Medicare: Open Enrollment for 2017
Posted on October 31, 2016 by bob in Medicare
Now’s the time for Alabama residents with Medicare to check their health and drug coverage for 2017. Medicare’s open enrollment period runs from Oct. 15 until Dec. 7. Open enrollment is the best time to make sure your health and drug plans still meet your individual needs, especially if you’ve had any changes in your health. […]
Medicare & Long-term Care
Posted on October 2, 2016 by bob in Medicare
If you’re 65, you have just about a 50-50 chance of entering a nursing home at some point. The average cost of a private room now exceeds $75,000 per year, and the average length of stay is almost 2½ years. That adds up to more than $185,000. One reason people don’t give much thought to […]
Medicare: Durable Medical Equipment
Posted on July 31, 2016 by bob in Medicare
Dear Marci, Q: My doctor recommended that I get a manual wheelchair to get around my home. Does Medicare cover wheelchairs? If so, what do I need to do so that they will cover it? A: Yes, Medicare covers wheelchairs. Wheelchairs, and other items such as walkers and oxygen equipment, are known as durable medical […]
Prescription Drug Savings
Posted on July 1, 2016 by bob in Medicare
“Recent changes in the law make it easier than ever to qualify for the ‘extra help’ program.” If you’ve ever gone a day without your medications, or cut your pills in half to make them last a little longer, there may be relief for you. People on a tight budget can get help paying for […]
“MediGap” Insurance
Posted on June 1, 2016 by bob in Medicare
If you’re about to turn 65, you may be shopping soon for a health plan that covers the costs that traditional Medicare doesn’t. As welcome as Medicare’s health care coverage is, it does have its gaps. The traditional fee-for-service program generally pays 80 percent of the medical bills. Which means the remaining 20 percent becomes […]
Diabetes & Medicare
Posted on May 2, 2016 by bob in Health, Medicare
“Only one in 10 people with (pre-diabetes) even know they have it.” Diabetes affects as many as one in four older adults with Medicare. It costs hundreds of billions of dollars to treat, and results in the loss of tens of thousands of lives, every year. If we could better control diabetes, we’d be taking […]
Medicare & Shingles Vaccine
Posted on March 29, 2016 by bob in Medicare
Anyone who has suffered from shingles knows the pain is excruciating. “Uncomfortable” doesn’t begin to describe your plight if you come down with the disease. “Miserable” is much closer to the truth. Shingles produces a blistering skin rash that lasts from two to four weeks. It usually appears on just one side of your body, […]
Medicare: Prescription Drugs
Posted on March 1, 2016 by bob in Medicare
You only have to look at the latest receipt from your pharmacist to know that prescription drug costs are rising. Nationwide, spending on medications grew 13 percent in 2014, far outstripping the 5 percent overall increase for health care spending. Prescription drug costs haven’t gone up that fast since 2001. Sometimes, the increase was due […]
Make Medicare Changes Now
Posted on November 3, 2015 by bob in Medicare
“Shopping around may save you money or improve your coverage.” Now’s the time for Alabamians with Medicare to look over their health and drug coverage for 2016. Medicare’s annual open enrollment period runs through Dec. 7. Even if you’ve been satisfied with your health and drug plans, you may benefit from reviewing all your options. […]
Searching for Home Health Care
Posted on October 4, 2015 by bob in Medicare
Medicare has just begun publishing star ratings for home health care agencies to help consumers tell the good providers from the bad. Medicare pays for health care you receive in the comfort and privacy of your home if you meet certain requirements. You must be homebound, under a physician’s care and in need of part-time […]
