Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder and Jane Drummond, director of the Department of Health and Senior Services held a senior town hall forum in Mexico Monday at Teal Lake Residential Care Center, 1722 Huntingfield Drive. Kinder is hosting a number of senior town hall forums across the state as Missouri’s Official Senior Advocate.

Drummond talked about her department’s service to seniors across the state, including visiting nursing homes, hospitals, home health and hospice to make sure seniors are getting quality care and to help Missouri seniors age with dignity and grace. She also touched on financial exploitation of seniors.

As lieutenant governor, Kinder is Missouri’s Official Senior Advocate. His staff and Drummond’s staff work closely together to help seniors.

Kinder touched on several senior issues, including the MoRx senior prescription drug plan, financial exploitation prevention and the heat weather rule.

Kinder explained MoRx helps low-income seniors with prescriptions. To qualify for the program a single person’s gross income can not exceed $20,800; a married couple’s income is topped out at $28,000. There is no enrollment fee. Enrollment is year round and once a person is enrolled he/she never needs to re-apply. There is no deductible or monthly premium. “It is easy to enroll with no designated time period,” said Kinder.
Even though the program has been in existence for some time, some people are unaware it exists, Kinder explained.

MoRx is Missouri’s new state pharmacy assistance program, replacing the Missouri Senior Rx program. MoRx was created to provide prescription drug assistance to Missourians in need by coordinating benefits with Medicare (Part D) prescription drug program and to provide additional assistance for prescription drug costs to Missourians in need.

MoRx works with all Medicare Part D plans. It pays for 50 percent of out-of-pocket costs on medications on a person’s deductible, 50 percent on a person’s co-pay and 50 percent during the coverage gap and beyond. MoRx does not pay for the Medicare Part D Plan’s monthly premium.

For more information regarding MoRx, seniors can call 1-800-375-1406 or visit the Web site: morx.mo.gov.

Kinder also talked about financial exploitation of seniors. “This is a growing crime which is under-reported,” the lieutenant governor stated. He went on to say financial exploitation is usually penetrated by a friend, a care giver, or family member. Kinder works with Drummond and MOSAFE – Missourians Stopping Adult Financial Exploitation. MOSAFE is a program to alert financial institutions and the general public to the crime of financially exploiting the elderly and disabled.

Drummond stated her department is working to cut down on financial exploitation of seniors and provided cards and information for those attending.
After their presentations, Drummond and Kinder answered questions about both MoRx and MOSAFE.