Looking to Save Money? Start with Rx Costs
Did you know that drug costs rose 12.2% in 2014 alone which is 5 times as fast as the year before? And that the price of the 50 top most-used generic drugs has soared over 373% between 2010-2014?...
View ArticleAre Medical Costs Taking a Toll?
Yes, and a big one. Over 26% of people in a recent poll said that health care costs posed a significant financial burden on them and/or their family. Forty-two percent of the people said they have paid...
View ArticleGot Long-Term Care Insurance? Dealing with Rate Increases?
Do you have long-term care insurance? Concerned about premium increases? If so, you’re not alone. This is a conundrum elders and policy makers face nationwide. With 1 year of nursing home care costing...
View ArticlePart D Penalties ~ What Are They & Can They Be Avoided?
Nobody likes penalties, especially when it means paying more money. When it comes to Medicare, most people can avoid penalties by enrolling in Parts A, B and D when first eligible, during their Initial...
View ArticleClik here to view.
New Report Cards for Medical Groups
Are you in a Medicare Advantage plan? Wondering what doctor(s) to use? You can review the Office of the Patient Advocate’s new Medicare report card for medical groups that are contracted with Medicare...
View ArticleAmerica’s 65+ Population Will Double to 88 Million in 2050
The world’s older population continues to grow at an unprecedented rate. Today, 8.5% of people worldwide (617 million) are aged 65 and over. According to a new report by the National Institute on Aging...
View ArticleClik here to view.
May is Older American’s Month ~ Blaze a Trail!
Did you know that our senior population is the fastest growing population group in America? And that worldwide the age group of 80+ is expected to more than triple between 2015 and 2050, growing from...
View ArticleDo You Know How to Use Medicare’s Preventive Services?
Knowing about and using Medicare’s covered preventive care and screening services can protect your health and save you money. Below is a review from the Medicare Minute program. Point 1: Know which...
View ArticleWho’s Cashing in Big Time on Medicare’s Part D Drug Benefit?
Fraudsters are! The article below takes a close, shocking look at the rising fraud specific to Medicare’s Part D prescription drug program, and the devastating effects it has on Medicare AND...
View ArticleJoin Us in Promoting World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15!
Did you know that 1 in 10 Americans is affected by elder abuse? And that elders who have experienced abuse, even modest abuse, have a 300% higher risk of death when compared to those who had not been...
View ArticleMedicare Part B versus Part D Drug Coverage ~ What’s the Difference?
While we wish is was as simple as telling apples from oranges, Medicare Part B and Medicare Part D coverage is quite different in how they cover outpatient drugs. It depends on the drug, where you...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Depression is Not a Normal Part of Aging
Part of being a health advocate, is learning and knowing what healthy aging means. What does it mean to you? This article from Seattle’s National Public Radio highlights an important point…that...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Having Trouble with Your Nursing Home? Learn Common Problems & How to Resolve...
Can a nursing home deny needed therapy services? Evict a resident for being “difficult”? Limit family members and friends to specified “visiting hours”? These are all good questions and unfortunately...
View ArticleSave Our SHIPs! Tell Congress to Keep Our Free Medicare Counseling & Advocacy...
Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the FY17 Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations bill with a nearly unanimous vote of 29-1. While it includes additional funding for some aging...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Kudos to Claire! Her Advocacy Helps Beneficiary Receive Needed Wheelchair
Below is a great account of one of our SMP Liaisons, Claire Pisching, and her quick and skilled advocacy work with a local resident at Sunnyside Glen Senior Apartments. Claire had given a presentation,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
CHA on CBS/NBC News – Urges Congress to Save our SHIPs & Keep One-on-One...
The Senate recently voted to eliminate our country’s only free, unbiased one-on-one Medicare counseling and advocacy program. Please join us in saying no and contacting your Congress people to keep...
View ArticleSave Our SHIPs ~ Tell Congress What One-on-One Counseling Means to You
Thank you to all who have contacted your Congress people, sharing the valuable and essential work of our State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) nationwide. We’ve received both local and...
View ArticleDo You Know the New Banned Payment Methods for Telemarketers?
Did you know that it’s now officially illegal in the U.S. for telemarketers to take payment using traditional cash-to-cash money transfers (the type provided by companies like Western Union and...
View ArticleWho’s Cashing in Big Time on Medicare’s Part D Drug Benefit?
Fraudsters are! The article below takes a close, shocking look at the rising fraud specific to Medicare’s Part D prescription drug program, and the devastating effects it has on Medicare AND...
View ArticleJoin Us in Promoting World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15!
Did you know that 1 in 10 Americans is affected by elder abuse? And that elders who have experienced abuse, even modest abuse, have a 300% higher risk of death when compared to those who had not been...
View Article
