Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz with clients of JCS’ Congregate Meal Site at the South Shore Community Center

Ellie Shapiro, Department Director of the Senior Meals Program, arranged for Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz to visit the South Shore Community Center at 833 6th Street in Miami Beach on October 30th. The seniors at this center, which is one of JCS’ five Congregate Meal Sites, heard the congresswoman speak on Medicare fraud.

A co-sponsor of legislation to remove Social Security numbers from Medicare cards in an effort to help protect those on Medicare from fraud, she came with Sandra Colon Ferrer, Director of the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare in Miami, who talked about the Florida Senior Medicare Patrol, a program that empowers seniors to report suspected errors, fraud and abuse in their Medicare and Medicaid accounts. Additionally, the Congresswoman brought Kathleen Sarmiento, Director of SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders), a volunteer program that provides counseling to seniors on how to choose Medicare plans and when and how to enroll in Medicare.

The day was extremely successful. Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz went around to each of the participants and spoke to them directly, asking them if they had questions and providing her staff to respond to specific issues. She handed out a lot of information on identity theft, personal healthcare journals and how to read your Medicare summary notice.