Fort Bliss Monitor

Retiree Appreciation Day
Event keeps citizens abreast of new, developing information

Master Sgt. Sue Harper
USASMA Public Affairs

Raymond Hart, 74, who retired in 1974 from active service, came to Retiree Appreciation Day to stay tuned to changes in his benefits, he said.

Hart and the more than 150 retirees who attended the event held at the U. S. Army Sergeants Major Academy at Biggs Army Airfield Saturday came away with more than an update. They received information on flu shots, health care, and other rights and benefits along with an affirmation that they are not forgotten by Fort Bliss.
“You are on our radar screen,” said Col. James Leech, commander of William Beaumont Army Community Health Center, to the retiree audience at the Academy’s West Auditorium. “While you are not my mandate, you are my obligation, and we are going to do the best we can to take care of you.”

The hospital commander asked the retirees to be patient about the flu shot, and not to call the immunizations clinic.

“We’re trying to contact you if you are in the high priority group,” he said.

The group his staff is looking for in the William Beaumont computer data bases are seniors over 65 with additional diagnosis that could be complicated if the patient contracted the flu.

In the meantime, he recommends those seniors do call the immunization clinic to get the pneumonia shot.
“But when you call the clinic, don’t use the ‘F’ word – ‘F’ as in flu,” he said to the audience, who responded with laughter.

Leech said the pneumonia shot would be a benefit to those over 65 and possibly younger because one way the flu does kill — when it kills — is by creating an environment in the lungs that is beneficial for bacterial infections.

Another preventive measure he suggested for retirees is to enroll in Tricare. “Please enroll in Tricare, I realize that $640 a year is not pocket change, but it would be money well spent,” he said.

This message was like preaching to the choir for some retirees, Dare Lucy, 75, ** [ DARE is her first name and LUCY is her last name] ** a retiree spouse, who said she felt blessed to have Tricare. “It’s been really great for us because we travel a lot,” she said.

For those over 65, their Tricare options are, depending on eligibility, Tricare Plus or Tricare for life. Tricare for life enhances the retiree’s existing Medicare, Leech said.

If retirees enroll in Medicare part B before Nov. 1, they will pay a reduced amount. After that day, enrollment will cost the full amount of some $180, said Felipe J. Gallegos with the Fort Bliss Retirement Services.

Some retirees learned not to cancel Medicare Part B if they are going overseas. Medicare Part B is the part of Medicare that would, for example, pay for items like wheel chairs, special beds and other items, and goods and care needed for extended illnesses like cancer.

“We had a guy today who told us that social security told him to cancel his Medicare B because he was going overseas,” Gallegos said. “He stood in line for two and half hours Friday to cancel it. He found out today that he shouldn’t have cancelled it and now will have to stand in line to resubmit.”



www.bliss.army.mil	Published for the Fort Bliss/El Paso, Texas Community	October 28, 2004

<map name="boxmap-b4"> <area shape="rect" coords="0, 589, 120, 600" href="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1" > <area coords="0,0,10000,10000" href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=&creative=92501&camp=8117&link_code=dl1&path=subst/misc/amazon-cobrand-cc/v3/marketing-from-associates-step1.html/ref%3Db1_assoc_29" > </map>	Retiree Appreciation Day Event keeps citizens abreast of new, developing information Master Sgt. Sue Harper USASMA Public Affairs Raymond Hart, 74, who retired in 1974 from active service, came to Retiree Appreciation Day to stay tuned to changes in his benefits, he said. Hart and the more than 150 retirees who attended the event held at the U. S. Army Sergeants Major Academy at Biggs Army Airfield Saturday came away with more than an update. They received information on flu shots, health care, and other rights and benefits along with an affirmation that they are not forgotten by Fort Bliss. “You are on our radar screen,” said Col. James Leech, commander of William Beaumont Army Community Health Center, to the retiree audience at the Academy’s West Auditorium. “While you are not my mandate, you are my obligation, and we are going to do the best we can to take care of you.” The hospital commander asked the retirees to be patient about the flu shot, and not to call the immunizations clinic. “We’re trying to contact you if you are in the high priority group,” he said. The group his staff is looking for in the William Beaumont computer data bases are seniors over 65 with additional diagnosis that could be complicated if the patient contracted the flu. In the meantime, he recommends those seniors do call the immunization clinic to get the pneumonia shot. “But when you call the clinic, don’t use the ‘F’ word – ‘F’ as in flu,” he said to the audience, who responded with laughter. Leech said the pneumonia shot would be a benefit to those over 65 and possibly younger because one way the flu does kill — when it kills — is by creating an environment in the lungs that is beneficial for bacterial infections. Another preventive measure he suggested for retirees is to enroll in Tricare. “Please enroll in Tricare, I realize that $640 a year is not pocket change, but it would be money well spent,” he said. This message was like preaching to the choir for some retirees, Dare Lucy, 75, [ DARE is her first name and LUCY is her last name] a retiree spouse, who said she felt blessed to have Tricare. “It’s been really great for us because we travel a lot,” she said. For those over 65, their Tricare options are, depending on eligibility, Tricare Plus or Tricare for life. Tricare for life enhances the retiree’s existing Medicare, Leech said. If retirees enroll in Medicare part B before Nov. 1, they will pay a reduced amount. After that day, enrollment will cost the full amount of some $180, said Felipe J. Gallegos with the Fort Bliss Retirement Services. Some retirees learned not to cancel Medicare Part B if they are going overseas. Medicare Part B is the part of Medicare that would, for example, pay for items like wheel chairs, special beds and other items, and goods and care needed for extended illnesses like cancer. “We had a guy today who told us that social security told him to cancel his Medicare B because he was going overseas,” Gallegos said. “He stood in line for two and half hours Friday to cancel it. He found out today that he shouldn’t have cancelled it and now will have to stand in line to resubmit.”