Myasthenia gravis support group

St. Joseph Myasthenia Gravis Support Group will meet from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Nov. 21 in the dining room at Joyce Raye Patterson Senior Center, 100 S. 10th St. to discuss illness prevention. Enter from the lower level parking lot. For more information, call 279-8291 or e-mail dlwhittaker@hotmail.com.

Benefit for 15-year-old

A spaghetti dinner and auction beginning at 5 p.m. Nov. 21 at North Platte High School in Dearborn, Mo., will benefit Jordan Snook, a 15-year-old girl diagnosed with neuro cardiogenic syncope. The condition requires that Jordan receive a pacemaker implant.

Dinner will be served from 5 to 7 p.m. for donations of $7 per plate, dessert and drink included. Magician and hypnotist B.J. Talley will provide entertainment, and the benefit auction led by Rob Barker Auction Services will begin at 7 p.m.

Monetary donations can be made at Platte Valley Bank, 102 Main St. in Dearborn. To donate to the auction, please contact Chris Poepping of Friend Raisers at (816) 935-3410 or cpoepping@co.platte.mo.us, Darla Emmendorfer at (816) 769-5978 or D.Hall.Emmendorfer@gmail.com or Jennifer Snook at (816) 244-4368 or jsnook@naturesownemu.com.

Blood drive at Heartland

Community Blood Center will hold a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 19 in Oak Rooms I and II at Heartland Regional Medical Center. To make an appointment, go online to www.savealife.org and use sponsor code "heartlandregional" or contact Kathy Albers at 271-6879 or Kathy.Albers@heartland-health.com.

Medicare open enrollment begins

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is encouraging Medicare beneficiaries to take advantage of the annual open enrollment period to make sure they have the best coverage available to meet their healthcare needs in 2010.

The open enrollment period began Nov. 15 and runs through Dec. 31. It's the one time every year when all people with Medicare can review and, if necessary, change their current healthcare coverage.

Beneficiaries can go to www.medicare.gov or call (800) MEDICARE (800-633-4227) to make changes in their Medicare prescription drug and health coverage. People in original Medicare without prescription drug coverage can enroll in a drug plan or health plan that offers drug coverage during open enrollment. Medicare customer service representatives are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week with multiple language options and resources for people with disabilities.

CMS also offers tips to help beneficiaries protect themselves against fraud and identity theft during the open enrollment period. Medicare recommends that people treat their Medicare number as they do their social security number and credit card information. Beneficiaries should not give personal information to anyone who comes to their home uninvited or makes an unsolicited phone call selling Medicare-related products or services. Beneficiaries who believe they are a victim of fraud or identity theft should contact (800) HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477)/ (TDY#: 800-377-4950) to report the incident. More information is available at www.stopmedicarefraud.gov.

Lifestyles reporter Erin Wisdom can be reached at ewisdom@npgco.com.