View COLA to SS online
BRIAN RUDOLPH AND RHONDA WHITENACK
Social Security Administration
We are constantly expanding our online services to
give you freedom and control when doing business with
us.
Our new online cost-of-living adjustment (COLA)
notices are another example of our commitment in this
area. Soon, you’ll be the fi rst to know your new benefi t
amount.
Later this year, we will post the Social Security COLA
notices online for retirement, survivors, and disability
benefi ciaries with a “my Social Security” account.
The COLA announcement usually occurs in October,
but fi nal benefi t amounts won’t be calculated and avail-
able until December, when we send COLA notices that
contain the benefi t amount for the next calendar year.
These COLA notices will now be available to view and
save via the Message Center inside my Social Security.
The Message Center is a secure, convenient portal where
you can receive sensitive communications we don’t send
through email or text.
This year, you will still receive your COLA notice by
mail. In the future, you will be able to choose whether
you receive your notice online instead of on paper.
Online notices will not be available to representative
payees, individuals with foreign mailing addresses, or
those who pay higher Medicare premiums due to their
income.
We plan to expand the availability of COLA notices to
additional online customers in the future.
Remember, our services are always free of charge. No
government agency or reputable company will solicit your
personal information by email or request advanced fees
for services in the form of wire transfers or gift cards.
Avoid falling victim to fraudulent internet “phishing”
schemes by not revealing personal information, selecting
malicious links, or opening malicious attachments.
You can learn more about the ways we protect your in-
vestment, personal information, and my Social Security
account at https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/security.html.
Be the fi rst to know. Sign up for, or log in to your per-
sonal my Social Security account at https://www.ssa.
gov/myaccount and choose email or text under “Mes-
sage Center Preferences” to receive your COLA notice
online.
Review your Medicare plans
ROBIN THOMPSON
Senior Linkage Line
Current Medicare Advantage and Cost Plans have
changes, including cost-sharing, formulary, and provider
changes. It is important that Medicare benefi ciaries
review their plans and options to make sure that the
plan they have for 2018 will work for them in 2019.
There are many new plans in Minnesota for 2019,
so reviewing options is more important than ever. In
addition, there are some premium-free plans available.
These may still have other cost-sharing, such as copays,
deductibles, and coinsurance, so it is important to
compare.
Every Medicare benefi ciary who is enrolled in
a Medicare Advantage plan for 2019, will have a
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment period from
Jan. 1 to March 31, 2019.
During this time, Medicare Advantage plan
enrollees can change to another Medicare Advantage
plan or disenroll from their plan and return to Original
Medicare and purchase a Medicare Part D plan.
Only one choice can be made during this time period.
8
Senior
It is important to note
that
most
Medicare
benefi ciaries will not have a
guaranteed issue period to
purchase a Medigap during
this time. This means they
can be health screened and
denied the purchase of a
Medigap.
The only group that will
have Medigap guaranteed
issue rights are Cost Plan
enrollees affected by the
ending of their plan; these
rights extend only through
March 4, 2019.
To fi nd out more
information, call the Senior
LinkAge Line at 1-800-
333-2433, or visit www.
seniorlinkagelinecom.
Connections December 2018
W ish it A w ay
by C alling To day
• Video Inspection & Location • Maintenance Agreements
• Commercial, Residential, & Farm • Hydro Jetting
• Environmentally Safe Products
Call Genie Drain Cleaning today!
Your drain and sewer specialists
FAST,
EFFECTIVE,
SERVICE
�������������������������������
(320) 587-4110
www.geniedrains.com
Senior Connections HJ.COM