Give Back Sundays at Zwanger Pesiri Radiology

Uninsured Long Island residents can get free radiological services Starting Sunday, April 19, 2009, at Zwanger Pesiri Radiology. One Sunday each month, they will be open and staffed by volunteers, including radiologists, technologists and receptionists offering a full array of exams, including MRI, MRA, Breast MRI, CTA, Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT, Digital X-Ray, Digital Mammography, Barium Enema, Upper GI Series, Bone Density, Ultrasound, and Biopsy.

To be eligible, patients must have a doctor's referral and prescription, live in Nassau or Suffolk County, and not have health insurance.

For more information, please visit ZPgivebacksundays.org. To schedule an appointment, please call the volunteer Give Back Sunday line @ 631-930-9460.

FEDERAL STIMULUS PAYMENT OF $250 WILL NOT JEOPARDIZE PUBLIC BENEFITS

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will provide a payment of $250 to each recipient of Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Railroad Retirement Benefits and Veterans Disability Compensation or Pension Benefits. The payments will be issued by the federal government beginning in May.

The stimulus payments will not be counted as income or a resource when determining a household’s eligibility, or benefit level, for federally-funded programs including Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Food Stamps, the Home Energy Assistance Program and Medicaid. New York State is extending the exemption to single adults, childless couples and families receiving aid through the State’s Safety Net Assistance program.

For more information on the payment, check the Social Security Administration’s website, www.ssa.gov/payment/.

SSI and SSD recipients to get a one-time payment of $250 in May!

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which the President signed into law in February, provides for a one-time payment of $250 to people receiving Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.

The one-time recovery payments will go out in May 2009 and all payments should be received by the end of May. In April, Social Security will send a letter with additional information to each person who is eligible for the one-time payment. The payments will be sent automatically, meaning no action is required on the part of the person receiving benefits. The economic recovery payments will be made separately from a person’s regular monthly payments.

All adults who receive Social Security benefits, including disabled adult children (but not minor children) are eligible for $250 payment. In addition, all persons who receive SSI payments, including minor children, are eligible for the payment. that regular monthly payments are made. People with direct deposit will receive their payments electronically. Those who receive paper checks will receive their payments in the mail. People who receive regular payments through the Direct Express debit card will receive their one-time payments through the card.

To learn more about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, visit www.recovery.gov.

FOOD STAMPS ARE GOING UP!

Under the President’s new stimulus package, Food Stamps (now known as SNAP benefits) will be going up starting April 2009. The extra benefits will be added automatically to the EBT card. The following summarizes the increases according to family size:

1 + $24
2 + $44
3 + $63
4 + $80
5 + $95
6 + $114
7 + $126
8 + $144
Each extra person + $18

Note: This chart shows the additional amount most households in the lower 48 States and the District of Columbia will receive. Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, and the Virgin Islands have different tables.