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PA Property Tax Rent rebate Program
Program to give rent or property tax rebate to PA residents
From alicepaul2
Bob Godshall
PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGEPAIDHARRISBURG, PAPERMIT NO. 529
FALL 2009
Representative
53
rd
District
Dear Friends:
BOBGODSHALL.COM
During our senior years, there are many new issues and problems thatarise and we may not always know where to go for help. Often thosequestions are health related and there are resources available throughyour local senior center, Area Agencies on Aging or the PennsylvaniaDepartment of Health.Sometimes the issues concerning us are legal ones. This newslettercontains news about a comprehensive legal guide available throughthe Pennsylvania Bar Association.In this issue, I am also providing updates on benefit programs such asPACE/PACENET and LIHEAP, and information about disabilities, and phy-sician responsibilities concerning fitness to operate a motor vehicle.Senior centers provide good opportunities to meet others and main-tain an active lifestyle. The Generations in Souderton and the PEAKCenter in Lansdale are good examples. I had the opportunity to seemany of you at the PEAK Center’s recent health fair. If you haven’ttaken advantage of the programs and friendships awaiting you there,it is not too late!Finally, if I may be of assistance to you, please contact my districtoffice at (215) 368-3500. We have state forms and access to informa-tion and resources to assist you.Have a safe and healthy fall season.continued on page 2
Free Legal Resource Available
The Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) publishes
A Guide to Legal Issuesfor Pennsylvania Senior Citizens.
In it, you will find guidance on financial andestate planning, elder care, wills and trusts, income tax preparation, SocialSecurity and retirement benefits, insurance, consumer protection and fraudprevention, housing options and long-term care to name just a few.To access a copy of the legal guide online, go to the PBA’s Web site at
or you may contact the PBA at
800-932-0311 ext. 2280
forpermission to reprint.
What You Need ToKnow About Swine Flu
By now, you have undoubtedly heardabout the H1N1 virus, commonly re-ferred to as swine flu.Findings by the Centers for DiseaseControl (CDC)show peopleage 25 andyounger tobe at great-est risk of con-tracting the vi-rus. However,most deathsfrom swine fluare amongpeople age25 to 49. The regular seasonal influenzavirus actually poses a greater risk forsenior citizens.Symptoms of swine flu are similar tothose of other strains of the influenzavirus including fever, cough, sore throat,body aches, headache, chills and fa-tigue. In some instances, vomiting anddiarrhea have also been reported. Like-wise, the precautions are also the same.The Pennsylvania Department of Healthoffers the following recommendations:
Wash hands frequently
Get plenty of rest
Manage stress levels
Drink plenty of fluids
SPECIAL REPORT TO SENIORS
SWINE FLU ...
continued from page 1
HOUSEHOLD SIZE INCOME LIMIT
12345678910$16,245$21,855$27,465$33,075$38,685$44,295$49,905$55,515$61,125$66,735$ 5,610 for each additional person
Prescription Drug Assistance Available to Qualified Applicants
Senior citizens who rely on prescription drugs to stayhealthy may qualify for financial assistance through thestate’s PACE and PACENET prescription drug assistanceprograms.To be eligible for PACE, applicants must be at least65 years old and residents of Pennsylvania for at least90 consecutive days prior to applying. In addition, ap-plicants must have had a total income for the precedingcalendar year of less than $14,500 for a single person,or less than $17,700 combined for a married couple.Persons enrolled in PACE will pay a $6 co-paymentfor each generic prescription medication or $9 co-pay-ment for each brand-name prescription drug.PACENET applicants must also be residents of Pennsylvania for at least 90 consecutive days prior to application and beage 65 or older. In addition, they must have had a total income for the preceding calendar year between $14,500 and$23,500 for a single person, or between $17,700 and $31,500 combined for a married couple.Persons enrolled in PACENET must pay a nominal monthly premium at the pharmacy, plus $8 for generic prescriptiondrugs and $15 for brand-name drugs.Both PACE and PACENET coordinate benefits with Medicare Part D.For more information on PACE or PACENET, please call 1-800-225-7223 or visit the HEALTH links on my Web site at
.
Heating Assistance Now Availableto Qualified Households
Pennsylvania’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) beganaccepting applications for cash grants on Nov. 2, and crisis grants will be avail-able on Jan. 4, 2010.LIHEAP helps low-income people pay their heating bills through home energyassistance grants and crisis grants. Cash grants are awarded based on householdincome, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Crisis grants are providedin the event of a heating emergency, including broken heating equipment orleaking lines that must be fixed or replaced, lack of fuel, termination of utilityservice or danger of being without fuel or of having utility service terminated. Inmost counties, assistance with home heating crisis situations is available 24 hoursa day.Applications are available at the Montgomery County Assistance Office,1931 New Hope St. in Norristown or by calling (610) 270-3500. Applicationsare also available from local utility companies and community service agencies,such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies. LIHEAP cash grantapplications are available online at
Income eligibility guidelines are as follows:For complete eligibility requirements or additional information on LIHEAP, visitmy Web site at
www.BobGodshall.com
and click on “LIHEAP Information.”
Maintain a steady dietof nutritious foods includingfruits and vegetables highin antioxidants
Avoid close contact withpeople who are illEveryday actions such as coveringyour nose and mouth when coughingor sneezing can reduce the spread ofillness. Avoiding crowds and keepingsupplies of over-the-counter medica-tions, alcohol-based hand sanitizers,tissues and other related items canalso help protect you and lovedones.If you do get sick, contact yourphysician or health care providerimmediately. If symptoms such asdifficulty breathing or shortness ofbreath, pain or pressure in the chestor abdomen, sudden dizziness or con-fusion are exhibited, seek emergencymedical treatment.For more information on the swineflu, visit the Pennsylvania Depart-ment of Health’s Web site at
www.h1n1inpa.com
or my Web site at
www.BobGodshall.com
.
www.BobG
Disability and Aging: What You Need to Know
Over the next 20 years, Pennsylvania’s older adult population will increaseby more than one million people, climbing from 15 percent today to more than22 percent of the state’s total population. According to national research andstatistics, the likelihood of developing a disability increases markedly withage. The U.S. Department of Health Office on Disability reports that for thosebetween 65 and 69 years of age, an estimated 44.9 percent had some formof disability, 30.7 percent had a severe disability, and 8.1 percent neededpersonal assistance to cope with a disability.The U.S. Department of Health also reports that individuals with disabilitiesare at much higher risk of developing secondary conditions, defined as prevent-able physical, mental and social disorders resulting directly or indirectly froman initial disabling condition. Chronic pain, weight problems, fatigue, difficultywith mobility, falls and injuries, difficulty sleeping, muscle spasms, and boweland bladder problems are most strongly associated with those already af-fected by some sort of disability. Finding ways to address the initial disablingcondition can help prevent and treat the associated secondary conditions.To help Pennsylvanians cope with disabilities and access all the resourcesavailable to them, Accessible PA is a joint effort between the Pennsylvaniadepartments of Aging, Education, Health, Labor and Industry, and Public Wel-fare. Launched in 1997 by Gov. Tom Ridge to bring together agencies thatprovide multiple services to disabled Pennsylvanians, Accessible PA providesinformation on a variety of programs and services available to residents,including education, employment, health care, home and community basedservices, long-term care, and rehabilitation. For more information, visit
www.BobGodshall.com
and select “
Accessible PA”
.Further information is also available by contacting Montgomery County Ag-ing and Adult Services, which is responsible for the planning and implementa-tion of several services and programs to help older Pennsylvanians and theirfamilies. Many of those services are available on the Web at
or by calling (610) 278-3601.
DoctorsRequiredto ReportConditionsThat ThreatenMotorists
Pennsylvania law requires medi-cal professionals to report anyoneof driving age who has been diag-nosed with a condition that couldimpair his or her ability to operatea motor vehicle safely.This reporting system plays avital role in ensuring that anyonepossessing a driver’s license ismedically fit to drive safely. Oncea report is made, the Pennsylva-nia Department of Transportation(PennDOT) will conduct an evalu-ation of the driver to determinewhether revocation or restrictionson driving are necessary. PennDOTmay also ask the driver to completea driver’s examination, or no actionmay be taken.While it is devastating for someto lose their driving privileges, it ismore devastating for the familiesof those who have been injured orkilled by impaired drivers.For more information, contact thePennDOT’s Department of Driverand Vehicle Services toll free at 1-800-932-4600, or online at
.
Select “DriverSafety.”
dshall.com
Applications for
Pennsylvania’s Property Tax/Rent Rebateprogram are now available.Eligible participants can receive a rebate of up to $650based on rent or property taxes paid in 2008. The programbenefits eligible Pennsylvanians who are at least 65 yearsold, widows and widowers 50 years or older, and persons18 years or older with disabilities.Eligibility income limits for homeowners are set at thefollowing levels, excluding 50 percent of Social Security,Supplemental Security Income, and Railroad Retirement Tier1 benefits:
$0 to $8,000, maximum $650 rebate(Homeowners and renters)
$8,001 to $15,000, maximum $500 rebate(Homeowners and renters)
$15,001 to $18,000, maximum $300 rebate(Homeowners only)
$18,001 to $35,000, maximum $250 rebate(Homeowners only)Six weeks after a resident submits an application, he orshe may visit the site to check the status of the rebate byentering the following information:
Applications Now Availablefor Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program
Social Security number
Date of birth
Anticipated rebate amountThe new service will allow applicants to confirm the status,rebate amount and the date a rebate is expected to bemailed or direct deposited.Residents are reminded to provide all the necessaryincome, property tax or rental information required to pro-cess claims quickly and accurately. Applications are due byJune 30. The Department of Revenue will begin distributingrebate checks on July 1.Property Tax/Rent Rebate claim forms are available bycontacting my district office at (215) 368-3500 or by visitingmy Web site at
www.BobGodshall.com
.
To check the statusof a rebate, individuals can visit my Web site and click on“Where’s My Property Tax Refund?”The Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is one of manyinitiatives supported by the Pennsylvania Lottery, whichdedicates its proceeds to support programs for older Penn-sylvanians. Since the program began in 1971, more than$4 billion has been paid to qualified applicants.
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Godshall Senior Newsletter Autumn 09
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| Upload Date: | 12/09/2009 |
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