Task force to improve nutrition among seniors, disabled
U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-1st dist.) introduced the Senior Nutrition Task Force Act to establish a special working group to combat hunger and malnutrition among senior citizens and adults with disabilities.
Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett co-leads the House bill, and Sens. Susan Collins and Bob Casey Jr. introduced a companion bill in the Senate.
“Food insecurity is persisting amid the post-pandemic recovery and is affecting the most vulnerable in our communities, including our seniors and those who have disabilities,” Fitzpatrick said. “I am proud to be leading this bipartisan effort to establish a task force dedicated to improving nutrition outcomes and focused on streamlining the process for seniors and disabled Americans to be able to better utilize their nutrition benefits.”
The bill is endorsed by The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Bipartisan Policy Center and the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging. ••
Presentations on estate planning
Bucks County Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans’ Court Linda Bobrin will be giving presentations at senior centers across Bucks County, addressing the importance of estate planning.
Half-hour-long presentations will be held on the following dates: Sept. 11 at 11 a.m., at Upper Bucks Senior Center; Sept. 19 at 10 a.m., at Bensalem Senior Citizens Association; and Oct. 6 at 9:30 a.m., at Northampton Township James E. Kinney Center.
For more information, email Rachel Landsberg at ralandsberg@buckscounty.org. ••
33 years of the ADA
Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick and Debbie Dingell, co-chairs of the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus, introduced a resolution commemorating the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act on the 33rd anniversary of its signing into law.
Sen. Bob Casey Jr. introduced a companion resolution in the Senate.
“On the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we must recognize the meaningful strides that this landmark law has taken to prohibit discrimination against Americans with disabilities,” Fitzpatrick said. “As co-chair of the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus, I am proud to always work across the aisle to support the disability community and address the challenges that they face everyday.”
The ADA is a civil rights law that bans discrimination against Americans who face disability challenges in all areas of the public, including schools, employment, transportation and the general public.
Protections are granted to Americans with disabilities, similar to protections given to individuals to prevent discrimination based upon race, sex, color, national origin, age or religion.
The ADA guarantees equal opportunity for disabled individuals in public accommodations, transportation, employment, government and telecommunications. ••
Farry office hours in Bensalem
State Sen. Frank Farry (R-6th dist.) is offering satellite office hours the first Wednesday of every month, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Bensalem Township Municipal Building, 2400 Byberry Road, Bensalem.
Farry’s staff will be on site to assist with state government services; Property Tax/Rent Rebate applications, birth and death certificate applications, SEPTA Senior Key card registrations and renewals; and unemployment issues. ••
Transparency in drug prices
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, introduced the Health Insurance Price Transparency Act of 2023 and was joined by Rep. Susie Lee.
Chairman Jason Smith also supports Fitzpatrick’s legislation, which is included in the committee’s markup of H.R. 4822.
“All Americans have the right to know the cost of their healthcare services, and my bipartisan bill helps to achieve that by helping patients make better-informed decisions surrounding their health insurance,” Fitzpatrick said. “The Health Insurance Price Transparency Act of 2023 provides key patient protections by promoting transparency and helping consumers better use health insurance pricing information to shop around for the best option for patients and their families, while giving patients the ability to learn and understand how much a health service will cost them. I thank Chairman Smith for his support, and I look forward to the House passing my bipartisan legislation.”
The Health Insurance Price Transparency Act of 2023 will provide patient protections by promoting transparency and better usability of health insurance pricing information; codify an existing rule that health insurers are already complying with while strengthening transparency and reducing duplication; mandate price transparency requirements via a patient-specific transparency tool; and implement a requirement to make machine-readable files for out-of-network rates and in-network rates, and make drug prices public. ••
Lower South supervisor meeting schedule
The Lower Southampton Township Board of Supervisors will meet on Wednesday, Aug. 9, at 7:30 p.m., at the Township Building, 1500 Desire Ave., Feasterville.
Future meetings, all at the same times and location, are scheduled for Sept. 13 and 27, Oct. 11 and 25, Nov. 8 and 20 and Dec. 13 and 20. ••
Bensalem Council meeting schedule
Bensalem Township Council meetings are generally held on the second and fourth Mondays of each month at 7 p.m. in the Municipal Building at 2400 Byberry Road, Bensalem.
Meetings can be viewed live on Comcast Xfinity Channel 22 in Bensalem and on Verizon Fios Channel 34 throughout Bucks County. They can also be streamed live on the Bensalem Township YouTube channel.
The schedule is Aug. 14 and 28, Sept. 11, Oct. 16, Nov. 13 and 27 and Dec. 4 (budget meeting) and 11. ••
Bensalem school board meeting schedule
The Bensalem Township Board of School Directors holds meetings on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Dorothy D. Call Administrative Center, 3000 Donallen Drive, Bensalem.
Upcoming meetings will take place on Aug. 22, Sept. 26, Oct. 24, Nov. 28 and Dec. 19 (third Tuesday).
The public is invited to attend.
The School Board annual reorganization meeting will be held on Monday, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m. ••
Commissioners meeting Aug. 2
The Bucks County Commissioners will hold their next meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 2, at 10:30 a.m. at the Bucks County Administration Building, 55 E. Court St., in Doylestown.
The meeting will be broadcast on the county’s YouTube channel.
Future meetings will be on Aug. 16, Sept. 6, Sept. 20, Oct. 4, Oct. 18, Nov. 1, Nov. 15, Dec. 6 and Dec. 20. ••
