MoRx is Missouri’s State Pharmacy Assistance Program. MoRx was created by the 93^rd General Assembly to provide prescription drug assistance to seniors and persons with disabilities with Medicare’s ( Part D) Prescription Drug Program.

Benefits of MoRx

• MoRx works with all Medicare Part D plans.
• MoRx pays for 50%of your out-of-pocket costs on medications that are covered by your Medicare Part D plan. This means you will save 50% on your duductible, 50% on your co-pays, including during the coverage gap and beyond. MoRx does not pay for the Medicare Part D Plan’s monthly premium.

There is a wide variety of resources in the state of Missouri for seniors regarding care. Listed below is contact information for services in the state.

Area Agency on Aging & Services——————-1-573-526-4542

health.mo.gov/seniors/aaa/

Develops and implements programs and services for older persons at the local level

Department of Veterans Affairs———————–1-800-827-1000

mo.gov/veterans/

Offers information about VA medical benefits

Department of Social Services-Division of Family Services

MO HealthNet Division——————————-1-8000-392-2161

dss.mo.gov/mhd/

Purchases and monitors health care services for low income and vulnerable citizens

Elder Abuse and Neglect Hotline——————–1-8000-392-0210

Hearing loss is linked to other important women’s health issues, but recognizing and addressing it can enhance well-being, says the Better Hearing Institute (BHI). BHI is urging women of all ages to take the free, quick, and confidential online BHI Hearing Check at www.BetterHearing.org during National Women’s Health Week (May 11-17). Anyone can take the online survey to determine if they need a comprehensive hearing test by a hearing health professional.

We were invited this week to speak to a class of Southeast Missouri State University business students. Kyle R Griffin, a Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialist representing the Miracle-Ear Foundation went to Southeast Missouri State University on April 17, 2014, and gave the students a lecture about how to protect their hearing. During the lecture the topics of discussion included the prevalence of hearing loss, the dangers of noise induced hearing loss, the social and economic impacts it can have on their lives and how it can be avoided.

Noise, not age is the leading cause of hearing loss. Unless you take steps now to protect to your ears, sooner or later many of you — and your children — will have difficulty understanding even ordinary speech.

Tens of millions of Americans, including 12 percent to 15 percent of school-age children, already have permanent hearing loss caused by the everyday noise that we take for granted as a fact of life.

“The sad truth is that many of us are responsible for our own hearing loss,” writes Katherine Bouton in her new book, “Shouting Won’t Help: Why I — and 50 Million Other Americans — Can’t Hear You.” The cause, she explains, is “the noise we blithely subject ourselves to day after day.”

It has been a busy couple of months here at the offices, but it certainly does pay off when things like this happen!

Joyce Hill Cooley RN, BC-HIS, COHC and Cynthia Bradley,  BC-HIS, both National Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialists, from our local Miracle-Ear franchise were awarded for their excellence in continuing education by the Missouri Hearing Society at their Annual Convention and Education Seminar in Kansas City, Missouri last week!