Southern Senior Care Blog

Hello Southern Senior Care Blog Readers,

My name is Amanda, and I had never anticipated being a caregiver or being responsible for my mother who has usually done most of the caregiving in my family. It is really stressful for me and my siblings to find information about taking care of my mom since we try to do it ourselves, being on a limited budget. However, we don’t always have time, and working with an agency can be rather expensive. I found a great website called TheCaringSpace.com where you can post a listing for free and get connected with caregivers in your area. It is a great option for people who want to independently connect with caregivers in an affordable, easy way without working with a third party. The site even allows caregivers to provide background checks and references so you don’t waste your time on people who aren’t serious. There is a lot of good information provided for people like me who don’t really know the ropes when it comes to caregiving or where to start when it comes to seeking respite care for my family.

Thanks!

Amanda

This is a very common question and a source for considerable confusion. First, lets take a look at a sample Medicare Card below. You will notice your Name and Medicare number. Your medicare number is usually your Social Security number followed by the letter “A.” If your’s is not the letter A, don’t worry, there are about 30 different codes. Next on your card you will see Part A and a date. If you are paying for Part B, you will see Part B and a date listed as well. Let’s discuss Parts A and B first, then we’ll go on to Parts C and D. >>> Read the rest …

News May Not be as Bad as it Sounds

On July 15th, General Motors announced that retired salaried employees 65 and older will lose their GM medical benefits. In exchange, GM will increase pension payments by $300 per month. My father is a retired GM employee, so I am very familiar with this situation. >>> Read the rest …

Based on our research and your feedback, the majority of U.S. citizens believe that the Medicare Part D “Drug Plan” has worked well and did reduce out-of-pocket costs for prescription medicines in 2006 and 2007. Even so, we have spoken with a few clients whose experiences were not so positive.

This month’s main story will focus on a number of cost cutting strategies which could help you save money on your prescription drugs. We’ll start off with some simple, straightforward methods and finish with a few lesser known strategies.

>>> Read the rest …

Southern Senior Care has developed a short checklist to make sure meet all of your Medicare Related deadlines without incuring any delays or penalties. Print out a copy and keep it with you until you complete all of the items. If you have any questions, contact information is included at the bottom of the checklist.

There are many things to consider when deciding whether to go with a traditional Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Plan or a Medicare Advantage plan. I was not sure I wanted to try and create this comparison document, but I believe the infomation below will help you get an overview of these two Healthcare Options. Again, I want to stress that deciding between these two options is a very important decision. You should meet with an experience Medicare Supplement Agent to discuss your specific circumstances. So, on to the comparison… >>> Read the rest …