Ask The Social Security Office

From the Social Security District Office

Are Americans Financially Educated on Retirement Savings?

Financial education helps people learn about savings, credit and loans. It also helps prepare people for life changes and weather the unexpected. Financial knowledge is essential when planning for retirement.

So, how prepared are adults in the United States for their retirement? The National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) conducts polls on key issues, like retirement savings, that affect a person’s financial past, present, and future.

Here’s what we have learned over the past year:

• In a financial well-being poll conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, 85% of respondents confirmed that some aspect of their personal finances was causing them stress. For 31% of respondents, that concern was “having enough saved for retirement.”

• In that same poll, 70% said they made financial adjustments due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Of that group, 27% increased contributions to their emergency savings, retirement savings, or other savings or investments. In comparison, 21% tapped into emergency savings—or borrowed against retirement savings.

Q&A

Q.: My spouse doesn't have enough work credits to qualify for Social Security retirement benefits. Can they qualify on my record?

A.: A spouse receives one-half of the retired worker's full benefit unless the spouse begins collecting benefits before full retirement age. If the spouse begins collecting benefits before full retirement age, the amount of the spouse's benefit is reduced by a percentage based on the number of months before he or she reaches full retirement age. You can learn more by reading our online publication, Retirement Benefits, at www.ssa.gov/pubs.

Q.: Is it true that a person can own a home and still be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits?

A.: Yes. A person who owns a home and lives in that home can be eligible for SSI benefits. Although there is an asset limit for people to qualify for SSI, some things don’t count toward that limit, such as a house, a vehicle, and some funds set aside for burial expenses. To learn more about SSI and the eligibility requirements, browse our booklet, "Supplemental Security Income (SSI)" at www.ssa.gov/pubs/11000.html.

• In a poll about financial education mandates, 80% of adults said they wish they were required to complete a semester- or year-long course focused on personal finance education during high school. Also, 88% think their state should require a semester- or year-long course for high school graduation.

• In that same poll, 84% of those approaching retirement age said “spending and budgeting” should be taught in schools.

Lifetime financial education can be a helpful tool in preparing for retirement. This includes understanding Social Security retirement benefits and making the most of retirement income. You can learn more on our retirement page at www.ssa. gov/retirement.

A personal my Social Security account should be a part of your financial plan. With a secure my Social Security account, you can verify your earnings history, get personalized retirement benefit estimates, and more. If you don’t have an account, you can easily create one at www.ssa.gov/ myaccount.

To learn more about NEFE’s mission, visit their website at www.nefe. org. Please share this information with friends and family.

Q.: I am expecting a child and will be out of work for six months. Can I qualify for short-term disability?

A.: No. Social Security pays only for total disability — conditions that render you unable to work and are expected to last for at least a year or end in death. No benefits are payable for partial disability or short-term disability, including benefits while on maternity leave.

Q.: I have been getting Social Security disability benefits for many years. I’m about to hit my full retirement age. What will happen to my disability benefits?

A.: When you reach full retirement age, we will switch you from disability to retirement benefits. But you won’t even notice the change because your benefit amount will stay the same. It’s just that when you reach retirement age, we consider you to be a retiree and not a disability beneficiary. To learn more, visit www.ssa.gov.

Excellus BCBS appoints three new senior leaders

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield has appointed three new members to its senior leadership team. They will take on new roles as part of the health plan’s population health engagement leadership team working to ensure equitable access to high-quality, affordable care.

They are:

• Pharmacist Mona Chitre has been named president of pharmacy solutions, in addition to her role as chief pharmacy officer. In her expanded role, Chitre will focus on delivering clinically sound pharmacy solutions to enable growth and diversification and bolster investments and innovation in all areas of the rapidly changing pharmacy landscape. She joined the health plan in 2000.

Chitre oversees Excellus BCBS’s pharmacy program, focusing on ways to drive affordable drug costs, quality outcomes, and appropriateness of care for the health plan’s 1.5 million Upstate New York members.

Under Chitre’s leadership, the health plan’s pharmacy program has developed numerous programs to improve the health and well-being of the communities it serves. The introduction of the innovative RxConcierge savings outreach program and initiatives focusing on generic medications, medication adherence, and specialty medications have helped members access quality, affordable medications and earned the health plan national recognition. During her tenure, the health plan’s Medicare Part D prescription drug plan has received a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, its highest rating, for seven consecutive years, making it the longest leading, and one of only two five-star plans in the nation.

• Physician Lisa Harris has been appointed senior vice president and corporate medical director for Excellus BCBS. In her new role as SVP corporate medical director, she will work closely with senior leaders to drive engagement, innovation, clinical quality, equitable access and affordability, as well as enable efficiency and satisfaction among the health plan’s provider partners. Harris joined the health plan in 2018.

She previously served as vice president of medical affairs for commercial lines of business where she was closely aligned with the sales team serving as a clinical liaison and leading the clinical affordability strategy.

At Excellus BCBS, Harris maintained a focus on the larger strategy of improving health care for all as she collaborated on innovative solutions including a clinical queries system allowing key stakeholders to receive a coordinated response to clinical questions within 24 hours. She worked to develop a multifunctional high-cost claimants team designed to engage case managers earlier on in the member experience.

• Tony Vitagliano has been named senior vice president, provider network engagement. In his new role, Vitagliano will continue to focus on the health plan’s provider partnership strategy in addition to now leading the areas of payment integrity, medical policy and risk adjustment. He will also serve as a member of the health plan’s executive team. Vitagliano joined the health plan in 1993.

Lab Alliance names director of finance

Laboratory Alliance of Central

Antonio

Vitagliano began his career with the health plan as an actuarial analyst and has held several positions during his time with the organization. Most recently, he served as vice president, provider network management and operations, leading teams dedicated to provider contracting, provider relations, value-based payments, and reimbursement.

During his career, Vitagliano led the development of Excellus BCBS’s accountable cost and quality agreement (ACQA) model, providers partnership strategy, and the alignment of clinical quality and efficiency.

“Through their partnership with our providers and community members, each of these leaders has made a significant impact in achieving our health plan’s mission of ensuring equitable access to affordable, high-quality care,” said Jim Reed, Excellus BCBS president and CEO. “I’m excited to see our efforts in the area of population health engagement continue to grow under the strategic leadership of these highly skilled and experienced individuals.”

Michael Backus has been appointed Oswego Health’s CEO effective Jan. 1. He succeeds Michael Harlovic, who retired.

Since 2020 Backus was the chief operating officer and executive vice president and worked alongside Harlovic and other members of the senior leadership team to stabilize the health system.

“We’re confident in Michael Backus and his ability to take Oswego Health to the next level and provide the quality of care this community deserves and needs,” said Oswego Health Board Chairman Ed Alberts. “Lifelong resident, a local leader, and someone who is beyond vested in this community, Backus will not only offer a smooth transition for staff but continue to advocate and position Oswego Health as a leader in local healthcare.”

According to a news release, in just two years Backus has been a proven advocate for local healthcare fighting in both Albany and Washington, DC, to further increase access to high-quality care for Oswego County residents through strategic infrastructure planning for Fulton and Oswego. He has made significant impacts as he managed the daily operations of the health system, including renovations of the AMS building in Fulton as Oswego Health

New York has named Brian Snepenger director of finance. He will oversee all of Laboratory Alliance’s finances and have direct supervision over materials management and purchasing, accounts payable, accounts receivable/revenue cycle and facilities.

Snepenger

Snepenger brings more than 15 years of finance experience in accounting, financial analysis and business management to the position. He holds a Master of Science degree in accounting from Syracuse University and is a certified public accountant.

Laboratory Alliance provides all inpatient and outpatient clinical and anatomic pathology testing for Crouse Hospital and St. Joseph’s Health and for regional hospitals, long-term care facilities and healthcare practices in a 16-county region in Central New York.

The company was founded 25 years ago and performs more than 10 million tests per year through its 11 patient centers and three laboratory locations.

Nascentia Health receives LeadingAge awards

Nascentia Health recently received three achievement awards opened its second PrimeCare location.

He has been the conduit to Oswego Health for local government and community providers throughout the pandemic ensuring resources are readily available, and he is extremely focused on the culture of the organization by being actively involved in recruitment and retention efforts as one of the major employers in Oswego County.

Backus holds a master’s degree in public administration, along with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Le Moyne College, where he is also a member of the board of regents. As an emerging healthcare leader, Backus is a part of the American Hospital Association NextGen Fellowship Program and serves on the Board of Directors for the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS).

“It is the honor of my professional life to succeed Michael Harlovic as president and CEO of Oswego Health,” Backus said in a written statement. “I thank the board of directors for their confidence in not only me but our entire senior leadership team. Most importantly, I thank the employees of Oswego Health as throughout the past two years I have seen us rise to many challenges and I am impressed every day by the heroism of our caregivers.” from LeadingAge New York in its 2022 Annual Awards at a ceremony Dec. 7.

Founded in 1961, LeadingAge New York, represents nonprofit, mission-driven and public continuing care providers. The organization’s more than 600 members employ 150,000 professionals serving more than 500,000 New Yorkers annually.

• Registered nurse Dea Kuiper housing complex on Syracuse’s south side for seniors experiencing homelessness. She works directly with tenants to address social determinants of health and improve their outcomes and stability. ment and patient experience efforts,” said Crouse Chief Medical Officer/ Chief Operating Officer Seth Kronenberg, MD. “We congratulate our team for this achievement, which reflects not only their strong clinical performance, but also their commitment to excellence in patient outcomes, made especially challenging during the Covid pandemic.”

• Nascentia Health and Upstate University Hospital’s collaborative Hospital at Home Program was named innovation of the year for its holistic approach to delivering hospital-level care in patient homes. This program allows patients to leave the physical hospital and receive care in the comfort of home, freeing up needed hospital beds and improving outcomes for people and their families.

Massachusetts Amherst. She lives in Whitney Point.

• Jo Miller is now vice president

Crouse gets a ‘B’ in latest Leapfrog’s safety score

Kuiper was recognized as an employee of distinction for the CNY region because of her decades of work as a home pediatric nurse, caring for some of the most fragile and challenging young patients. Throughout her 18 years with Nascentia Health, she has specialized in maternal and pediatric care, establishing life-long bonds with children and their families, earning a reputation for blending innovation and kindness, clinical skills and empathy.

• Licensed practical nurse Amy

Davis, Nascentia’s director of older adult services, was named professional of the year, an award that honors a longterm care, housing, and services professional’s contributions to the well-being of the elderly or chronically ill in the community. Davis manages Nascentia’s tenants in the Gardens at St. Anthony’s, a new

Crouse Hospital has received a ‘B’ safety score for fall 2022 from The Leapfrog Group, a national distinction recognizing the hospital’s achievements in protecting patients from harm and providing safer healthcare.

With a safety grade of B, Crouse’s fall 2022 score is the highest in Central New York.

The Leapfrog Hospital safety grade is the only rating focused exclusively on hospital safety. Its A, B, C, D or F letter grades for more than 3,000 hospitals across the country are a quick way for consumers to choose the safest hospital to seek care. Grades are based on over 30 performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm.

The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

“Our mission of providing the best in patient care continues to guide our ongoing quality improve-