Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 503
Organizations can submit a letter of interest now through March 11 for Alaska’s Rural Health Transformation Program. The letter of interest gives organizations a chance to briefly describe their ideas for improving rural health care in Alaska. Alaska’s RHTP is part of a $50 billion national initiative authorized by Congress in 2025 to strengthen rural health systems over the next five years. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has awarded Alaska one of the largest allocations in the nation. The year one award was $272,174,856, pen...
The Medicare-related decisions can be quite challenging, especially when you or your spouse are about to turn age 65, during your Initial Enrollment Period. The decisions can be even more complicated when you have other health insurance coverage. Deciding if and when to enroll in the various parts of Medicare, when you are first eligible, is an important choice including how to avoid potential penalties or gaps in coverage. Most people enroll into Medicare Part A (in-patient, hospitalization...
Tax season already brings enough stress...so the last thing you need is a scammer pretending to be the IRS sliding into your texts, emails or phone calls. Every year, scammers try to scare people into acting fast and thinking later. Consumers reported losing $789 million to government impostor scams in 2024, including IRS impostor scams, according to the Federal Trade Commission. If the IRS really needs you, they won't text you at midnight or email you with flashing warnings and emoji-filled...
Established in 1968, OPAG is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to improving services, developing programs, educating, promoting and implementing changes to help Alaska seniors live healthy, productive lives. Current programs: - publish the monthly Senior Voice newspaper - publish and distribute the Directory for Older Alaskans senior resource directory - provide information and referral services for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Affordable Health Care Act and other senior issues - organize monthly Providers' Breakfast...
As Alaskans, we take great pride in our unique culture and the breathtaking beauty of our state. Yet, hidden within this beauty is a pressing issue that affects a significant part of our population: our seniors. Today, I want to address the multifaceted challenges they face, including voting rights, economic security, access to quality health care, social justice, and educational opportunities. We must unite to advocate for meaningful changes that ensure our seniors receive the respect and support they deserve. Voting rights: Alaskans must be...
This month’s article provides an overview of Medicare coverage in 2026. The 2026 edition of the Medicare & You handbook provides much greater detail than is provided in this article; if you do not have a copy, then please contact the Medicare Information Office and we are happy to provide a copy. You may also find the handbook available on the Medicare.gov website (look for the link under the “Basics” topic header) as an eBook, as well as in large print, audio version, and in Braille. The Medic...
Alaska has been awarded $272 million to support system-level investments in health care through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), according to a press release from the Alaska Department of Health. The five-year, $50 billion national initiative is designed to strengthen, stabilize, and modernize health care systems in rural communities. Alaska is among the top recipients of the funding. “This investment represents a turning point for rural health care in Alaska,” said Heidi Hedbe...
Dear Savvy Senior, What are the most popular ages that people start taking their Social Security retirement benefits? I'm turning 62 later this year and trying to decide when to start taking my benefits. - Born in '64 Dear 64, You can sign up to begin your Social Security retirement benefits any time after age 62. However, your monthly payments will be larger for each month you delay claiming them up until age 70. This adds up to around 6 to 8% higher payments every year you delay. To get a...
Becoming hospitalized is a challenging situation —the goal is to become well with treatment for the condition, illness or injury, which brought you to being admitted in the first place. For these events, there is Medicare’s Part A, which provides insurance coverage for your in-patient admission to a hospital. This can be confusing, because not all treatment at a hospital is covered by Part A – most often, individuals are treated in an emergency room, or medical facility that provides care under...
Dear Savvy Senior, My husband and I are relocating to a nearby state to be closer to our daughter and will need to find a new primary care physician when we arrive. We are both in our late 70s and are interested in getting a geriatrician to oversee our health care going forward. Any suggestions for finding someone? -Searching for Care Dear Searching, Choosing a geriatrician as your primary care doctor in your 70s is a good idea, especially if you’re dealing with various age-related health problems. But if you’re in relatively good health you...
Q: How can I reassure my daughter that I am still capable of living alone, given that I am physically healthy, mentally sharp, and able to drive? A: In an era where traditional notions of aging and companionship are being challenged, many individuals over the age of 50 are embracing the joys of living alone. Changing societal structures and attitudes toward aging reveal both the challenges and remarkable benefits of single-person households later in life. The United States saw an increase in...
Identity theft, in particular, medical identity theft can happen to anyone of us. In fact, this month is one of the most likely months for this crime to be committed. The other likely months are January, February, March, April … yes, any month of the year. And, while a victim of this theft can feel especially vulnerable, most likely “it isn’t personal,” but more likely a crime of opportunity. However, like a home invasion, medical identity theft can upset your life, disrupt your plans, steal y...
Dan Kline is a retired UAA professor who is expecting his Affordable Care Act monthly premiums to rise from about $192 per month with government subsidies to $1,733 per month because the U.S. government is drastically reducing subsidies that helped Americans buy health insurance in the pandemic and post-pandemic era. Kline, who is a few months away from turning 65, has used the ACA for health insurance since COBRA coverage ended after he retired in 2021. “This is for an out-of-pocket total of a...
From Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, I encourage you to review and, if needed, change your Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) under Medicare’s Part D coverage. Changes you elect will become effective on Jan. 1. Certified Medicare counselors across Alaska can help you as part of the Medicare Information Office’s network of program Ambassadors, including through your local Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC). Give us a call, we would be glad to answer your questions, guide you through the process, and e...
The Anchorage Pioneer Home is located in downtown Anchorage. It's one of a number of assisted living homes operated by the State of Alaska. Brian Studstill, the communications director for the Alaska Department of Family and Community Services, said in an email that of the 164 residents in Anchorage Pioneer Home, 49 of them are eligible for Medicaid. Medicaid helps pay for services not covered by Medicare, including long-term care. According to the Alaska Department of Health, the state paid...
This October, the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) Convention will once again shine a light on the wisdom and contributions of Alaska Native Elders. Two free special events-the Elizabeth Peratrovich Legal Clinic on Oct.16, and the Elder Appreciation & Wills Clinic on Oct. 17-will take place at the AFN Convention at the Dena'ina Convention Center, Second Floor, Room 5 in Anchorage, offering a blend of celebration of Elders and legal help for Alaskans. All are welcome at these free events and...
Oct. 1-31 National Breast Cancer Awareness Month Oct. 1-31 National ADHD Awareness Month Oct. 1-31 National Domestic Violence Awareness Month Oct. 1-31 National Filipino American History Month. Alaska officially recognizes October as Filipino American History Month following the passage of legislation signed into law in 2023. To learn more about the contributions of Filipino Americans to the state, check out Mana Alaska, a digital storytelling project dedicated to this community. https://www.manaalaska.com/ Oct. 4 National Golf Lover’s Day O...
Have you ever settled the affairs for a relative or friend who has passed? Are you the future estate executor for a relative? While my articles generally focus on fraud topics, I’m offering the following tips based on my ongoing experience to date to help future executors. I had a rude awakening when my mother passed away in March of this year. I thought I had a handle on her affairs as the executor; I was listed on her banking accounts and had been paying her bills for several years. It’s been months, and I am still spending hours each wee...
Q. Where can I learn more about tech-related topics? I’m not interested in news as much as how-to guides and general knowledge. A. There are so many options available online that finding gems can seem overwhelming. So I’m going to focus on a couple of sites that are well suited for helping my readers refresh their skills. The first is TechBoomers, which has focused on tech for the last 10 years but recently changed their name to Tech Life Unity (techlifeunity.com). Senior Planet is a site from AARP that hosts hundreds of video classes on top...
For those of us enrolled into Original Medicare (Parts A & B), most of us have also enrolled into one of Medicare’s Part D Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs). Each year, we may make changes to this prescription coverage during Medicare’s Open Enrollment period, which runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, for changes which will then go into effect from Jan. 1 onward. Leading up to this open enrollment, you will start to receive notices with information relating to any changes in your plan for the com...
Dear Savvy Senior, A few months ago, I took an ambulance to the hospital emergency room because I had a nasty fall at home, but just received a hefty $1,050 bill from the ambulance company. Doesn’t Medicare cover ambulance rides? - Frustrated Beneficiary Dear Beneficiary, Yes, Medicare does cover emergency ambulance services and, in limited cases, nonemergency ambulance services too, but only when they’re deemed medically necessary and reasonable. So, what does that mean? First, it means that your medical condition must be serious enough tha...
AARP Alaska Medicare scams spike each year during the open enrollment period from October through December. Scammers may pressure you to agree to a new plan or offer a new Medicare card, free medical equipment, or genetic testing. Scammers spoof the phone number to make it look like the call is coming from Medicare. They may know personal details like your date of birth or address, but don't let that fool you into thinking the caller is legitimate! Scammers can easily purchase or find that information. Remember, Medicare will not call you unexp...
As you may know, original Medicare covers approximately 80% of the cost of most out-patient services. But what about the remaining 20%, or even the other out-of-pocket costs like deductibles or the costs of in-patient care? You may want to consider purchasing a Medicare Supplement Insurance (also known as a Medigap) policy as a companion to your Medicare coverage. But how to know which one? My first recommendation is to obtain a copy of the “Consumer Guide to Medicare Supplement Insurance (...
When you have Medicare and another source of health care insurance coverage, you may at some point wonder, “Who pays first?” If you are like me, my first thought goes to the classic Abbott and Costello comedy routine, “Who’s on first?” and that is a much funnier topic. But with Medicare and other coverage, such as that offered by your employer, knowing which coverage is considered primary (and which then is secondary) can help to fully understand your covered insurance claims. Point 1: The di...
Jim Irsay died recently, age 65. If you don’t know who Jim Irsay was, he was the owner of the Indianapolis Colts football team. His father bought the team and moved it from Baltimore. Jim inherited the franchise and ran it for most of his life. Irsay had an estate which has been estimated at $4.8 billion, the Colts being the bulk of that at an estimated $4.4 billion. He was divorced and left his entire estate to his three daughters. This is going to be a problem for them. Under current law, e...
