such as rent, mortgages or utilities
- Facility maintenance or improvements such as playground upgrades or accessibility improvements
- Business supports such as new software or shared services arrangements
- COVID-19 safety-related needs to keep staff and children safe
- Mental health supports such as counseling for children and employees or health and safety training
Grant amounts are calculated per child care site, based on each provider’s program type, average attendance, staffing costs, quality level and geography. Grant awards for this initial round will total approximately three months of a provider’s operating costs. A provider’s total amount of grant funding received through the Build, Learn, Grow Stabilization Grant program is capped at $500,000 per site for the duration of the program. More than 3,600 child care providers from all over Indiana, serving more than 100,000 Hoosier children from birth to age 12, will be eligible to apply. Programs (including licensed centers, child care homes, unlicensed registered ministries or legally-licensed exempt providers) must have been licensed or registered to operate in the state of Indiana at the time of the ARPA enactment on March 11, 2021, and must also be open and currently serving children and in good standing.
Providers can learn more about Build, Learn, Grow Stabilization Grants and apply at Stabilization.BuildLearnGrow.org. The site contains an introductory webinar, application walkthrough, FAQs and the link to apply. All applications must be received no later than Dec. 30, 2021, though providers are encouraged to apply right away to begin using their funds. Additional rounds of funding will be announced in the future.
Ivy Tech Fall Community Class Schedule
The Center for Lifelong Learning is offering classes which begin next week, and are open to the public
View catalogue here: Fall 2021 Catalog – Downloadable PDF
200 Daniels Way | Bloomington, IN 47404
lifelonglearning@ivytech.edu | (812) 330-4400
This Week in Indiana History
1960 – The Tippecanoe Battlefield was designated a National Historic Landmark. An 85-foot marble obelisk stands on the site where the Battle of Tippecanoe was fought in 1811. United States forces, led by William Henry Harrison, clashed with the Native American federation led by Shawnee Chief Tecumseh. The area now encompasses 96 acres and includes picnic areas, a nature center, and hiking trails.