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The numbers are simply staggering. People 85 and older – who usually have multiple chronic illnesses or have difficulty performing some daily tasks – will mushroom to 14.6 million in 2040, up from about 6 million now. So who is going to take care of these seniors? Right now, since Medicare does not pay for long-term care services or non-medical services in the home, there are 3.3 million paid personal care and home health aides and more than 34 million unpaid family caregivers doing that job. Already, around the U.S., many caregivers, sen...
Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for nearly 69 million Americans will increase 1.6 percent in 2020, the Social Security Administration announced in October. The 1.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to more than 63 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2020, according to an Oct. 10 press release from the Social Security Administration. Increased payments to more than 8 million SSI beneficiaries will begin on Dec. 31, 2019, the press release stated. (Note: some...
Congress is making its end-of-year legislative sprint, with hot-button health care legislation stuck behind critical must-pass spending bills before a government shutdown. But lawmakers often push shutdowns off with temporary all-inclusive spending bills as they are likely to do this time, as they try to get out of town for the late December winter holidays. Even if the spending bills get approved individually or together in one big temporary bill, the must-do list leaves lawmakers roughly 40 days in which both chambers will be in session...
What an amazing summer we have had! Now the weather has turned cooler and autumn is definitely in the air. As we plunge into all of the activities of this season, it is important to remember the Part D Open Enrollment Period (OEP) will soon be here. Once again, the Open Enrollment Period will be scheduled between October 15 and December 7. The Part D Open Enrollment Period is the annual opportunity for Medicare beneficiaries with Part D plans to review and possibly change their coverage. You...
Microneedle patches in development Researchers now have come up with a skin patch that could potentially painlessly deliver vaccines and cancer medications in one minute. Nearly 100,000 new cases of melanoma are diagnosed annually, and 20 Americans die every day from it. Now, researchers have developed a skin patch that efficiently delivers medication within one minute to attack melanoma cells. The device, which has been tested in mice and human skin samples, could be adapted to deliver a host...
HIV/AIDS used to be considered a disease of the young. In the early 1980s, when doctors first reported cases of HIV, nearly 70% of diagnoses were among people under 40. Fast forward four decades later and more than 50% of Americans with HIV are now over 50. And by 2020 that number is expected to reach 70%. This is largely due to major medical improvements in the effectiveness of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) in suppressing the virus and transforming HIV from an often fatal disease into a chronic condition, like diabetes or hypertension. But...
Many people are unaware of the many preventive services that are provided to Medicare beneficiaries without paying a single dollar in deductibles or co-pays. Preventive services are covered at 100% under your Medicare Part B benefits and are a great way to get started with utilizing your Part B benefits. This is especially true if you are seeing a new primary care provider. You can begin accessing your preventive benefits by calling your primary care provider and making an appointment to have yo...
‘Ins and Outs of Medicare’ presentation Feeling confused about your Medicare options and worried about what you’ll do when open enrollment starts up on October 15? Join us for our free monthly educational presentation by Nila Morgan, Medicare Counselor, to learn the ins and outs of your Medicare options. The presentation will be September 25 from 3 to 4 p.m. here at Hospice of Anchorage, 2612 E. Northern Lights Blvd. Call us at 561-5322 to RSVP and save your spot. Volunteer with Hospice of Anchorage Hospice of Anchorage is in search of some...
Genetic testing has certainly become a phenomenon in the last few years. This amazing new type of medical test, also known as DNA testing, has diverse applications. It can determine bloodlines of familial relationships, can rule out or confirm certain genetic conditions, or determine the likelihood of passing on genetic disorders. There are some conditions or diseases caused by mutated genes that genetic testing can confirm, such as Down Syndrome, Cystic Fibrosis, or Huntington’s Disease. DNA t...
Editor’s note: This press release was received on July 18, 2019. The Social Security Administration has introduced expanded online services for residents of Alaska available through its my Social Security portal at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. Andrew Saul, Commissioner of Social Security, announced that residents of Alaska can use the portal for many replacement Social Security number (SSN) card requests. This will allow people to replace their SSN card from the comfort of their home or office, without the need to travel to a Social S...
If you think America's college loan crisis – with more than $1.5 trillion worth of debt – is only a young person's problem, think again. The federal government is now garnishing the fixed-income Social Security benefits of seniors in its crackdown to get people to repay student loans. More than three million people over 60 are still paying off college loans. Many of these seniors took out loans to help their children, grandchildren or spouse pay off tuition and are still paying them off. Oth...
Dear Savvy Senior: Can men get osteoporosis or is it primarily a problem for women? When I fell and broke my wrist last winter the doctor that treated me told me I might have osteoporosis, but I never got it checked. What can you tell me? — Bony Bill Dear Bill: Many people think osteoporosis is a woman’s disease, but men can get it too, especially in their later years. Here’s what you should know. Osteoporosis in men Osteoporosis is a disease that causes the bones to become weak and brittle and more susceptible to fractures. Though women are f...
Perhaps your 65th birthday is approaching, signaling that you are approaching your Initial Enrollment Period to sign up for Medicare. Meanwhile, you may be getting postcards and other mail informing you that you need to sign up for Supplemental Medicare or Medigap. You may also be getting phone calls with the same message – that you should purchase a plan right away! What is that all about? There are some people who may not want or need a Medigap plan. For instance, if you will have Medicare a...
Here’s an interesting question: The last time you were admitted to the hospital, were you admitted to the hospital as in inpatient? “Kirk, you’re crazy as a loon,” you might respond, “of course I was an inpatient the last time I was an inpatient. What else would I be?” But that wasn’t my question. You were admitted, given. But were you admitted as an inpatient? “I was,” you say, “and I have a plastic wristband to prove it. They kept me for several days, poked my arm for blood a bunch of ti...
Balance billing is when a provider bills you for the difference between the amount he charges for a product or service and the insurance company’s negotiated amount. For example, if the provider’s charge is $100 and the allowed amount or the amount the insurance will cover is $70, the provider may bill you for the remaining $30. This amount can include deductibles, co-insurance and copayments. There are certain Medicare beneficiaries who providers are not allowed to balance bill. This is als...
Ah, retirement -- the “golden years.” Visions of fit youngish-looking seniors cavorting on a white-sands beach. Beautiful perfect-teeth smiles glowing on their faces, palm trees swaying in the breeze, and brilliant blue-green waters glistening in the background. This is how retirement is portrayed in the travel brochures and the financial products advertisements. Alas, the economic realities of retirement are less uniformly euphoric. According to the recently released 28th Annual Retirement Confidence Survey (RCS) conducted by the Employee Ben...
A lot is asked of our men and women in the military, whether active duty or those who have achieved veteran status. Per their service, they are required to constantly relocate, every three to four years depending on military branch. They must deploy to faraway places for training and service abroad, spending weeks and months without those closest to them. Every day, they are asked to perform mentally and physically, with strength and stamina. They are, in principle, dissuaded from showing weakness. They are soldiers. They are warriors. They...
When we talk about the costs of Medicare, the discussion can include premiums, deductibles, co-insurances and copays. Another cost to Medicare beneficiaries that may come as a surprise is the Income Related Monthly Adjustment, or IRMAA. The IRMAA is an increased amount that individuals who have a higher income pay. This can affect you if your earnings are high or you receive an unexpected windfall such as an inheritance. The IRMAA can affect both your Medicare Part B (Medical) premium and your...
Congressional Democrats are pushing an ambitious plan to expand Social Security and put it on a sustained long-term footing in an effort to overturn 20 years of attempts by congressional Republicans to scale back entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security. The New Deal social insurance program had been one of the primary targets of former House Republican Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., since his arrival in Congress in 1999. Ryan always believed Social Security “is an undeserved entitlement,” and lawmakers have often suggested that it...
Save the date for Hospice of Anchorage’s 17th Annual Heroes of Healthcare Awards Black Tie Event and Auction at the Anchorage Marriott Hotel on Saturday, April 20. Heroes of Healthcare is a way to recognize significant contributions and service to the community. This event is also an annual fundraiser for Hospice of Anchorage. Individuals have the opportunity to sponsor a table and bring eight guests to attend the event as well as participate in the silent and live auction. There are different levels of sponsorship starting at partner level of...
It’s National Social Security Month and this year we’re highlighting some of the time-saving features of the “my Social Security” account. Once you create an account, you’ll see that we already have your work history and secure information to estimate what you could receive once you start collecting benefits. With your personal my Social Security account, you can also: Request a replacement Social Security card; Set up or change direct deposit; Get a proof of income letter; Change your address; Check the status of your Social Security applicati...
House Democrats, Senate Republicans and the Trump administration agree on one thing – that drug prices must be lowered. Both parties are working through the ideas to reduce prescription drug costs, but the problem is finding common ground and achieving consensus. No compromise is there yet and it may not emerge as some lawmakers could choose to use the issue for political advantage instead of working out a solution now. But an arms race of sorts is building as Democratic presidential contenders try to make the most noise on the drug pricing i...
Fifty years ago this June, LGBT elder pioneers started the fight for LGBT equality at the Stonewall Inn in New York City. In the early hours of June 28, 1969, LGBT patrons at the Stonewall Inn took a stand against police harassment and violence, and a riot broke out. Police reinforcements arrived and beat the crowd away, but the next night, the crowd returned even larger than the night before. In the wake of the riots, discussions about civil rights were held among New York's LGBT communities...
Dear Savvy Senior: I will be enrolling in Medicare in a few months, and would like to know how Medicare covers vision services? I currently have vision insurance through my employer but will lose it when I retire. - Looking Ahead Dear Looking: Many people approaching 65 are unclear on what Medicare does and doesn't cover when it comes to vision services. The good news is that original Medicare covers most medical issues like cataract surgery, treatment of eye diseases and medical emergencies....
Dear Savvy Senior: What are the warning signs for glaucoma? My 65-year-old brother lost some of his vision because of it but never had a clue anything was wrong. Could I be at risk too? - Concerned Sister Dear Concerned: It’s called the “silent thief of sight” for a reason. With no early warning signs or pain, most people that have glaucoma don’t realize it until their vision begins to deteriorate. Here’s what you should know. Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that can damage the optic nerve and cause vision loss and blindness if it’s not...
