Opportunity Tickets…Barbara Robinson

March Opportunity tickets at 3 for $1 are:

BLUE SKY RESTAURANT $25 Gift Card

2028 Winchester Blvd, Campbell 408-378-0424

(Thanks to Barbara Robinson )

HABIT BURGER GRILL Free Charburger w/Cheese OR Equal Value Item

2000 S. Bascom Ave, Campbell 408-369-9201

(Thanks to Angie Jaggars)

CAMPBELL EXPRESS (2) 408-374-9700

(Thanks to Stephon Hansen)

February winners were:

THE GARRET: Margaret Schieck

BURGER KING: SaraHeisinger

CAMPBELL EXPRESS: Fannie Young & David Hirsch

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR GOODIE BAG: Norman Schwartz

Program…Gene Lennon

Pacific Stroke Association is a local not-for-profit organization with the mission to reduce the incidence of stroke through education and to help alleviate stroke’s devastating aftermath through support programs for stroke survivors and their family caregivers. Through stroke lectures, multi-lingual educational materials, health fairs and mass media, PSA reaches over 79,000 people a year in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.  Sherril Hopper, RN, MSN, FNP-CANVC-BC, CNRN-BC has been the Stroke Program coordinator at El Camino Hospital, Mountain View since 2007.  She graduated from Georgetown University’s MSN/FNP program in July 2013.  In early 2014, Sherril was selected by the Joint Commission to participate at the Afib Stroke Prevention Panel.  Sherril serves as a board member for the Association of Neurovascular Clinicians.

March 20 AARP Meeting in Q80

Social Time 9:30 am

Meeting 10 am

Leave clean clothing, bedding and nonperishable food for Sacred Heart on the bench outside. Please do not bring garage sale type items for Sacred Heart.

Please bring books to share.

Place these items on the first table: donations for the troops, new and used greeting cards in the box; your volunteer hours in purple envelope.

Lunch after Meeting: Sam’s Bar-B-Q 408-29-9151 1110 S. Bascom Ave, San Jose

Program: Sherril Hopper, Stroke Prevention

President…Ken Schieck

March brings St. Patrick’s Day (wear green to the general meeting!), daylight savings time, comes like a lion and goes out like a lamb (or so I was taught in grammar school). This letter is very short because I want to highlight three local AARP-sponsored events, all of which take place before the general meeting.

AARP TECHNOLOGY WORKSHOP: ANDROID SMART PHONE Friday March 16

Intro to Android 10:00 AM 11:30 AM

Beyond the Basics 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

Intro to Android 2:30 AM to 4;00 PM

Beyond the Basics 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM

Hilton San Jose – San Carlos Room, 300 S. Almaden Blvd, San Jose 95110

Register by Phone 1-800-213-4587

Register Online: aarp.cvent.com/teksanj

Paid Street and Lot Parking 401 S. Almaden Blvd.

Devices will be provided for practice and all participants will get a free touchscreen stylus pen. Sign up today— seating is limited.

(RE)ENERGIZE YOUR JOB SEARCH Join us and learn how to master the online job search, Effectively network, and ace the interview! Tuesday March 13

Job Search in the Digital Age 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM

Sharpen Your Networking & Interview Skills 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM

Almaden Community Center Classroom

6445 Camden Avenue, San Jose 95120 (This location does NOT take RSVPs)

Register by Phone: 1-866-237-7027

Register Online: aarp.cvent.com/jobssanj

Complimentary Onsite Parking

CAREVERSATIONS A FREE and fun event for family caregivers Join AARP for an engaging conversation about family caregiving. Connect with other family caregivers around your table, Enjoy complimentary light snacks, and learn more about How to build a support network, tips to care for yourself and Where to find local resources. Sunday, March 18 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM

Flames Eatery & Bar, Private Room

88 S. 4th Street, San Jose 95112 (This location does NOT take RSVPs)

Register by Phone: 1-855-380-2139 Register Online: aarp.cvent.com/caresanj

Membership…Shelly Schwartz

Heads up, everyone! If you have been procrastinating about sending in your 2018 dues, the time is now!

$17/yr to receive your Dispatch Newsletter by regular mail.

$14/yr to receive your Dispatch Newsletter by e-mail

For two people living at the same address and wanting to receive an e-mail copy, the fees are $31 total. One member pays the actual membership fee of $17. The other member pays only $14 for getting the Dispatch by e-mail. When you mail me your check, you must include the Membership Application below.

Legislative Thoughts

Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it….Ronald Reagan (1986)

Talk is cheap, except when Congress does it….Anonymous

I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts….Will Rogers

Opportunity Tickets…Barbara Robinson

February drawings at three for $1 are:

THE GARRET ($15 Gift Certificate)

1777 S Bascom Ave, Campbell 408-559-7930

(Thanks to Libby Harbour)

BURGER KING ($5 Gift Card)

Various Locations

(Thanks to Jan Delucchi & our

Chapter Treasure Chest Fund)

CAMPBELL EXPRESS

Two subscriptions 408-374-9700

(Thanks to Stephon Hansen)

WEEKEND COFFEE ROASTERS

Bag of Fresh Coffee

Locally Roasted (Thanks to Rick Loek)

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR GOODIE BAG

(Thanks to Jan Delucchi & our

Chapter Treasure Chest Fund)

Legislative Report…Daniel Nnorth and Claudia Schott

I don’t know about you, but the one thing that keeps swirling in my head is Medicare and Medicaid and my ability to pay the bills that they seem to generate. And as many problems as Obamacare has, I may become less happy and pay more once the Senate has their way. It looks like our wonderful Congress is planning a “new and improved” version of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which will allow insurers to charge us oldsters more, while reducing subsidies and slashing Medicaid, which provides health care to 1 in 5 Americans. It’s called the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017. A bit of a misnomer…

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) estimate that, over the 2017-2026 period, enacting this legislation would reduce direct spending by $1,022 billion and reduce revenues by $701 billion, for a net reduction of $321 billion in the deficit over that period.

• The largest savings would come from reductions in outlays for Medicaid—spending on the program would decline in 2026 by 26 percent in comparison with what CBO projects under current law—and from changes to the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) subsidies for nongroup health insurance. Those savings would be partially offset by the effects of other changes to the ACA’s provisions dealing with insurance coverage: additional spending designed to reduce premiums and a reduction in revenues from repealing penalties on employers who do not offer insurance and on people who do not purchase insurance.

• The largest increases in deficits would come from repealing or modifying tax provisions in the ACA that are not directly related to health insurance coverage, including repealing a surtax on net investment income and repealing annual fees imposed on health insurers.

I believe the Senate is trying to save themselves some money, but at the cost of our health. “This new Senate bill was crafted in secrecy behind closed doors without a single hearing or open debate — and it shows,” said Nancy LeaMond, executive vice president at AARP. “The Senate bill would hit millions of Americans with higher costs and result in less coverage for them. AARP is adamantly opposed to the Age Tax, which would allow insurance companies to charge older Americans five times more for coverage than everyone else while reducing tax credits that help make insurance more affordable.”

And all this after President Trump already delivered a one-two punch to the ACA. He announced the elimination of the subsidy payments to insurers that help lower-income Americans afford health care. That move came just hours after he signed an executive order that he says will promote more competition in the health insurance market.

We need to stay informed and let our Senators know that this bill, H.R. 1628, the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017, is not better care, but more expensive care!

Read more about it in your national AARP Newsletter or here: https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/advocacy/info2017/senate-health-care-bill.html?intcmp=Outbrain&obref=obinsite

Community Service…Marilyn Clough

We are always delighted to receive contributions of eye glasses, hearing aids, and books on tape at our general meeting. Eye glass collection and distribution has been a project of the Lions Club for many years; we are happy to assist them with this worthy project. Over the years we have collected over 300 sets of glasses — they are all over the world by now thanks to the Lions’ international connections. Just leave these items on the Troop Support table and share this information with your friends and neighbors. It’s a convenient way to pass on unused but valuable items to people who will be so pleased to receive them.

A new year begins for volunteer hour collection. Don’t forget to fill out the bottom of your agenda for the purple envelope which awaits!

Sacred Heart…Angie Jaggars

February is the month of Love. Let’s show our Chapter’s love for a needy community. Have a Heart for Sacred Heart. Please bring HEARTY protein-rich canned food items (preferably pop tops) to our February meeting.