Southern Senior Care Blog

Are you confused with Medicare? What do you sign up for? When do you sign up? How much you should pay for the different plans? What are the penalties if you don’t sign up in time? If you have been asking any or all of these questions, you are NOT alone. This is one of the most confusing times in Medicare history. Not since Medicare was introduced in 1965 have there been so many choices - Medicare Supplement or Medicare Advantage, which Part D plan, how to avoid the infamous “donut hole.” So how do you get unconfused?

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I get this question a lot. What IS the “best” Medigap plan? I think Plan G is the best in about 90% of the cases we see. The exception is if the client lives in a zip code in which they can get a Plan F for less than $134 more than the Plan G. The most significant difference between Plan F and G is coverage for the annual Medicare Part B deductible of $134.

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Just because you have a Medicare Prescription Card, doesn’t mean you have to use it every time you get a prescription. In fact, you shouldn’t use it if you are getting a generic prescription at one of the retail pharmacies that offers $4-$5 generics. For those of you familiar with the “Donut Hole,” or “Gap” you know that when your the total retail cost of your prescriptions in a calendar year reaches $2,510 you enter the donut hole and Medicare quits paying for your prescriptions. So you need to stay below the gap, or delay it for as long as possible. That is why you shouldn’t use your card when you get inexpensive generic prescriptions.

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Every year I am amazed at how many new discoveries are made in the world of medicine. But with these breakthrough’s comes the realization of how much we still don’t know about so many things. One of the most frustrating diseases that we face today is Alzheimer’s. For those who are currently caring for a loved one or who have experienced the frustration, helplessness, pain, sorrow, anger, etc, etc, etc, of caring for a loved with with Alzheimer’s, there is very little comfort in hearing that researchers are discovering more every day. The ones who will benefit from the research that is going on, have probably not even been diagnosed with it yet.

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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.

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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.

Every year ushers in new medical advances. That’s great news. Thanks to scientists and researchers, we can heal more diseases today than ever before. Surgeons can correct more problems with the human body than many people ever thought possible. And with more money than ever going into medical research, there is no reason to believe that this trend will slow down any time soon.

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Weight-loss surgery works much better than standard medical therapy as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes in obese people, the first study to compare the two approaches has found. [Read More…]

New York Times - January 23, 1980

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 …

Low-income families in California are not taking advantage of a subsidy available to help them pay for medications. This component of Medicare’s drug insurance program is crucial for many who can’t afford medications, yet according to a recent survey, half of those who qualify aren’t aware that the program exists. [Read More…]

New America Media, News Report, January 6, 2008