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“Aging Alaskans Info” is a blog and website which I started earlier this year to be a comprehensive resource for aging Alaskans and our families. I started the website for reasons that were personal and difficult, yet familiar to most of us. I have been in Alaska since 1982, but in the last decade I was responsible for the care of my elderly mother and aunt, who were both living in New Mexico. They have since passed away, but it was a tremendous struggle to try to help them manage their lives from such a great distance. This stressful exp...
The annual window for Medicare beneficiaries to review their prescription drug, or Part D, insurance plan options for next year is open until Dec. 7, 2015. Alaskans who get both Medicaid and Medicare can enroll or change plans any time. “Consumers should always compare plans, but this year it’s more important than ever,” said Judith Bendersky of Alaska’s Medicare Information Office. “Plan premiums are trending upward for the first time in years, so are many medication costs, and most of the plans that did not have an annual deductibl...
Alaskan seniors are being targeted with unwelcomed calls from telemarketers pitching unneeded medical devices. Better Business Bureau and the Alaska Medicare Information Office say the callers will trick seniors into parting with personal information and agreeing to medical devices that may be lesser quality than claimed. Alaska health officials say the practice has been rampant in the state. The callers often times will offer Medicare recipients free or discounted wrist splints, back braces and diabetic supplies, even though they may not need...
Winter has finally arrived, with one small fall of the flaky, white stuff and if the prognosticators are to be believed, due to the imminent arrival of “El Nino,” it will be a mild one. At my age I am forever thankful. I used to welcome snow, when I could go “sno-go” riding and even take a turn on the old skis, but now snow is just a nuisance. It is again time to remind us that winter brings slippery steps, streets, roads and don’t forget fallen leaves, and we have to step carefully. And that...
Medicare’s open enrollment, the time you can keep or switch your Medicare coverage, runs from October 15 until December 7. To Medicare scammers, open enrollment means open season on seniors. The best advice to prevent yourself from being taken advantage of by these con artists and scammers is jarring but to the point: be rude and just hang up the phone. If a solicitation comes via email or on a website, don’t click on the link, as it may open you up to a computer virus. You may also need to watch out for predatory insurance agents, who som...
I like to find places that have an Alaska connection, and Portland, Oregon is one. A favorite old dead guy of mine, Charles Erskine Scott Wood, spent some of his early years in Alaska, but left behind a mighty legacy in Portland. In early 1877, when an infantry officer, he joined an expedition that had requested a military escort to climb Mount St. Elias, but after the group left Sitka, and without approval from superiors, Wood set off for Alaska. Ranging along the Southeast coast, he stayed in...
Here is some Medicare bad news, disguised as good news. Congress has finally moved to change the laws about observation care, a problem that’s been vexing seniors for years because the laws are unclear. This has forced millions of seniors to face huge unexpected medical bills when they get home from short hospital stays. Congress has supposedly “fixed” the problem – with the House and Senate approving legislation, but the fix appears to be a step in the right direction, without fixing the actual problem. Under legislation that passed the Sen...
What’s new for Medicare Prescription Drug coverage for 2016? There will be 19 Medicare Prescription Drug Plans available (versus 24 in 2015). No Medicare Advantage Plans will be available; 54 percent of Alaskans are eligible for Extra Help but not all have taken advantage of the great savings it affords. The lowest monthly premium for a prescription drug plan will be $18.40. The highest will be $89.20. People who reach the “donut hole” in the drug benefit will save 55 percent on covered brand name drugs and see increased savings on generic drug...
Fall is here and we are expecting another mild winter; happy days for me – the less snow we get the fewer times I have to have my roof shoveled. I haven’t heard from any readers about the “filial responsibility laws” I last wrote about, which is probably good news, since it means that seniors are taking care of their children and children are happily taking care of their parents. After my own 14-day stay in the hospital, which cost over $100,000, I am curious as to what Caitlyn Jenner had to...
Editor’s note: Staying on top of breaking news can be challenging in a monthly newspaper. Here’s the most recent information available when this edition went to press. The Alaska Legislature announced Aug. 18 it will sue the governor to block Medicaid expansion, calling the decision the Legislature’s to make. Legislators also said they want more time to study the issue. Governor Walker has said he plans to expand Medicaid in September for two main reasons: 1) to meet the health care needs of Alaskans without coverage, and 2) to bring milli...
September, what a terrible month with the loss of the David Letterman and Jon Stewart shows. Well, now I can get to bed an hour earlier. We could be paying much less Why do Americans pay a lot more for prescription drugs than people in other advanced countries or even those with certain private insurance plans? In case you don’t know, Medicare is not allowed to negotiate with drug companies to get lower prices, according to the Part D prescription drug program. This is one of the reasons I w...
Much has been written about the governor’s attempt to expand Medicaid in Alaska and the debate has yet to be settled. While I am sure some of the stakeholders like the working poor, social service non-profits, medical providers, and small businesses are in support of the expansion, seniors and veterans are the big losers. I have been admonished that it is selfish of me to deny coverage to someone who cannot afford health insurance when I have coverage. This line of justification does not wash w...
Doctors are different than you and I. They know how to die. They do not tell family and colleagues to do “everything you can” to save them. This may surprise you, but doctors often choose less end-of-life care for themselves than the average patient – an important lesson for seniors as they discuss end-of-life care decisions with family members. In July, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which administers Medicare, announced it will change its longstanding policy and begin reimbursing doctors and other health professionals,...
Editor’s note: This press release was received July 14. On the 50th Anniversary of the Older Americans Act (OAA), The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) — the nation’s largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging — is calling on Congress to reauthorize this vital legislation, which supports programs and services for approximately 11 million individuals and their families. Through a national network of aging services and funding, the OAA offers a wide range of supports, including home-delivered and congregate meals,...
We had been having a wonderful summer and I always expect a colorful autumn here in Anchorage. That is, the summer started out well, but I had an unexpected problem. I wasn’t feeling well and when a friend stopped in to see me, I must have looked very bad because he immediately called 911. The EMTs thought I needed to go to the hospital and that is where I ended up. I was standing next to a nurse, who for some reason was holding on to me. She let go and the next thing I knew, I was on the floor,...
If you watch much TV you’ve probably heard the ads for free or nearly free medical items, possibly a knee brace, back brace, or other device. “If you qualify for Medicare, then you qualify to get these items or services – all you have to do is ask. You don’t even have to need the items.” Why would the manufacturers do this? Because to get your freebies, you have to give them your valuable Medicare ID number, or other insurance ID, so they bill for the items. It is a way to drum up business, but the fact is, you may not receive the items at all....
Medicare is serious about enlisting your help to fight fraud. If you suspect fraud and you meet all five of these conditions, you could be eligible for a reward of $1,000. Here are the conditions: 1. You report your suspected Medicare fraud. The allegation must be specific, not general. 2. The suspected Medicare fraud you report must be confirmed as potential fraud by the Program Safeguard Contractor, the Zone Program Integrity Contractor, or the Medicare Drug Integrity Contractor (the Medicare contractors responsible for investigating...
Editor’s note: This press statement was received from Sen. Murkowski’s office on June 4. Senator Lisa Murkowski joined five of her Senate colleagues in introducing the bipartisan “Treat and Reduce Obesity Act,” which would help prevent chronic diseases and lower health care costs by addressing America’s growing obesity epidemic. This legislation gives Medicare beneficiaries and their healthcare providers additional tools to reduce obesity by improving access to weight-loss counseling and new prescription drugs for chronic weight managemen...
It is the middle of this year and time to talk about the valuable Medicare Preventive services that you are entitled to if you are on Medicare Part B, the part of Medicare that helps pay for non-hospitalized benefits. (FYI, Medicare Part A is the part of Medicare that helps pay for the expenses you incur when you are hospitalized. If you have worked under Social Security and paid into Medicare for 40 quarters at any time during your life, you automatically receive Medicare Part A without a...
You may know that theft of Social Security numbers (SSN) among seniors often happens because thieves go after your Medicare cards. Experts say, never carry your Social Security card with you, to prevent theft of your SSN. But your SSN is printed on your Medicare card, which we are told we should carry. Thieves know this. For ages Americans have been asking our government to remove that critical number from the Medicare card, but to no avail. It looks like someone might finally be listening. With the rise of cyber-attacks involving medical...
The prices that hospitals ask customers to pay for a series of common procedures have increased by more than 10 percent between 2011 and 2013 – more than double the rate of inflation, according to new data released recently by Medicare. But the amounts paid by Medicare have stayed flat, according to that data. The hospitals’ rising list prices mainly affect the uninsured and people who use hospitals outside their insurance network. The 2013 Medicare billing information was part of a large release of data breaking down spending based on hos...
Check off “budget” on the Republicans “can govern” checklist. Congressional Republicans recently approved a budget bill, the first passed by Congress in six years, and the first since the party took control of both chambers earlier this year. The non-binding document, however, does not go to President Obama for his signature. Instead, it helps guide Congress in framing how it wants to consider all of the government agency appropriations bills. It will also serve as a Republican fiscal policy guideline and sets the stage for the 2016 preside...
There is nothing as sweet as a day in June. I’m not so sure about the rest of the country, but that really holds true for Alaska. When the leaves start bursting out of their pods, and the sun shines until midnight, I know I picked the right state to live in. Medigap policies in Alaska I have recently been asked about additional insurance if one has Medicare. If you have Medicare, both parts A and part B, you can also buy a supplemental insurance policy, sometimes called Medigap (a policy that f...
People with Medicare have the right to be treated with respect. This means you are not discriminated against for any reason and your health information is kept private. All hospitals in Alaska post a Patient Bill of Rights. These meet guidelines from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS contracts with a national service to make sure your concerns and complaints are acted on quickly. These national services are called quality improvement organizations. You may be asked to sign a paper or electronic pad that you know you have...
Do you have a health savings account (HSA) at work? You may have enjoyed the comfort of an HSA account during your work life, knowing the money for your health needs would be there. Did you know that once you turn 65 and begin receiving Medicare, you can no longer make contributions to your health savings account? But you can still take withdrawals tax-free, to pay for many of your medical expenses. Among other things, you can: • Use your HSA money to reimburse yourself for the money that Social Security withholds from your benefits for M...
