Governor Charlie Crist Commends Florida Council On Aging
At the Florida Council on Aging annual conference in Orlando today, Governor Charlie Crist commended Florida’s aging network professionals for their commitment to preserving the independence, dignity and well-being of older Floridians through quality community-based and in-home services.
Addressing professionals from area agencies on aging, senior centers, and other service agencies, volunteers and businesses, Governor Crist also commended the 75th anniversary of Social Security, which occurred on Saturday, August 14, as well as the council’s 55-year history of advocating for vital economic, physical and social safety nets for Florida’s elderly.
“Our older adults have built our state’s rich heritage and continue to strengthen our families and our communities, and we have a duty to honor Florida’s elders,” Governor Crist said. “Our seniors deserve our utmost respect – and our sacred pledge to preserve their dignity, independence and quality of life.”
Governor Crist has made Florida’s economy and helping out-of-work Floridians a top priority of his administration.
Earlier this year, Governor Crist announced that Florida received a federal grant of more than $2.9 million to assist Florida elders looking to re-enter the workforce through the Senior Community Service Employment Program.
Awarded to the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, the additional grant funds will immediately address unmet needs for employment and job training among Florida’s low-income older workers age 55 and older.
Governor Crist highlighted the following elder initiatives developed during his administration:
Helping provide access to affordable prescription drugs – The Florida Discount Drug Card is available to all Florida residents. Florida residents who meet the original qualifying criteria are eligible for additional savings in the form of manufacturer rebates. Since the launch of the program in December 2007, more than 160,745 Floridians have enrolled in the program and experienced a savings of more than $7.9 million and an average of 33 percent on drugs purchased.
Floridians can request a Florida Discount Drug Card by visiting www.FloridaDiscountDrugCard.com or by calling 1-866-341-8894 or TTY 1-866-763-9630.
Meeting the need for affordable health insurance – Cover Florida Health Care offers affordable, quality health insurance coverage and access to uninsured Floridians age 19 to 64. More than 6,200 Floridians have enrolled in Cover Florida Health Care, now in its second year of availability.
As of June 30, 2010, 54 percent of policyholders are age 50 and older.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida and United Healthcare are available in all 67 Florida counties with additional insurers available in Broward, Miami-Dade, Volusia, and Flagler counties.
Each plan has a robust set of benefit options that include coverage for preventive services, screenings and office visits, as well as office surgery, urgent care, hospital coverage, emergency care, prescription drugs, durable medical equipment, and diabetic supplies.
For more information about Cover Florida, visit www.CoverFloridaHealthCare.com.
Keeping seniors safe – in October 2008, Governor Crist signed Executive Order 08-211 creating the Silver Alert, an immediate statewide broadcast of information to the public regarding missing elders with dementia or other cognitive impairment. Silver Alerts help local law enforcement more quickly find missing seniors and return them to safety.
Since implementation, 201 Silver Alerts have been issued with 35 recoveries of missing endangered adults as a direct result of the alert, as of July 2010.
Maintaining and constructing senior centers – In both 2007 and 2008, Governor Crist proposed and supported $10 million for Florida’s senior centers to give them the opportunity to apply for Fixed Capital Outlay Grants.
These dollars are helping construct, repair and maintain senior centers, where approximately 380,000 older Floridians gather to socialize and maintain involvement in their communities.
About Florida’s Seniors
About 4.4 million people over age 60 live in Florida. That number is expected to grow to 5.6 million by 2020.
The average Florida retiree contributes $2,000 more in revenues than he or she consumes in public services.
Topics: 2010, Agency for Health Care Administration, AHCA, care, care givers, diabetic supplies, disabilities, durable medical equipment, elders, electronic fingerprints, Emergency Care, Florida, Florida Council on Aging, government, Governor Charlie Crist, health care, hospital coverage, moniter, monitor, news, office surgery, prescription drugs, preventive services, public safety, security, senior citizens, seniors, Silver Alerts, Social Secuirty, society, U.S., United States, urgent care
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