Category: Medicare Supplement

As a Medicare beneficiary, you have options when it comes to filling the gaps in your coverage, including Medicare Supplement Plans and Medicare Medical Savings Accounts (MSA). Both can help you save money on your medical expenses, and you might be wondering if you can have both at the same time, since you are probably…

As a Medicare beneficiary, you are protected by certain rights, and if your rights are violated, you can file a complaint. Filing a complaint, which we should note is not the same as filing an appeal, is an easy process, but first you have to know what your rights are in order to determine if…

The time has finally come for you to begin enjoying your retirement - and to finally begin reaping the rewards of all of those Medicare taxes you paid throughout your working life! But when you do enroll in Medicare, you’ll find that it doesn’t cover everything, so you’ll probably want to choose a Medicare Supplement…

Medicare has been a hot topic lately: the H.R. 3 bill, which would allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, is currently in the Senate waiting to be passed, and talks surrounding  expanding coverage to more older Americans continue on both sides. Not only that, but there have also been changes to Medicare brought on…

Have you been feeling more tired than usual? Sure, getting older sometimes means lower energy levels, but if you are excessively fatigued, what you are experiencing might actually be more than just tiredness: it could be a medical condition. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), which was once the subject of controversy, is now recognized as a…

Millions of Americans of all ages are overweight or obese, but weight issues can be a particular problem for older adults. In fact, almost 35% of adults 65 and older are considered obese, which also means that they are at higher risk of developing other medical conditions, like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high cholesterol, and…

When you go to the hospital in an emergency situation, the last thing on your mind is probably your patient status. But whether you are classified as an “outpatient” or as an “inpatient” can make a huge difference in what you are expected to pay for your visit, especially as a Medicare beneficiary, since it…

It’s no secret that the cost of prescription drugs has been steadily rising, with prices going up each year for the past two decades. In fact, people in the U.S. pay significantly more than people in other countries for the same drugs, leading many Americans to shop abroad for necessary medications like insulin. In an…

There are some things in life that go without saying, and others that you need to be very clear about. For example, you can’t assume that your loved ones will know what your wishes are when it comes to your end-of-life care. It is important to have a written document that spells out exactly what…

Thyroid conditions are very common in people over 60, and chances of developing them increase with age. In fact, an estimated 20% of women over the age of 60 have some form of thyroid disease. Each kind of thyroid condition - hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism - has different symptoms and treatments associated with it, and being…

Making the transition from private health insurance to Medicare when you turn 65 can feel overwhelming. You might feel confused and like you just don’t know where to begin. For example, what plan should you go with? How can you save the most money? Will you have enough coverage? Unlike with employer-based insurance, which your…

Congress has been weighing whether to cut Medicare spending since 2011, but it looks like, once again, these cuts are going to be delayed at least until the end of 2021. The Budget Control Act, which passed in 2011, included annual 2% cuts to Medicare spending as part of the government’s plan to reduce the…

Tax season is here! Are you still working on filing your taxes? And are you, like most people, looking for ways to get the biggest refund? If so, you should know that itemizing your deductions on your income taxes is the best way to get some money back; you should also know that medical expenses…

It’s a scary statistic, but every 15 minutes, an American man dies from prostate cancer. According to cancer.org, approximately 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. That means, for every 8 men you know in your life, 1 could be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and that likelihood goes up…

Many of us have friends or family members who follow a gluten-free diet, and Celiac disease might be the reason behind it. Celiac disease is an immune reaction to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. If you have Celiac disease, eating gluten will trigger an immune response in your intestine, which can…

May is ‘Better Hearing and Speech’ Month. Approximately one in three people between the ages of 65 and 74 has hearing loss, and nearly half of those older than 75 have difficulty hearing. Studies have shown that older adults with hearing loss can become depressed, and have a greater risk of developing dementia or other…

Nearly 70% of people aged 65 and older have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. High blood pressure is a major health risk that can lead to multiple problems, including heart disease, heart attack, stroke, and even death. Monitoring your blood pressure is important for preventing serious conditions from occurring or getting worse. Medicare…

May is National Melanoma Skin Cancer Awareness Month, so there is no better time to shine a light on this type of cancer, including how to identify it, and how to protect yourself. Melanoma, the deadliest of skin cancers, is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the United States. Detecting melanoma early is…