News

SWMC CEO: Medicare Advantage not an advantage

ROBERT PIERCE

• Leader & Times

Open enrollment for Medicare for 2025 is currently under way and will run through Dec. 7, and while enrolling in Medicare is encouraged by many in the medical profession, officials with Liberal’s Southwest Medical Center are advising caution when choosing a plan.

SWMC CEO Amber Williams said hospital leaders want patients to fully understand the benefits offered by traditional Medicare plans Part A and Part B and those offered by Part C, more commonly known as Medicare Advantage.

Vazquez helps boyfriend become citizen

ROBERT PIERCE

• Leader & Times

Janeth Vazquez has been teaching citizenship classes to many local immigrants to help them become American citizens for several years.

Among the people she has taught was her mother, Beatriz Cuellar, in 2021, and now, Vazquez has taught her boyfriend citizenship, as Nestor Castillo officially became an American citizen recently.

Castillo was born in Mexico, moving to America with his family at the age of 9, and he has two daughters and has worked at Liberal’s National Beef for about five years. He said becoming a U.S. citizen was something he did more for his children than anything else.

Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) opens early in Kansas

Special to the Leader & Times

The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) has announced that Kansans needing assistance with winter energy bills will be able to begin applying for its Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) Monday, Nov. 18. Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. March 31, 2025.

“Kansas winters can be harsh and unpredictable. When temperatures fall, heating bills rise. By opening the LIEAP application period in mid-November, we’re hoping families will have the help they need to cover those higher heating bills and stay warm in their homes,” said DCF Secretary Laura Howard.

Kansas Medicaid wins national spotlight award for exceptional adaptability during unwinding

Special to the Leader & Times

The National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD) has awarded its 2024 Spotlight Award to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) for Kansas Medicaid’s remarkable flexibility and innovation throughout the Medicaid unwinding process. Kansas distinguished itself by successfully completing unwinding on schedule with no application backlog, while continuously adapting its approach to address emerging challenges.

Join WKCF in celebration to recognize local impact of community foundations

Western Kansas Community Foundation

GARDEN CITY – Western Kansas Community Foundation (WKCF) will join in a nationwide celebration, Nov. 12-18, to recognize the increasingly important role that community foundations play in strengthening localities and mitigating social issues like food insecurity, or strengthening vital community resources related to health, education and social services.