• State resident 65 years of age and older
• Annual income of less than $35,000 if single, or $50,000 if married
• Cannot be receiving full Medicaid benefits or have other prescription drug coverage plans.

• Available to seniors in lower-income levelss
• Enrollees pay a quarterly fee up to $75 per person if married or $57.50 per person if single, based on income.

• Available to seniors in higher-income brackets
• Enrollees pay the full cost of their prescriptions until they reach an annual deductible, ranging from $530 to $1,715 per year, per person, based on income
• Once the deductible is reached, enrollees pay only a co-payment based on the prescription for the remainder of the coverage year.

For an application form or more program information, call EPIC’s toll-free hot line at (800) 332-3742, visit www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/epic/faq.htm, or inquire at your local pharmacy, doctor’s office or office for the aging.

For 2005

New preventive services to be covered:

• A one-time, "Welcome to Medicare" wellness physical exam within 6 months of Medicare Part B enrollment
• Blood test screenings for early detection of cardiovascular (heart) diseases
• Diabetes screenings for individuals at risk of developing diabetes.

These benefits add to the preventive services already covered by Medicare, such as cancer screenings, bone mass measurements and vaccinations.

In 2006

Prescription drug plans will be available to Medicare recipients, while insurance companies and other private groups will work with Medicare to offer drug plans and negotiate drug price discounts.

Medicare prescription drug plans will resemble other insurance plans by providing insurance coverage for prescription drugs. By joining a Medicare plan, recipients will pay a monthly premium of about $35 and a share of their prescription costs. Prices will vary depending on the plan chosen.

Prescription drugs to be covered may vary according to the drug plan chosen, the amount recipients must pay and the pharmacies they patronize. When joining a drug plan, it’s important to choose one that meets the individual’s prescription drug needs.

The drug plan coverage takes effect the first day of the month following the month the recipient joined.

Medicare recipients should consider joining a plan in 2006 regardless of the amount of prescription drugs they now use. Individuals who don’t register with a plan by May 15, 2006, and don’t have a plan that covers as much or more than a Medicare prescription drug plan, will have to pay more each month to join.

More information about Medicare prescription drug plans is available by calling toll-free (800) MEDICARE (633-4227) or by visiting the Web site www.medicare.gov.

The story is all too familiar: the unsuspecting homeowner pays a con man for home-improvement work that never gets done, or the trusting individual provides a credit card number to a telephone scam artist. While anyone can be a victim of fraud, senior citizens are especially vulnerable. However, there are steps you can take to safeguard against being scammed.

• Protect your privacy. Never give out personal information over the telephone, especially Social Security numbers. Do not disclose financial information to anyone outside of a trusted circle of family and a reputable financial advisor.

• Always ask for identification. Never let strangers into your home, and always check identification of anyone from a service company you have contacted before allowing that person into your home. Report suspicious solicitations to the police.

• Limit the amount of cash on hand or at home. Do not allow a stranger to take you to your bank to withdraw money for a service being offered.

• Scrutinize financial papers carefully. Review personal financial statements such as credit cards, bank accounts and stock reports. Double-check sales receipts to make sure you were not charged twice or didn’t pay too much for an item. Sign contracts only after proper deliberation.

For more information on how to protect yourself from scam artists, call the toll-free number of the New York State Consumer Protection Board at (800) 697-1220, or visit the agency’s Web site at www.consumer.state.ny.us.

Identity theft occurs when a criminal steals personal information or items, such as a credit card, Social Security or driver license number, ATM personal identification number (PIN), or telephone calling card, and uses the data to assume another person’s identity.

• Taking mail delivered to the home or business by the U.S. Postal Service

• Submitting a change of address form at the post office to divert a person’s mail to a new location

• "Dumpster diving" - someone rummaging through personal or business trash to obtain private information

• Using personal information shared on the Internet

• Someone posing as a landlord, employer or other official obtains an individual’s credit report.

• Avoid carrying extra credit cards, Social Security card, birth certificate, or passport in wallet or purse, except when needed

• Never write down or keep a PIN on or near an ATM or credit card

• Individuals should have their names removed from marketing lists of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and Trans Union)

• Register with the Direct Marketing Association’s Mail and Telephone Preference Service by visiting www.the-dma.org

• Install a locked mailbox at home or business

• Keep a list or photocopy of all credit cards, their account numbers, expiration dates and telephone numbers of the issuing agencies’ customer service or fraud departments in case the cards are stolen.

1. Immediately contact the fraud departments at the three major credit bureaus (telephone numbers can be found on the phone card below) and request that a "fraud alert" be placed on the individual file, along with a victim’s statement asking creditors to call before opening new or changing existing accounts. Order copies of the credit report.

2. Quickly contact creditors for information about any accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently, including credit cards, phone companies, utilities, banks and other lenders. Speak with someone in the security or fraud department, then send a follow-up letter because consumer protection laws generally require written proof.

3. File a report with the police where the identity theft occurred. Obtain a copy of the police report in case the credit card company or bank needs proof of the crime. Filing a police report can help when dealing with creditors.

4. Take the appropriate steps to ensure that mail, personal information and other data are protected, accounted for and safe.