Opinion

Leaving company benefits … Do I need Part B when choosing COBRA? Dear Toni: When should someone apply for Medicare when enrolling in COBRA? Is it wrong to wait until you are no longer on COBRA to enroll in Medicare Part B? Thanks, George from Kerrville, TX...

Tourism in Arkansas grew at a healthy rate last year, whether it’s measured in total spending or how many people visited the state or how many jobs are supported by the travel industry. An official report was released detailing the role of tourism on the state economy, and the secretary of Parks, Heritage and Tourism called it a “banner year of growth for Arkansas’s tourism industry.”...

In 2016 in Arkansas, a total of 2,226 women were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and 400 women died from the disease. Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women.  October is breast cancer awareness month. This is an opportunity to remind Arkansans of the importance of mammograms for early detection and life style changes that could help prevent cancer...

Hopefully you have visited Casey’s which recently celebrated its grand opening. This is a welcome addition to our city and I encourage all residents to support it. Having Casey’s locate to our city was introduced to me by one of our residents during my first year in office. ...

Does enrolling in a Medicare Supplement cancel a Medicare Advantage Plan? Toni: Last year during Medicare’s Annual Enrollment, both me and my husband qualified for a Medicare Supplement Plan G over the phone from a telemarketing call. The supplement has never paid a dime! We are still having to use the same doctor and get referrals from our Medicare Advantage HMO. We can’t get the Medicare Supplement to pay because no one advised us how to stop the Medicare Advantage plan...

September is National Suicide Prevention Month. I’ve made reducing the rate of suicide, particularly among veterans in Arkansas and around the country, one of my top priorities. Our men and women who are serving or have served in uniform suffer a disproportionately higher rate of suicide compared to the general population. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) estimates that more than 20 veterans die by suicide daily. ...

In Arkansas, one in four women and one in nine men, will be the victim of domestic abuse in their lifetime. In 2018, 44 Arkansans died as a result of domestic violence. Domestic violence occurs among all types of families, regardless of income, profession, region, ethnicity, educational level or race...

The joint Senate and House Committees on Public Health, Welfare and Labor approved a study proposal to combat the dramatic increase in teenagers’ use of vaping products, also known as e-cigarettes. Also last week, the President Pro Tem of the Senate released a draft version of proposed legislation to restrict and tax vaping products in the same way that smoking is restricted and taxed. ...

Medicare annual enrollment: What do I do? Dear Toni, This is my first Medicare annual enrollment and I don’t know anything about this process? Which program is good, and which one is not? I do have some health problems and am concerned I am making the correct choice. Which Medicare health plan should I change to and should I change my Medicare Prescription drug plan? I will really appreciate your help...

The effort to develop a skilled workforce continues to build momentum in all corners of Arkansas. This statewide endeavor to promote workforce development and career and technical training programs is a priority. It is part of the key to a prosperous future for the Natural State...

By April 1, 2020, each of you will receive an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census. Responding to the census will be easier than ever, as this will be the first time you can respond online. The Constitution mandates that the country conduct a count of its population once every 10 years. The 2020 Census will mark the 24th time that the country has counted its population since 1790...

In 2017 the legislature approved the creation of four crisis stabilization units (CSU), where police officers can bring people who are experiencing a severe mental health episode. In the past, many people undergoing a mental health crisis were locked up in a local jail. Their condition often worsened, because they were not getting treatment and did not have access to medication. Jail staff were not trained to respond to their needs...

Toni Says® Tips for Medicare Open Enrollment 6 weeks until Tuesday, Oct. 15 - Medicare Open/Annual Enrollment Toni: I just received a phone call saying there is a federal law that I change my Medicare during Medicare’s Open Enrollment? The Toni Says® office helped us with our Medicare decision in January when my husband retired from his job of 30+ years. ...

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences received a grant of $4.6 million to boost its program to encourage primary care physicians to practice in rural areas. UAMS, the state’s main medical school, has eight regional campuses around the state. They will partner with the UAMS College of Medicine and its Department of Family and Preventive Medicine...

In the United States, someone dies by suicide every 11.1 minutes. In Arkansas, someone dies by suicide, on average, every 14 hours. Suicide is not inevitable for anyone. By starting the conversation, providing support, and directing help to those who need it, we can prevent suicides and save lives...

In Arkansas, there are on average 71 billion gallons of water flowing in rivers, 4.8 trillion gallons in lakes and 200 trillion gallons in the ground. Our state is abundant with water resources and much of our economy depends on it. It is estimated Arkansans use 157 gallons of water every day...

Are you prepared for the unexpected? Hi Toni: Recently, I had a bad car wreck and ended up with only a minor concussion from hitting the windshield and my wife was not hurt. I am 55 years old and have not even thought about future planning. I work for a large company and the company’s financial advisor has never discussed this with me...

Back to school in Arkansas means that more than 6,000 buses will transport 350,000 students to and from school. It also means that motorists need to remember that it is against the law to pass a stopped school bus that has its red lights flashing. That’s when children are getting on or off the bus...

It took longer than planned but the exercise stations on the Tohi Trail have been completely installed and are ready for use. When using these stations, read the directions for each station so you can receive the full benefit of each exercise. Additionally, do not engage in anything that the station is not designed to do in order to avoid personal injury. ...

Dear Editor, Highland School District is reaching out to the registered voters of our school district. On Tuesday, Aug. 13 we will be holding a special election and we are requesting our voters to vote for 4.0 new debt service property tax mills. This would also extend the existing 5.0 debt service mills. The millage is currently at 30.0 and the new total millage rate will be 34.0 mills if approved...

Most students in Arkansas public schools head back to the classroom the second week of August. From recess to reading, there are several pieces of legislation passed in the most recent session which will impact the upcoming school year. Below are some, but not all, of the acts taking effect this year...

A new law requiring stricter labeling of food products has placed Arkansas in the middle of an international dispute over truth in labeling. Legislators approved Act 501 of 2019 to require truth in labeling of food products, and to prohibit labeling vegetable-based products as “bacon” or “burgers.”...

As most already know, the opiate epidemic has been worsening, each year claiming more lives than the last. What is less known by the general public is the problem with Methamphetamines has been growing over the last several years as well. In the most recent data from the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, it was found an estimated 964,000 people age 12 or older had a methamphetamine use disorder. ...

The rate of maternal mortality in Arkansas is above the national average, so earlier this year the legislature created a review committee to develop new strategies for preventing women from dying during childbirth. The state Health Department will set up the committee with members from various medical and public health disciplines...

Though Mental Health America has been raising awareness for the disease for 70 years this year, a negative stigma is still attached to the illness. Not all people see mental health as a disease but that is exactly what it is. Medications aren’t always used to treat those with mental health illnesses, but in situations where it is needed, it shouldn’t be viewed any different than if someone is taking medication for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, etc...

Does Medicare have a network of specialists? I have cancer! Hi Toni, I am turning 65 this August and have no idea what I should do because I have lung cancer. Currently I am on a COBRA policy from my old employer with all my medical bills now being paid because I have met my deductible...

In Arkansas, 41 percent of the population live in rural counties. In contrast, only 14% of the United States population as a whole live in nonmetropolitan counties. Our state is a very rural one, so when we work to expand our economy we must always recognize the challenges that our rural communities face...

The goal of the new Arkansas State Broadband Plan, announced by the governor, is to make high-speed Internet access available to all communities of more than 500 people by the year 2022. The announcement specifically cites three Senate bills that have become law and have streamlined the process of setting up communications technology in under-served areas...

MyMedicare.gov account is important to process Medicare claims Dear Toni, My husband recently retired from his job and because I’m over 65, I needed to sign up for Medicare. I had to go to the local Social Security with the Request for Employment Information signed my husband’s HR department to sign up for Medicare Part B. I asked if I needed to do anything else and I was told I was all set. I received my new Medicare card in the mail with both Medicare Part A and B dates a few weeks later...

A few weeks ago Fountain Place Christian Retirement Center received heartbreaking news that our Tommy Bolt Golf Tournament proceeds were not coming to us but to a different charity. This was a sharp blow to us as we struggle to keep our rents down for our residents and give them a pleasant, happy home. We felt crushed and betrayed. Fifteen years ago when we started the golf tournament, Tommy Bolt saw the vision for an independent retirement community in the heart of a retirement founded town...

For students just beginning an education or going back to school, the lottery scholarship offers opportunities to pursue dream careers and secure financial futures. That’s why you should mark July 1 on your calendar. That day is the deadline to apply for the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship, which has provided hundreds of millions of dollars in proceeds to help in the pursuit of higher education...

Job training and workforce education are offered by numerous government entities in Arkansas. That’s part of the problem. Overlap and duplication create confusion for people who want to improve their job skills, and they are inefficient uses of tax dollars...

“Our dependency makes slaves out of us, especially if this dependency is a dependency of our self-esteem. If you need encouragement, praise, and pats on the back from everybody, then you make everybody your judge.” - Fritz Perls I met her when she was very young and we worked together in the office of a large corporation in Dallas. ...

When we pass legislation to grow our economy, it does not stop at tax incentives and workforce training. In Arkansas, we know our economy can also grow by bringing in people from out of state to appreciate our natural resources, our talents, and our history...

During the recent regular session, the legislature referred three proposed constitutional amendments to Arkansas voters. One would limit terms of legislators to 12 years. Another would permanently extend a highway program that is now scheduled to expire in 2023. The third would make it more difficult to change the constitution. The proposals will be on the general election ballot in November of 2020...