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Anchorage, Alaska is officially the 678th community to enroll in the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities (NAFSC). An AARP Age-Friendly Community is one where a city’s elected leadership has made a commitment to actively work with residents and local advocates to make their city a safe and fulfilling place to live for people of all ages. As an NAFSC member, Anchorage is now publicly recognized for its commitment to becoming age-friendly and will receive access to resources for identifying and assessing community needs, as well a...
Our Medicare benefits were established under the Social Security Amendment of 1965, reflecting the restrictions and limitations of most health insurance at that time. This law excluded coverage for certain things, like dental care and routine vision services. Long-term care is also excluded because these services do not meet the definition of health care services in the law. Just because something is not covered by Medicare, though, does not mean that it isn’t needed. As I discuss some types o...
Regardless of the area you live in, there are ‘must dos’ for the summer months for Alaskans. It is a time to plant, gather, harvest and, for many, fish. On the Kenai Peninsula, fishing is active with subsistence, dipnetting, setnetting, drift fishing and just plain fishing. And that is often followed by smoking, freezing and canning. All of this in preparation for the winter months, along with tending the gardens, and fighting with the birds as to who will get berries. It is also a time for building and repairing the structures we call hom...
For nearly 90 years, Social Security has provided financial protection to communities throughout the United States, including the Hispanic community. Today, our retirement, disability, and survivors benefits are an important source of income for Hispanics. Our Spanish-language website, www.ssa.gov/espanol, provides information for those whose primary language is Spanish. There, people can learn how to get a Social Security card, plan for retirement, apply for benefits, manage their benefits, and much more. We also provide many publications in...
Dear Savvy Senior: What types of financial resources are available to help seniors pay for long-term care? My 86-year-old mother will need either an assisted living facility or nursing home care in the near future, but she doesn’t have long-term care insurance and her savings are minimal. - Searching Daughter Dear Searching: The cost of assisted living and nursing home care in the U.S is very expensive. According to the Genworth cost of care survey tool, the national median cost for an assisted living facility today is over $4,600 per month, w...
Editor’s note: This press statement was received June 9, 2022. Congressman Peter DeFazio and Senator Bernie Sanders today introduced joint legislation, the Social Security Expansion Act (SSEA), to strengthen and expand Social Security for current and future generations. “As a trained gerontologist, I have devoted my career to protecting and expanding programs that are vital to seniors. One of my highest priorities is protecting Social Security, which millions of Americans rely on, including hundreds of thousands of Oregonians” said Rep. DeFaz...
Hospice is a program of comfort care and end-of-life pain management for those with a terminal illness. In this month’s review of Medicare-covered hospice, we speak directly to patients as if they are the ones taking these actions or making these decisions. However, discussions about hospice often involve caregivers and family members as well. If you are a caregiver, family member, or a patient’s appointed representative, you may be leading these conversations or decisions, rather than the patient. You are also encouraged to call one of our...
High inflation has caused Social Security benefits to lose 40% of their buying power since the year 2000, according to the latest update of an ongoing study by The Senior Citizens League (TSCL), a Washington D.C.-based senior advocacy organization. "That's the deepest loss in buying power since the beginning of this study by The Senior Citizens League in 2010," says Mary Johnson, a Social Security policy analyst for The Senior Citizens League who conducted the research. Based on the most recent...
This June, we acknowledge 25 years of progress helping each other in preventing Medicare fraud. We appreciate your efforts, both for yourself, your fellow Alaskans, and all who benefit from Medicare. As your local Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP), we are ready to provide you with the information to protect yourself from Medicare fraud, errors and abuse. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the State of Alaska’s Medicare Information Office (MIO) to speak with any of our certified c...
Things don’t always go according to plan. When unforeseen challenges or mistakes occur, you may wish to know to whom you may voice your concerns and who can help resolve your concerns. For an appeal regarding a denied claim, be sure to review your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) to submit the appeal in writing. You are also encouraged to call the Medicare Information Office to speak with any of our certified counselors if you need assistance with the appeals process. Quality concerns If you h...
Medicare is part of the Social Security Administration. Medicare can be a complex and sometimes confusing program. It helps to have someone to talk to and ask questions to. That is my job. My name is Lee Coray-Ludden, I am based out of the Soldotna Senior Center, and my job is to serve Southeast Alaska, and any other state residents that would like to talk to someone in person. I am trained and supervised by SHIP (the State Health Insurance Program) and coordinate with them. How do I sign up for Medicare? When do I have to sign up? How does...
An estimated 6.5 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s disease today. This is nearly 11% of seniors in the U.S. The cost of caring for patients with Alzheimer’s is approaching $300 billion annually, which is greater than the economy of Finland. All cancer care costs in the U.S. last year approached $25 billion, by comparison. Your Medicare part B premium increased recently to cover the cost of a controversial and expensive new drug (Aduhelm). The drug doesn’t work very well, in part because it attacks amyloid plaqu...
Editor’s note: This press statement was received March 15, 2022. A new survey by The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) indicates that even after receiving the highest Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) in 40 years, seniors report they are worse off than before. The majority of Social Security recipients say their monthly expenditures from January 2021 to January of 2022 grew far more than the amount the COLA-boosted benefits. The COLA increase of 5.9 percent raised average Social Security benefits by $92 per month. But 73 percent o...
Preventive care is the care you receive to prevent illness, detect medical conditions and keep healthy. A service is considered preventive if you have no prior symptoms of the disease. In contrast, diagnostic services address symptoms or conditions that you already have. Today we will discuss how Medicare covers preventive care. Medicare Part B covers many preventive services, such as screenings, vaccines, and counseling. A list of these services is available at: https://www....
Hidden brain benefits come with pet ownership Owning a pet, like a dog or cat, especially for five years or longer, may be linked to slower cognitive decline in older adults, according to a new study. In fact, having a dog for more than 10 years may have important brain benefits. “Prior studies have suggested that the human-animal bond may have health benefits like decreasing blood pressure and stress,” said study author Dr. Tiffany Braley with the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann...
The Social Security Administration encourages you not to carry your Social Security card with you every day. The best way to “Guard Your Card” is to keep it in a safe place and share it only when required. In fact, in most cases, just knowing the Social Security number should be enough. In 49 states and the District of Columbia, a Social Security card isn’t required to request a Real ID. Only Pennsylvania requires it. Please be careful about sharing your number when asked for it. You should always ask why your number is needed, how it will...
Hello, my name is Lee Coray-Ludden, I am a Medicare counselor based at the Soldotna Senior Center. I serve Southeast Alaska, and anywhere else in Alaska that my skills can be of use. I almost feel like I am traveling Alaska having worked with people in Nome, Soldotna, Kodiak and of course the many communities of Southeast Alaska. I travel by phone, not by plane or boat. I am trained through SHIP (Alaska State Health Insurance Program) and coordinate with them. I have lived in Alaska since 1969, and on the Kenai Peninsula since 1974. Give me a...
Medicare-related decisions can be quite challenging, especially when you or your spouse areabout 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 (hospitalization insurance) as this...
Dear Savvy Senior: How effective is the shingles vaccine and what is the CDC recommendation for getting it? My older brother and sister, both in their fifties, got COVID a few months back followed by shingles. Do you know if there is a connection between these viruses, and would the shingles vaccine have protected them? - Scared of Shingles Dear Scared: Great question. Many healthcare professionals across the country have been urging their older patients to get the shingles vaccine (in addition to the COVID-19 vaccinations) during the pandemic...
Editor’s note: This press statement was received on Jan. 19, 2022. Medicare beneficiaries may have grounds to ask for a refund on a portion of their 2022 Part B premiums, according to The Senior Citizens League (TSCL), a Washington D.C.-based senior advocacy organization. “It appears that Medicare is overcharging 57 million older and disabled beneficiaries for their Part B coverage this year,” says Mary Johnson, a Medicare and Social Security policy analyst for The Senior Citizens League. The increase in Part B premiums in 2022, which cover...
Your Medicare costs and coverage can change every year; this year is no exception. Here is an overview of changes and opportunities to consider. Medicare Part A Part A inpatient hospital services, skilled nursing facility services, home health care and hospice are covered by Medicare Part A. Most people do not owe a premium for Part A. If you have less than 10 years of Social Security work credits, you may owe a monthly premium, depending on the number of years worked. If you are admitted to...
Each household in the U.S. can now have four free COVID-19 at-home tests shipped directly to their home at no cost. All you need to do is visit COVIDtests.gov and enter your contact information and mailing address. The tests are rapid antigen “at-home” or “self” tests — not PCR tests, which require a lab drop-off. The “at-home” or “self” tests can be taken anywhere and give results within 30 minutes. Guard against scammers trying to steal your personal information. When ordering tests, use the official, secure government website: https://...
Editor’s note: This press release was received on Dec. 8, 2021. If the annual Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) did a better job of keeping pace with Medicare Part B premiums, benefits over the past decade would be 42 percent higher in 2022, according to a new analysis by The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). “Medicare Part B premiums are the fastest growing cost that most older Americans face in retirement, but those costs aren’t fairly accounted for by the method used to adjust Social Security benefits for inflation,” says Ma...
Medicare may include coverage of diagnostic-level genetic testing for patients when the test is ordered by a physician, as long as certain requirements are met. Genetic tests of this sort are performed in order to help identify medical traits which may be cancer-related. The development and availability of genetic tests continues to evolve, especially in the diagnosis and early treatment of many diseases. Tests of this sort may be able to confirm or eliminate an appropriate diagnosis, far...
The Biden administration recently rolled out several steps toward getting more Americans vaccinated with two different new rules covering more than 100 million workers and specific guidelines for nursing homes and assisted living facilities. The first rule, issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) covers companies with 100 or more employees, applying to an estimated 84 million workers. It requires companies to ensure that their workers are either fully vaccinated...
