Morgantini, Kellie--CA

Document ID: CMS-2010-0258-0010
Document Type: Public Submission
Agency: Centers For Medicare & Medicaid Services
Received Date: January 06 2011, at 12:00 AM Eastern Standard Time
Date Posted: February 24 2011, at 12:00 AM Eastern Standard Time
Comment Start Date: November 22 2010, at 12:00 AM Eastern Standard Time
Comment Due Date: January 11 2011, at 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time
Tracking Number: 80bc657f
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This is comment on Proposed Rule

Medicare Program: Changes to the Medicare Advantage and the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Programs for Contract Year 2012

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On behalf of Legal Services for Seniors, I wish to comment on the 10% threshold for translating Medicare plan materials that is codified here. Legal Services for Seniors is a non-profit law firm providing free legal services to Monterey County California seniors 60+ of age and over. As a long-time attorney and Executive Director of Legal Services for Seniors, I can state by personal experience working with these regulations that the 10% standard is far too high. A more appropriate standard would be "5% of population, or 500 persons in service area." Many of our clients are mono-lingual Spanish speaking, many more are illiterate in any language. Please ensure these clients are affordaed continued access to their records at a cost they can afford. Thak you. Kellie D. Morgantini Executive Director, Attorney Legal Services for Seniors office: 831.899.0492/831.442.7700 cell: 831.674.5863 www.legalservicesforseniors.org