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Gwenda (Wendy) McCrorey (Lee)

Another tidbit:

If you are signing up for part B, make sure you let them deduct the fee for Part B from your social security check each month instead of self paying each month.  If it is deducted from your SS check, they cannot go up on the amount you pay unless there is a Cost of Living Increase added to your social security check for that year.  But if you self pay, they can increase the amount you pay for Part B each year, if they so choose.

Also, if you plan on signing up for Medigap, (which is a supplemental insurance) you can only do it when you initially sign up for Part B.  They cannot penalize you for any health reasons.  But if you wait unitl later, those rules do not apply.

John Adcock

We are having our monthly lunch Saturday, January 2nd... 
at 1 PM, at Luby's in Lake Jackson....Luby's has a buffet on Saturdays... ALL DAY and plenty of choices of food
This monthly lunch has been organized so that we can gather and visit with any Brazosport and Brazoswood classmates that are able to come and ALL are welcome.... Any BHSers that are out of towners that will be down that weekend, and ALL CLASSES OF BHSers, please feel free to come and join us. We would love to visit with y'all.
Just show up...... no need for reservations. We have an average of 10 classmates and would enjoy having more... It is nice staying in touch and meeting NEW friends.... If you come, feel free to bring pictures and stories.

Stan Alcott

Happy New Year's all of you Exporters! Have a safe and healthy 2016!

Keith Chatham

And a Happy New Year to you Stan. Happy  New Year to Everyone! Let's all have a Safe and Wonderful  2016!

Keith

Dickie Tracy

Thanks for putting the "Where We Live" section back on the home page.   As I travel around the country, I like to know if I'm close to any of my old classmates.  I'm one of those that decided to retire early and I'm not regretting it.   "Work" is a four letter word in my vocabulary and I don't do any of it anymore.   I travel now more than stay at home.  Full time RV'er.    June - September in Silverton, Co.   October in Utah.  November - March in Death Valley.   April - May in Texas.   

Kathaleen Snyder (Varnado)

WOW TNX everyone for all the info-- Wendy just saw your post-- GREAT!! Holidays were nice but believe it or not UPS'g last package today because family was out of town till yesterday- will be glad to complete that & get the New Year going. My mail box Is full every day with solicitations from insurance companies & Social Security. A person would have to be retired  to find time to read all this stuff. My birthday is  1st week in February but the days are zipping by & I must complete my decisions quickly. It scares me because I have this inherited bone disease from my Dad & although I'm handling it well-- I do have medical issues that most people probably don't encounter, therefore was worried about pre existing condition. Again I truly appreciate everyone's input & am diligently going on each site & studying everything. HAPPY 2016 everyone. Enjoy your lives one day @ a time & May God Keep You All In HIS Loving Nail Scarred Hands.

Gwenda (Wendy) McCrorey (Lee)

Kathleen, I got my copy of Medicare &You 2016 in the mail, it is 156 pages, and has answers to most of your questions.  You can download a copy of it for free.  Just go to Medicare.gov/publications, and you can download a free digital version to your eReader, Ipad, Nook, Kindle, etc.

If you get Medigap when you first sign up, they cannot penalize your for any pre existing conditons.  But if you wait and sign up at a later time, you will not get that advantage.

It is all in the publication.   It will be worth your time to read.

Richard (Glenn) Patton

I have just recieved my medicare book also and am trying to wade through it. I have a question to my fellow veterans. Is anyone recieving medical tratment at a VA facility due to a service connected illness brought on by agent orange? If so what do you think of the vas treatment. If you have heart related illnesses or diabetes type two and havented filed cor benefits you should. Also if you are did you also sign up for medicare?

Greg Hackney

Hey, Glenn how much can I get from our unk sam? I've not paid into SS having been a teacher. You'd be my first inquiry into this thing called Medicare izit? Just saying hi, too, mainly.

Greg Hackney

GP, pops was getting treatment at the VA for diabetes I put out his meds weekly for him.

Gwenda (Wendy) McCrorey (Lee)

Greg

Even if you did not pay into social security, if your employer was deducting from your paycheck for medicare, you can still get medicare Part A for free.  If you did not pay into the medicare funds, then I believe you can still sign up for medicare, but there would be a fee involved.

As to social security, being a teacher, and you did not pay into the government social security, so probably would not be entitled to collect.   Although, if you did pay into social security before working for an employer that does not pay into government social security, you would be entitled to a portion of the amount that you did pay into SS.  That is where the confusion comes in.

I have worked for Brazoria County for 23 years, and have not paid into social security during that time.  Instead, we have a private social security fund that we pay into.  Although I did work and pay into social security for over 20 years before going to work for the county.   So, when I get ready to start drawing social security from the government part, they will penalize me for participating in the private social security account.  They call it a "Windfall Provision".  Which means they will not give me the full amount that I should be entitled to from the government.  Because they say I am receiving a "Windfall" from the county.  So I will only get a portion of what I should get from the government.  If I had paid into government social security for 30 years or more, they could not impose a penalty on me.  So in short, we are getting cheated.

Hope I did not ramble on for to long, but this whole social security thing just infuriates me.  I worked and paid my part for years, but they have come up with a way to not let me have what I should get because they say I am getting a "Windfall from the County"  I can only get a percentage of it.  I call that crazy.  How can it be a "windfall" when it is my money that I paid into the county funds.

So if you know anyone else that has worked for an employer that does not pay into the government social security, but has a private social security account, you should look up under the social security website, "windfall provision" and be informed before you make any decisions.

Marian Sahr (Bullard)

Thank you Wendy for all your info. I am going tomorrow to file for my SS (where has all the years gone).  I am still working full time but they said I will be able to make my current salary and draw my SS. I turn 66 (ouch) September is why they said I can do this. I have been waiting for months to start this process. The SS representative told me to bring my end of the year pay stub.  I hope she instructed me correctly!  Bill is a teacher ( and at 70, STILL teaching)!  He is drawing SS because he worked for his parents at their store, as a youth, and they took out of his payroll SS.  He didn't know to have taxes taken out so we have to pay at the end of the year.  I hope all is going well with you.  I live in Lake Jackson now so let's get together for lunch. 

Greg Hackney

Going to the new one in Angleton?

Marian Sahr (Bullard)

Greg, if you're referring your question to me, yes.  

Greg Hackney

Hanky, MASB. We went there one time to get info re: mom.

Gwenda (Wendy) McCrorey (Lee)

Marion

I would love to see you.   I didn't realize that you had moved to Lake Jackson.  I would love to get together, but a week day evening would be better for me.  I am usually pretty busy on the weekends.  I get off around 5:30.  I work in Angleton, so could be in Lake Jackson by 6:00.  I will send you a private message with my phone number. 

Becky Cobb (Rasmussen)

Wanted to let everyone know about Carol Bruce Koenig. Her sweet soul went to heaven this week, and her services will be held on Tuesday, January 12, 1 p.m., at Dignity Restwood Funeral Home, 1038 West Plantation Drive, Clute, TX. A graveside service and reception will follow. Visitation will be Monday, January 11, from 6-8 p.m. at the same location.

***************************************************

Thank you, Becky.  I've added Carol's obituary to In Memory section.

Carrol Reneau Jeffers

Carrol Reneau (Jeffers)

Such pressure!  Here's the link for Medicare, etc. 

https://www.medicare.gov/medicare-and-you/medicare-and-you.html

Greg Hackney

Thanks CRJ. Can anyone say if it's better to check on the stuff aforementioned earlier than the birthdate?

John Adcock

REMINDER>>>>>>>>>
Saturday, February 6th at 1 PM at Luby's in Lake Jackson
is our monthly lunch meeting for ALL 
Brazosport and Brazoswood exes

Mike Strickland

Is it just my imagination, or are there more and more ads for hearing aids, walk-in tubs, reverse mortgages, etc.?

Greg Hackney

Y, I noticed that about five years ago. Some of us are more decrepit than others our age. Our peers, in the sales/advertising bidness began to sell to ourselves out of necessity. I bought a walk-in tub a few years ago. The futurists among them still don't cater to the tall! KNOW WHUDEYE MEEN, jellybeanhead?

Harold Johnstone

LOL.....Just got an invite in the mail this week to an open house for a local hearing aid store.

Greg Hackney

What? I kin hear you, but are you making fun of us? Heehee. I have been getting invites to begin looking into that gubmnt. thing I never pd. into SS. What do I do now? I just need to reverse my age, not my mortgage! 

Keith Chatham

I got most of you beat on one of them.......Hearing Aids. I have been wearing hearing aids since I was 31 yrs old. So, I don't pay attention to the sales ads for hearing aids. If you need them like I do, then the ole saying...."You get what you pay for" is certainly true about hearing aids. Getting older is not too fun, everyone is wanting our monies!