PARTICIPATING MAII ORDER PHARMACIES

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3 2004, initiated the retirement process with MSRS by submitting a wrinen request for a service retirement benefits estimates specifying an effective date of retirement no later than July 1, The revised rule also exempts a retiree who returns to work after retirement with the same employer if: I The retiree provides only intermittent, on-call services, or I The retiree provides only services n a non-permanent, interim assignment or appointment; and I The employer's ordinary business operations depend on such services; and! The retiree provides the services for no more than 60 days in one year. Regardless, whether the retiree provides services in accordance with subsection 2(A) or 2(B) aboye, the 50 days may be consecutive. "Year" is defined consistently with the MSRS statutes and rules governing the employer for whom the retiree provides the services, A public hearing was held on the revised rule on March 11, 2004, and is in the process of being finalized. MEMBERSHIP REPORT MAR started 2004 with 225 new members joining our organization. We are looking forward to signing up many more retired State, Teachers and Local Participaring District Employees during If you know of any recent retirees, or someone who has been retired awhile, be sure to tell them that the Maine Association of Retirees is the best bargain in town!! Welcome to all the new members, We hope to see all longtime and new members at our Annual Meeting, which is being held on May 11th at the Augusta Civic Center from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (registration begins at 8:00 a.m.). At the Annual Meeting, you will meet the current officers of MAR, old friends and co-workers, and the hardworking dedicated staff of MAR. A delicious luncheon will be served. All aftendees 3 will be charged $3.00 each to help defray the costs associated with the meeting. There will be a $50.00 attendance award drawn and other drawings for prizes. As always, we invite new members and old members alike to visit MAR headquarters. The staff is always happy to help with any problems and the coffee is always on, PARTICIPATING MAII ORDER PHARMACIES Joan Hallowell, the Chair of MAR's Insurance Committee, provided the fol- Iowing information concerning pharmacies throughout Maine that are currently participating in mail order processing of prescriptions. These pharmacies offer a 90-day supply of maintenance medications at the co-payment cost for a 50- day supply. The list changes from time to rime, and you can view future lisrings by going to Anthem's website at (then clicking on Members, then Maine and click Enter Site, and then Participating Mail Order Pharmacies). Anthem Rx Direct Mail Service, Phone (800) Camden Drug Company 83 Elm St., Suite 2 Camden, ME Phone: (207) FAX: (207) W. Concourse Waterville, ME Phone (207) FAX (207) 487-s626 Goodnow's Pharmacy 300 Main St. Rockland, ME Phone: (207) Howards Rexall Drug 180 Main St. Farmington, ME Phone (207) Medical Center Pharmacy 121 Medical Center Drive, Suite 500 Brunswick, ME Phoner (207) FAX: (207) McFalls Pharmacy 15 Pleasant St. Mechanic Falls, ME Phone (207) Parkview Pharmacy 329 Maine St. Brunswick, ME Phone: (207) FAX: (207) Penobscot Community Health Center 1048 Union St., Suite 3 Bangor, ME Phone: (207) FAX: (207) Pittsfield Pharmacy Inc. 4 N. Main St. Pittsfield, ME Phone (207) Prescription Shop 23 North St. Presque Isle, ME Phone (207) Presque Isle Pharmacy 797 Main St. Presque Isle, ME Phone (207) Q0 Riddles Pharmacy P.O. Box 10 Rangeley, ME Phone (207) Searsport Drug Company 1 Water St. Searsport, ME Phoner (207) FAXr (207) Unity Pharmacy PO Box 143, School St. Unity, ME Phone (207J Variety Drug 78 l?ater St. Skowhegan, ME Phone: (207) continued on pg. 4 MAR Winier Uodote 2004

4 Waltz Pharmacy - Belfast RR 1, Belfast, ME Phone: (207) 338-L722 FAx: (207) 'Waltz Pharmacy - Boothbay Harbor 7 Boothbay House Hill Rd. Boothbay Harbor, ME Phone: (207) FAX: (207) Waltz Pharmacy - Damariscotta 157 Main St. Damariscotta, ME Phone: (207) FAX: (207) Waltz Pharmacy - Waldoboro 5 Friendship St. Waldoboro, ME Phoner (207) L1. FAX: (207) Waltz Pharmacy - Wiscasset Rt. 1 \0iscasset Market Place 'Wiscasset, ME Phone: (207) FAX: (207) Name: 4 **OPPORTUNITIES GALORE** Upcoming free workshops on, "Six Mistakes Retirees Make With Therr Finances, And How to Avoid Them," will be conducted by Les Stevens of Atlantic Investment Advisors (the organization that provides free retirement financial advising to MAR members). These workshops will be conducted twice, at the following locations and Clales: Dates & Locations: Thursday, May 20,2004, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Ramada Inn off Exit 13 (Turnpike) in Lewiston, ME (A free continental breakfast will be provided). Thursday, June 3, 2004, 9:30 a.m. to I I:00 a.m. at Miller's Resraurant in Bangor, ME. Seating is FREE, but limited, Call to ensure seating availability. Topics to be discussed will be; A Retiree's biggest mistake and how to avoid it Three ways to potentially get an immediate inerease in your incone Stock selection systems that show you what to buy and sell and when to buy and Sell - no more guessing PTEASE NONFY MAR IMMEDIAIELY WHEi{ YOU RETOCAIE - OR - CHANGE ANY PERSONAI-'GONTACT'' INFORMATIOI{ Addless: (Former) l{ew: Tel ilonce OF NAME OR ADDRESS CHANGE Note: lf you plan to be away any time during the yea4 please notily us so that we can send the UPDATE to the prcper addrcss. Apprcximate Time Away: From Date:_ To Date:_ Is your fixed annuity company taking advantage of you? The Least-Cost Method of Long-Term Care Protection Do you own bond funds? Why Time Magazine published the article, "Bond- Fund Buyer Beware" (3/2/98) Central and Mid Coast Maine-Senior Spectrum, the Central Area Agency on Aging are offering free *Money Saving Benefits" presentations to seniors throughout the central Maine area now through the month of June. 'With the support and collaboration of AARP Maine, Senior Spectrum will be visiting towns in central Maline counties to help inform seniors about the many benefit programs available, and assisthem in completing program applications. Many income eligible older adults can qualify for a variety of benefit programs that they may not know about. Seniors have found that they can save significant amounts of money by applying for these benefits. The Medicare Savings Program is one such proglam that can pay the cost of a persont Medicare Pan B premium, saving an individual $800 a year. Other iirograms can help individuals save money on their fuel costs, food expenses and prescription drugs. Money Saving Benefits presentations will help seniors identify the various programs available to rhem and assist them in determining if they meet the income eligibility r quirements. Locations for Money Saving Benefits presentations in May include: May 1st - Unity: Barn Raisers - Unity Community Center, 32 School Streer. Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. (contact person'wood ubr@uninet,net) May 4th - Brunswick: Elders' Educarion and Health Exposition - Cook's Corner Mall - Tuesday, 9:00 a.m. - 1;00 p.m. May 5rh - Cushing: Cushing Senior Citizens - Broad Cove Church, Pleasant Point Road - Wednesday, 10:00 a-m. May 8th - Skowhegan: Senior Appreciation Day - Skowhegan Area High School, West Front Street, Saturdag 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. May 11th - Friendship: Friendship- Cushing Senior Citizens - Methodist Church, Main Street - Tuaday, 12:30 p.m. -cantinued on pg. 5 MAR Winter Updote 2004

5 May 12th - Oakland: Oakland Town Office - 5 Cascade Mill Road - \Tednesday, 10:00 a.m noon. May 13th - Waterville: Muskie Community Center - 38 Gold Street - Thursday, l0:00 a.m. May 18th - Rockland: Senior Spectrum Knox Resource Center - Rockland Senior Citizens - Tuesday, 1:00 p.m. May 18th - Canaan: Canaan Town Hall - Route 2 - Tuesday,9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. May 25th - Albion: Albion Town Office - Upstairs in the Bessey Building, 22 Main Street - TuesdaS 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a,m. For more information, call the Information Specialists within Senior Spectrum at , Monday - Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Maine businesses need your acquired knowledge, skills, and abilities in their organizations - NOW. Are you interested in full or part-time paid employment? Go to your local Manpower Office, CareerCenter, or online at There are jobs available - and employers who are savvy enough to recognrze the outstanding value in hiring, training, and holding onto older workers. More and more businesses are realizing that they need the abundance of knowledge and experience that is still available from Mainet seasoned workers to keep themselves operational - and to ensure they improve or maintain the highest quality of service to their customers. Many businesses will adjust their work scheduling to accommodate the part-time or seasonal work desired by seasoned workers. Please, check it out! You (financially and health-wise), businesses (they get hard workers with instilled good work ethic and custom r relation skills), and your community will bene{it by putting seasoned workers back into the jobs market. Senior Spectrum at Muskie Center in Waterville, Maine needs volunteer van drivers for senior adventure trips in Maine. Lunch will be provided. No long-time commitment - start immediately and continue as often or little as you like. It's a wonderful way to spend the day. Please call Tina at the Muskie Center ( ) for information about the next scheduled trip. MAR BIDS FAREWETL TO LAWRENCE GOTE Lawrence Cote of Augusta passed away on March 5, He was a long time member of MAR, and was the designer of the previous MAR Logo. We extend our condolences to his family and friends. 5 THANK YOU, FOR YOUR RESPONSE TO THE CAIL TO ACTION IN MAR'S FALL UPDATE It's not over.,.we need to go at them again with letters and e-rnails. There was a quick and substantial response to MAR's Call to Action on the front page of the fall newsletter Thank you, to all of you that took the time and effort to contact Maine's legislators concerning the pending HR 594 an S 349 bills in 'Washington, D.C. We received responses from the legislators that indicated they were aware of public concern on the matter. Please don't stop. Pull out the fall issue and give them another round of letters and s. YOU can make a difference. DENTAL NEWS MAR members: You do not need to wait until dental open enrollment each year to sign up for coverage, Call Erica at the MAR office and ask her for information on the program - or coverage options. MAR'S EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Chades Andrews, President Edmund Hagan, 1st Vice-President Isabella Thurston, 2nd Vice-President Edwin Pert, Secretary Robert Redman, Treasurer Esther Jean, Auditor Herbert SperrS Past President Flo Hoover, Ex. Director (non-voting) John Wake{ield, Leg/Fin Pro.Mgr (non-voting) THE NOMINAilNG COMMITTEE WIIL MEET ON MAY 3RD The Nominating Committee will meet on May 3rd to review the applications to fill vacancies that exist on MAR's Executive Committee. Vacancies to be filled are: 2nd Vice- President, Treasurer, and Secretary. Applications have been received from Henry Carbone of Fort Kent, Edwin Pert of Georgetown, and Hilary Fleming of Freedom, The Nominating Committee's recommendations will be presented to MAR members at this May 11th Annual Meeting. MAR Winter Uodoie 2004

6 Desk As young boy my mother used to say to me, "As you grow older, the time seems to pass quickly." I guess we could call such an observation a truism. It was nearly two years ago that I accepted the nomination and eventual electoral office of President of MAR. The time has arrived for me to bid goodbye as President of this organization in this newsletter. As ofjuly 1, 2004, I will assume the position of Past President. I can now appreciate my mother's comments and know how right she was. The time seems to have "flown-by." These last two years at MAR have been interesting, rewarding, and challenging. There have been changes in the ranks of regional representatives, alternates, the Executive Committee, the position of Executive Director and Administrative staff. Through the efforts and dedication of the staff of MAR and the volunteers with whom we could not have done without, the organization has become stronger and the benefits of many of the membership have improved during these last two years. If you were to visit MAR headquarters, you would find our Executive Director busy on the phone, and at the computer negotiating for improved benefits for our membership. Members of the Executive Committee spend time at home working on MAR business. We continue to pursue many of the recommendations, which were made by our consultants in an effort to strengthen MAR. Our membership continues to grow at a rapid rate and we are committed to "knocking on the door of opportuniry" whenever and wherever ir appears. And finally, my thanks to all for assisting me in the many facets of my role as President. Charles R. Andrews President palsanbau ajrlua ssajppy t??0 aure ^l'alepeurlxrel anua^v aurer! 082