Story by Darl Devault, Contributing Editor

The annual Friends of the Metro Library Booksale in February is growing as senior volunteers step up to face the challenge of a crowd so large that organizers needed to limit the number of shoppers allowed in the largest building at the same time.
The used book selection was the most extensive ever seen at the book sale, as was the number of shoppers. Fortunately, the “Better Books” section in the smaller building had no entry restrictions during the day. Thousands of book lovers lined up early on Saturday, February 25, well before the 9 a.m. opening in the Oklahoma Expo Hall at the Oklahoma City State Fairgrounds.
Heather Zeoli, Metro Library System director of development said, “This event is growing every year, and we are proud of our volunteers, including Ellen DeFehr, who is working at the back of this building today.”
It was undoubtedly a record crowd for Saturday, but estimating the number of shoppers at an event when the crowd never ends is difficult.
Many customers from out of state see the book sale as a do-not-miss event every year. In the crowd shopping the better books area, one senior customer said he had never missed a book sale. At the table for books by Oklahoma authors and books about Oklahoma, he was so excited that he was willing to brag about his good fortune this year.
John Carpenter, 68, was proud of what he found on offer this year. “I am buying a book written and autographed by Bobby Murcer (May 2008 autobiography, “Yankee for Life: My 40-Year Journey in Pinstripes” published by HarperCollins),” Carpenter said in an interview. “Murcer was a Southeast High School baseball player who replaced another superstar Oklahoman, Mickey Mantle, in the New York Yankees outfield. It is amazing to buy this donated book in such great condition with his autograph. It is as amazing as finding his autographed 1966 rookie card, except this is from the end of his career in the limelight since he died only two months after it was published.”
Carpenter, a Choctaw resident and retired Oklahoma probation and parole officer, has become a well-known local yoga and spin teacher since retiring in 2011.
The sale’s popularity has led to a competitive atmosphere among shoppers, who know this is a once-a-year opportunity to find great deals on books and other media. Despite the frenzied atmosphere, the sale remains a favorite among book lovers and bargain hunters alike, offering a unique opportunity to discover new authors and titles while stocking up on beloved favorites.
Customers come to shop for various reasons. Some try to select bestsellers, classics, collectibles, and research books needed for school. Others seek to complete personal libraries in certain subjects, while parents strive to enhance their children’s reading exposure. The children’s section was swamped all day.
Providing a diverse selection of paperback and hardcover books, CDs, DVDs, magazines and more for every demographic of customers this year, the sale’s theme was “Books Bring Us Together.” The books featured many subjects—fiction, nonfiction, cookbooks, biographies, medical, westerns, romance, children’s, encyclopedias, reference and foreign language books. Several thousand big print books were offered with the larger point-size fonts needed to make reading easier for those with weak eyesight.
Despite the vast number of books on offer, the sale is organized by many senior volunteers in a way that allows customers to navigate through the different sections of tables easily. The literary sale has become a special event in Oklahoma and beyond, offering book lovers a chance to discover new titles, expand their collections, and connect with like-minded individuals. The sale’s success is a testament to the enduring appeal of the written word. Its continued popularity was a testament to the passion and dedication of its volunteer organizers and supporters.
Volunteers worked tirelessly to ensure that everything ran smoothly. They went to great lengths to ensure that the thousands of books were well organized by subject and shoppers could easily find what they wanted. With so much on offer, getting lost in the sea of books could be easy, but the volunteers were always ready to help.
The sale raised money to support the Metropolitan Library System. In its 43-year run, the Friends had given more than $5 million in grants to the system.

Gerald Jaquith lived a frugal, unassuming life. A math teacher who’d retired from Ringwood High School, he was still driving the Ford truck he’d bought in 1986 when he died last summer in an accident on his Waynoka farm at the age of 78.
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation officials were recently surprised to learn that Jaquith, who’d given OMRF approximately $7,500 over a period of 33 years, had made the Oklahoma City nonprofit the sole beneficiary of his estate. They were stunned when they discovered the estate totaled more than $2 million in assets.
Jaquith never told John Meinders, his long-time attorney, why he chose OMRF as his beneficiary, but the Woodward lawyer suspects it stems from his client’s loss of his brother and parents to heart disease.
“Gerald was a man with vision and a strict set of values. He always wanted to help other people,” said Meinders.
Jaquith grew up in rural Woods County, on land that his family settled around the time of the Land Run. Jaquith helpied his father tend nearly 1,000 acres of land, where the family grew wheat and raised cattle.
After college, Jaquith made his way to Texas and New Mexico, teaching high school math in both places. But when his father and brother passed away, he returned to western Oklahoma in 1984 to help his mother run the farm.
Jaquith continued teaching math in the Shattuck and Ringwood schools, encouraging his charges to head to college and expand their horizons, much as he had.
Mark Dickinson, a friend who helped Jaquith tend his farm for many years, described Jaquith as “a good-natured, everyday kind of person, the type of guy who would stop to help someone broken down on the side of the road.”
Dickinson said he wasn’t surprised when he learned his friend had left his estate to charity. “He was kind-hearted about everything he did.”
After Jaquith’s passing, OMRF Senior Director of Development Sonny Wilkinson visited Jaquith’s farm.
There, Wilkinson found the remains of a life lived simply and frugally: Tinkerbell, the dwarf cow with a crippled leg Jaquith had chosen to keep as a pet; a cache of family photos; a collection of farm equipment he used to tend the land that had been in his family for generations.
Atop a stack of documents and a neatly folded pair of new overalls on the kitchen table, Wilkinson also discovered a copy of OMRF’s 2015 annual report.
Meinders sold Jaquith’s farm to a neighbor and is still in the process of liquidating the remainder of his assets, which also included savings accounts and bonds. When the process is complete, Meinders estimates OMRF will receive more than $2 million from the estate.
Because Jaquith did not designate the gift to any particular type of research, the donation can be used to fund areas of OMRF research where they’re needed most. OMRF scientists work on projects affecting a wide range of illnesses, including cancer, Alzheimer’s and heart disease.
“We’ll never know exactly why Mr. Jaquith decided to help OMRF, but we’re extremely grateful he did,” said Wilkinson. “I only wish I’d had a chance to meet him and to say thank you.”

Hospitals Helping Patients Quit (HHPQ), an Oklahoma Hospital Association (OHA) initiative, recognized 11 hospitals and clinic partners at OHA’s recent Connect 22 annual conference that have achieved notable benchmarks in reducing tobacco use in Oklahoma. These visionary hospitals and clinics have implemented a permanent and standard best-practice protocol for identifying, counseling, and referring individuals to the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline (OTH) for coaching support and nicotine replacement therapy.
OHA recognized these hospital leaders for achieving notable benchmarks in clinical tobacco treatment:

Helpline Referrals 100-499
Great Plains Regional Medical Center, Elk City – 100 referrals

McAlester Regional Health Center – 150 referrals
Cedar Ridge Behavioral Hospital, Oklahoma City– 275 referrals

Helpline Referrals 500-999

AllianceHealth Ponca City – 500 referrals

Stillwater Medical Center – 600 referrals
INTEGRIS Health Edmond – 600 referrals

Helpline Referrals 1000-1999
OU Health, Oklahoma City – 1,000 referrals

Comanche County Memorial Hospital, Lawton – 1,100 referrals

Helpline Referrals 2000 or more

SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital – Oklahoma City – 2,850 referrals

Chickasaw Nation Medical Center, Ada – 5,000 referrals

INTEGRIS Outpatient Clinics – 8,600 referrals
Through effective, health care provider-driven tobacco treatment services, HHPQ partner hospitals and clinics have referred 55,000 patients to the OTH, resulting in an estimated 39,000 years of life saved and $19.5 million dollars in reduced health care costs as well as personal spending on tobacco products.
The Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) supports OHA’s Hospitals Helping Patients Quit and the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline. For more information the HHPQ initiative, go to https://www.okoha.com/hhpq. For information on the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline,
http://okhelpline.com.

Dear Savvy Senior, How do I go about appealing Medicare when they won’t pay for something that they covered in the past? Rejected Rhonda

Dear Rhonda,
If you disagree with a coverage or payment decision made by Medicare, you can appeal, and you’ll be happy to know that around half of all appeals are successful, so it’s definitely worth your time.
But before going that route, talk with the doctor, hospital and Medicare to see if you can spot the problem and resubmit the claim. Some denials are caused by simple billing code errors by the doctor’s office or hospital. If, however, that doesn’t fix the problem, here’s how you appeal.
Original Medicare Appeals
If you have original Medicare, start with your quarterly Medicare Summary Notice (MSN). This statement will list all the services, supplies and equipment billed to Medicare for your medical treatment and will tell you why a claim was denied. You can also check your Medicare claims early online at MyMedicare.gov, or by calling Medicare at 800-633-4227.
There are five levels of appeals for original Medicare, although you can initiate a fast-track consideration for ongoing care, such as rehabilitation. Most people have to go through several levels to get a denial overturned.
You have 120 days after receiving the MSN to request a “redetermination” by a Medicare contractor, who reviews the claim. Circle the items you’re disputing on the MSN, provide an explanation of why you believe the denial should be reversed, and include any supporting documents like a letter from the doctor or hospital explaining why the charge should be covered. Then send it to the address on the form.
You can also use the Medicare Redetermination Form. See CMS.gov/Medicare/CMS-Forms/CMS-Forms/downloads/CMS20027.pdf to download it or call 800-633-4227 to request a copy by mail.
The contractor will usually decide within 60 days after receiving your request. If your request is denied, you can request for “reconsideration” from a different claims reviewer and submit additional evidence.
A denial at this level ends the matter, unless the charges in dispute are at least $160 in 2019. In that case, you can request a hearing with an administrative law judge. The hearing is usually held by videoconference or teleconference.
If you have to go to the next level, you can appeal to the Medicare Appeals Council. Then, for claims of at least $1,630 in 2019, the final level of appeals is judicial review in U.S. District Court.
Advantage and Part D Appeals
If you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage health plan or Part D prescription drug plan the appeals process is slightly different. With these plans you have only 60 days to initiate an appeal. And in both cases, you must start by appealing directly to the private insurance plan, rather than to Medicare.
If you think that your plan’s refusal is jeopardizing your health, you can ask for a “fast decision,” where a Part D insurer must respond within 24 hours, and Medicare Advantage health plan must provide an answer within 72 hours.
If you disagree with your plan’s decision, you can file an appeal, which like original Medicare, has five levels. If you disagree with a decision made at any level, you can appeal to the next level.
For more information, along with step-by-step procedures on how to make an appeal, visit Medicare.gov and click on the “Claims & Appeals” tab at the top of the page.
Get Help
If you need some help contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which has counselors that can help you understand the billing process and even file your appeal for you for free. To locate your local SHIP, visit ShiptaCenter.org or call 877-839-2675. The Medicare Rights Center also offers free phone counseling at 800-333-4114.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

www.acs-okc.com

Advocates and Community Organizations Can Help Connect People with the Social Security Administration

The Social Security Administration has a long history of outreach and coordination with advocates and community-based organizations across the nation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, continuing to work with advocates and community-based organizations is essential to reaching the country’s most vulnerable populations, including individuals with low income, limited English proficiency, mental illness, or those facing homelessness. The agency is fully committed to assisting people in gaining access to the information and services they need with a specific emphasis on applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.
“I made this issue a strategic agency priority and focused resources to reach vulnerable communities and help them access our services and receive their benefits. I ask leaders in every community to share information about our programs with people and help them connect with us to apply for benefits,” said Andrew Saul, Commissioner of Social Security. “Social Security is working on many initiatives to reach vulnerable populations and I am pleased to share information about our national outreach campaign, developed in collaboration with leaders in the community, to raise awareness of the SSI and SSDI programs.”
To ensure effective outreach to these vulnerable populations who need access to agency programs, and to the advocates and organizations who can help to connect people with Social Security, the agency launched a national campaign to raise awareness of the SSI and SSDI programs and encourage people to apply. Campaign efforts include:
A new webpage, People Helping Others, at
www.socialsecurity.gov/thirdparty, for anyone who could assist another person with accessing Social Security’s programs and services;
A new outreach website, at
www.socialsecurity.gov/thirdparty/groups/vulnerable-populations.html where all partner groups can access informational materials to share through their networks, including resources tailored to specific vulnerable populations;
An updated Faith-Based and Community Groups website at
www.socialsecurity.gov/thirdparty/groups/faithandcommunity.html with a new outreach toolkit and SSI and SSDI fact sheets. The agency coordinated this effort with the White House, and the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships is helping to promote these resources; and
An upcoming national advertising campaign to support all outreach efforts on TV, radio, and social media, with special emphasis on children with disabilities (see the recently redesigned website focused on SSI for children at
www.socialsecurity.gov/benefits/disability/apply-child.html. TV and radio PSAs highlighting SSI for children currently are being tested in the Dallas, TX area to determine their impact.
The agency is now completing training videos for community-based caseworkers to help their clients with the SSI application process.
People can apply for SSI benefits, and for other benefit programs, through a telephone appointment with the agency, even while local offices are not able to accept walk-in visitors. More people need to be made aware of the SSI program and reminded that they can call toll-free 1-800-772-1213, or their local Social Security office, to make a phone appointment to apply for SSI. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may call Social Security’s TTY number, 1-800-325-0778.

Photography and Text by Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn t4z@aol.com

With so much time on our hands it is comforting to look back on the opportunities you had with experiences with the talents and charisma in theater. November of course is a time for Thanksgiving, and I know you are as I am, being grateful for gabbing significant experiences.

Three such persons for which to be thankful are, actor-teacher, Jonathan Beck Reed, choreographer and dancers, Derek and Julianne Hough, and singer musician, Peter Cincotti.
Well known to avid theater goers of Oklahoma is Jonathan Beck Reed. He started his acing career as a child in Lyric Theaters “Carousel” in the early 1970’s. As a professional he toured the nation as Harold Hill in “Music Man” and reprises the role a September ago when he led the Concert Version at OCC, which featured many familiar Oklahoma Actors. Besides portraying the epitome of Harold Hill, another memorable role was as Brick in “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof,” presented in the now razed Theater Center, as well as Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof.”
Perhaps my favorite was in the “Will Rogers Follies,” where his charm and talent exceed expectations of any Will Rogers fan. Among other venues the “Follies” was presented on a mobile stage in 2007 at the State Capital for the Oklahoma Centennial Festival of Statehood. Currently Reed is again Ebenezer Scrooge in Lyric’s holiday favorite, “A Christmas Carol,” this year presented outside at the Harn Homestead in Oklahoma City. The duel cast show runs through mid-December, so bundle up and get your tickets as there is only one hundred available for each show. Besides his versatility, if for no other reason he qualifies as Greatness for his professional longevity. It has been my pleasure to have seen Jonathan Beck Reed in many productions.
Fans of “Dancing With The Stars,” TV show already know of Derek Hough’s dancing and choreography skills. He has won many awards for his choreography. His radiant personality and inventive dance makes him a natural for admiration. He was in Oklahoma City a few years back with his touring dance show. Seizing the opportunity, I bought a high-priced VIP ticket which included a personal short meet and greet before the performance. This event was well attended.
The production company allowed personal greetings with arms over shoulders for a commemorative photograph. Before the greeting patrons could pose in front of a “green screen”, producing their image alongside Derek and sister, Julianne dancing. This image was either presented in hard copy form or in a digital file. Seeing Derek, now a “Judge on Dancing with the Stars,” and in special TV appearances, gives a personal connection to dancing greatness. I think the choreography was equal to the great Gerald Arpino, of Joffrey Ballet fame, which I saw decades ago in Wichita Kansas’s Century Two theater. That night in Oklahoma City it was my pleasure to relay that evaluation comparison to Derek and Julianne during our brief Meet and Greet.
Sometimes you just happen upon concert greatness, as I did at Edmond’s intimate Jazz Lab where touring Jazz pianist and singer, Peter Cincotti performed. While the drums and bass were a little overpowering in person, as often can happen with live combos, Cincotti’s talent and song empathy came through strong and clear. Putting his talent aside, his good youthful looks made a charismatic hit with the audience. As a hardworking professional he showed appreciation for his audience by staying over to sign autographs, CDs and a poster, which is now on display in the Lobby of the Jazz Lab. Later, listening to several of his CDs refreshed the memory of an exceptionally good time. Some songs elicited mature good-natured attitudes on love and dating, and others were just slow and heartfelt. Wanting a reprise performance by scouring his web page I could not find an appearance near Oklahoma, nor wanted to hop a plane to Japan. This reaffirmed the slogan, get while the getting is good, as it may be a onetime thing. I returned to the Jazz lab to take in theatrical productions such as, “Merry We Roll Along,” “The Grass Harp” and university faculty concerts.
Thanks to you my readers for joining me in my reminiscences, that only Seniors can do, and hoping this encourages you to do the same, and revel, enjoy and congratulate yourself for your good time choices.

Mr. Terry Zinn – Travel Editor
Past President: International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association
3110 N.W. 15 Street – Oklahoma City, OK 73107
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