Sen Guide

7/30/2019 Sen Guide

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Sunday, May 26, 2013

Plus:A seniors guide to the Affordable Care Act:

What you should know

about the health care law

Activities to keep seniors activeActivities to keep seniors active

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en or u e un ay, ay ,

Look for thePost Registers

ReadersChoice Awards

coming

June 16

Safety tips for seniors ................................................ 3

The Affordable Care Act......................................... 4

What the ACA means for Medicare ...................... 5

Health care reform myths ....................................... 6

Understanding the doughnut hole ........................ 7

Staying sharp: Activities to keep you active ......... 8

Boomers face complex healthcare choices ...... 11

How the ACA affects long-term care ................. 12

Nutrients that help you age well .......................... 13

Understanding thedoughnut hole

What the ACAmeans for Medicare

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(BPT) If youre just en-tering retirement, chances areyou have many years of goodhealth and independenceahead. But the normal agingprocess still brings limitations

that we all need to preparefor such as slower reactiontimes and declining vision -which can lead to accidentsand injuries.

Many accidents are prevent-able though, and you can takesimple measures to enhanceyour safety as you age.

In your homeFalls are one of the greatest

age-related risks inside thehome. One in three adults old-er than 65 fall each year, andthe risk of injury rises with

age, according to the NationalSafety Council. Many falls arecaused by hazards that areeasy to avoid if you know whatto look for.

To prevent tripping,eliminate clutter on floors,remove throw rugs or tackthem down with double-sidedtape, and make sure electricaland phone cords are kept outof the way. You might needto rearrange some of yourfurniture as well, to ensurethat there are unobstructedpathways into and out of everyroom.

In the bathroom, use anonslip rubber mat or sticknonslip adhesive strips tothe bottom of the bathtub orshower. You may also wantto consider installing grabbars. Keep a night light on inthe bathroom at night, andremove any obstacles in thepath from the bedroom to thebathroom.

If your house has stairs,make sure they have goodlighting (with light switches

at both the top and bottomof the staircase) and sturdyhandrails (preferably on bothsides). Attaching nonslip rub-ber treads is a good idea if thesteps are potentially slippery.

The kitchen presents aslightly different set of po-tential hazards. To reduce therisk that youll cut or burnyourself, make sure there isbright, nonglare lighting overall food preparation areas.Also, its better to store sharpknives in a knife block or rackrather than loose in a drawer.

And make sure any hazardoussubstances (such as cleaningsupplies) are well marked andstored in a place where theyreunlikely to be misidentified orcome in contact with food.

OutdoorsTo make your yard safer, re-

place or repair any broken orloose paving stones and clearthe walkways of overgrownbranches or any other poten-tial tripping hazards. Makesure all handrails are firmand secure. Mark the edges ofsteps with reflective tape andcheck that there is enoughlight to see obstacles at night.

You might want to considera timer or motion-detectorlight near the front door soyou dont have to fumble withyour keys in the dark. And,just in case, make sure yourhouse number is visible andlighted so emergency person-nel can find it quickly.

In the carTo increase your safety on

the road, have your visionand hearing checked everyyear, and, if you need them,

wear your glasses or hearingaid when driving. Know your

limitations and avoid situa-tions that make you uncom-fortable - for example, you

may decide to avoid drivingat night or on extremely busyroads.

Have your car checkedregularly by a trusted me-chanic to make sure it stays

in good working order, andkeep a cellphone with you soyoure prepared in case of anemergency, which cant beemphasized enough. Its goodto have a cellphone on handfor any type of emergency not just in the car. In a 2011survey by the Pew ResearchCenter, 40 percent of respon-dents who owned cellphonessaid that in the past 30 daysthey had found themselvesin an emergency situationin which having their phonewith them helped.

Knowing that you can callfor help at any time pro-

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members, is one carrierthat provides no-contract,cost-effective wirelessservice and cellphones.Their senior-friendly DoroPhoneEasy 618 is an easy-to-use feature phone with aone-touch emergency but-ton and a feature to storeall your I.C.E. (in case ofemergency) information.

Most accidents dont justhappen. If you follow thesesimple safety tips, youlldecrease your risk of injury and increase your chances

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Information about nursinghomes will detail who ownsthe nursing home, howmuch the nursing homespends on resident carecompared with administra-tive costs, the hours of nurs-ing care residents receive,staff turnover rates, and thenumber of complaints andviolations.

Each state must have a com-prehensive nursing homewebsite with informationabout local nursing homes,

including inspection andcomplaint reports.

,WZLOOEHHDVLHUIRU\RXWROHcomplaints about the qualityof care in a nursing home.Your state will be requiredto have a process in placeto resolve complaints aboutnursing homes, and the pro-cess must ensure that you arenot retaliated against if youOHDFRPSODLQW,QDGGLWLRQthe law requires that you be

QRWLHGWKDW\RXUFRPSODLQWhas been received and howit has been resolved.

If a nursing home will beclosed, residents and theirfamilies must be told of theclosure far enough in ad-vance so theyll have time tomake other plans.

States can participate in anew national grant programto expand criminal back-ground checks of long-termcare employees.

Affordable Care Act for

The doughnut hole

Fighting fraudPrimary care

Wellness

Long-term care

Temporary insurance covers people whohave been denied health coverage becauseof a pre-existing condition and have beenwithout insurance for at least six months.

Children under age 19 cant be denied healthinsurance because of a pre-existing condition.

Young adults up to age 26 can remain on or beadded to a parents health insurance plan.

Individuals with new employer-based or indi-vidual insurance plans do not have to pay forcertain preventive care services.

Insurance companies cant drop your cover-age if you become sick.

Insurance companies cant place lifetimedollar limits on health coverage.

People with Medicare receive a 50 percentdiscount on brand-name prescription drugsand a 7 percent discount on generic pre-scription drugs while in the Medicare Part Ddoughnut hole.

Medicare adds free coverage for wellnessand preventive care.

,WVHDVLHUWROHFRPSODLQWVDERXWWKHTXDOLW\of care in a nursing home. Better access toinformation on nursing home quality andresident rights is available.

People with Medicare receive a 50 percentdiscount on brand-name prescription drugs

and a 14 percent discount on generic pre-scription drugs while in the doughnut hole.

People with Medicare receive a 52.5 percentdiscount on brand-name prescription drugsand a 21 percent discount on generic pre-scription drugs while in the doughnut hole.

People with Medicare receive a 52.5 percentdiscount on brand-name prescription drugsand a 28 percent discount on generic pre-scription drugs while in the doughnut hole.

Insurance exchanges begin offering healthFRYHUDJHZLWKFRPSUHKHQVLYHEHQHWV

Premium subsidies are available for peoplewith limited incomes who buy health insur-ance through an exchange.

Children, parents and childless adults who donot have Medicare and who have a limitedincome are able to apply for Medicaid.

Insurance companies are banned from put-ting annual limits on health coverage.

Insurance companies cant deny anyonehealth coverage because of a pre-existingcondition.

Spouses of people on Medicaid who re-ceive care services at home get the sameprotections for income and other resourcesas spouses of those on Medicaid who live innursing homes.

People with Medicare receive a 55 percentdiscount on brand-name prescription drugs

and a 35 percent discount on generic pre-scription drugs while in the doughnut hole.

People with Medicare receive a 55 percentdiscount on brand-name prescription drugsand a 42 percent discount on generic pre-scription drugs while in the doughnut hole.




The Medicare Part D doughnut hole isclosed.

When your total drug costs exceed a certain amount ($2,930 in 2012), you fall into the Medi-care Part D coverage gap or doughnut hole. While youre in the coverage gap, your costswill depend on a number of factors. When your out-of-pocket costs for drugs reach a certainamount ($4,700 in 2012), you leave the coverage gap and qualify for catastrophic cover-age. At that point, youre responsible for just 5 percent of your prescription drug costs for therest of the year.

$2,930

$4,700

coverage gap

Closing the gap

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

Gapclosed

Brand-name prescription drug discount

Generic prescription drug discount

Free

annual

wellness

and pre-

ventative

screenings

for Medi-

care re-

cipients.

:DWFKIRURIFLDOFRPPXQLFDWLRQVGovern-PHQWRIFLDOVGRQRWVHOOLQVXUDQFHSROLFLHVdoor to door or over the phone. As newLQVXUDQFHEHQHWVWDNHHIIHFWUHO\RQWUXVW-ed sources to tell you what, if anything, youmay need to do.

.QRZZKR\RXDUHGHDOLQJZLWKMedicaremembers do not need middlemen to helpWKHPDSSO\IRUQHZEHQHWV

%HVNHSWLFDOIf you receive a visit, call ore-mail from anyone offering you help tosign up for programs created by the health

care law, beware. Do not pay anyone toKHOS\RXUHFHLYH\RXUEHQHWV$QGGRQRWreveal any of your personal information,such as your full name, date of birth orSocial Security number.

5HSRUWIUDXG/DZHQIRUFHPHQWRIFLDOVneed you to report your concerns. Thehealth care law includes extra resourcesIRUJKWLQJKHDOWKFDUHIUDXG&RQWDFW\RXUstate insurance commission, your stateattorney general, or local law enforcementabout any suspicious promotions.

The affordable Care Act sets new rules to better protectnursing home residents from abuse. Heres how:

Illustration by Krysten Bullock / Information courtesy AARP

The United States is short 16,000 primary care doctors

1-in-5graduating

internalmedicineresidentsplans togo into

primary caremedicine.

The Journal of theAmerican Medical

Association

As the number of U.S. primary care physicians declines, theAffordable Care Act provides health insurance for 30 million

more Americans. How will the system cope?

The ACA authorizes money totrain more doctors, nurses, nurse-practitioners and physician assistants. It includes more graduate medicaleducation training positions, withpriorities for primary care and generalsurgery. More money for scholarships andloans for all health professionals.

The law expands the number ofpatients seen at community healthcenters in areas with too few doctorsand increases the number of stafferswho work in the centers. It expands nurse-managed clinicsat nursing schools where nurses intraining see patients who live in thearea.

7/30/2019 Sen Guide

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Submitted by AARPFor Senior Guide

he health care lawstrengthens Medicare by pro-tecting and improving guar-anteed beneits and crackingdown on waste, raud and

ineiciency. It also identiiessavings that will keep Medi-care inancially stable or 12years longer than i the lawhadnt been passed.

Te law protects any cuts toMedicares guaranteed benefts,which include doctor, hospitaland rehabilitation services. Tisis true whether you have Orig-inal Medicare or a MedicareAdvantage plan.

New Medicare beneftsTe health care law gradually

closes the prescription drug

doughnut hole, adds reepreventive benefts and helpsimprove access to primary caredoctors.

Closes the doughnut hole:I you have prescription drugcoverage under Medicare PartD and all into the coverage gap,or doughnut hole, your out-o-pocket drug costs will be greatlyreduced in the uture.

I you reached the doughnuthole in 2012, ou ot a 50 er-

cent discount on brand-namedrugs and a 14 percent discounton generic prescription drugswhile you were in the coveragegap.

Te doughnut hole will grad-ually narrow until it disappearsin 2020. However, everyone on

Medicare Part D will still haveout-o-pocket costs or pre-miums and co-payments, justlike today beore reaching thedoughnut hole.

Adds preventive care ben-efts: You will no longer haveto pay or Medicare-approvedpreventive care services. Youwill also be able to work withyour doctor on a personalizedprevention plan to keep you ashealthy as possible. Tis meansthat health problems can be de-tected sooner and treated morequickly. Te preventive benefts

include:

A yearly wellness visitScreenings or diabetes and

certain cancers. (Such proce-dures include mammograms,colonoscopies and other pre-

ventive screenings.)Improved access to primary

care doctors: You want to besure youll continue to receivequality care. You also want

rimar care roviders to be

available to give you that care.Te law addresses these needs.

See MEDICARE, page 15

Whatthe

meansor

New health care law makesMedicare financially stablefor an additional 12 years

Stock photoThe Affordable Care Act provides incentives for primary care physicians to treat Medicare patients, espe-cially those in areas where there is a shortage of primary care physicians.

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By Beth Howardfrom AARPFor Senior Guide

The presidential election ig-nited more rhetoric on healthcare reform. But how much ofit is true?

The amount of misinfor-mation about the AffordableCare Act [ACA] includingoutright lies is astonishing,says Shana Alex Lavarreda,Ph.D., director of healthinsurance studies at the UCLACenter for Health Policy Re-search. The point of the lawis to make the health systembetter for each person, for lesscost to society overall.

But myths about the ACAabound. Some of the mostpersistent:

MYTH 1: The new law cutsMedicare drastically, so Iwont be able to get quality

health care.The Affordable Care Act

(ACA) in fact prohibits cuts toguaranteed Medicare benefits.There are provisions in thelaw to help curb the soaringcosts of Medicare, but sav-ings will come from reiningin unreasonable payments toproviders, taxing high-premi-um plans (beginning in theyear 2018), cracking down onfraud and waste, and en-couraging patient-centered,coordinated care, says Sara R.Collins, Ph.D., vice presidentof the Commonwealth Fund,a private research foundationfocused on health care.

The ACA also coverspreventive care designed toavert chronic conditions likeheart disease and diabetes,which currently cost billions.Medicare beneficiaries get anannual wellness exam as well

as numerous screenings andvaccines free of charge. Thenew system also improvescoordination of care betweendoctors, nurses and other pro-

viders to prevent harmful andcostly hospital readmissions.

Finally, the law closes theinfamous Medicare Part D

prescription drug dough-nut hole, in which Medicarebeneficiaries paid full pricefor prescription drugs afterexceeding a certain dollarlimit each year. Now enrolleeswho reach the doughnut holeget large discounts, and by2020, the hole will close.

MYTH 2: Ive heard thatMedicare Advantage planswill be cut or taken away.

The ACA does not eliminateMedicare Advantage plans,which are privately admin-istered plans that providebenefits to about a quarterof Americans with Medicare.These plans were created tobring market efficiencies toMedicare, but they actuallycost taxpayers 14 percentmore per enrollee than thetraditional Medicare programdoes. The ACA aims to bringcosts back into line.

The plans are still requiredto provide at least the samebenefits as those availablethrough traditional Medicareplans, says Stuart Guterman,

vice president of the Com-monwealth Fund. And for thefirst time, the law ensures thatplans that perform better willbe paid better, so the care theyprovide should improve.

MYTH 3: Ill have to wait

longer to see my doctor or I wont be able to see mydoctor at all.

If your current plan allowsyou to see any physician inthe plan, nothing will change,says UCLAs Lavarreda. Healthplans are already building big-ger networks in anticipation o

new patients, so choices couldbe even greater.

Although the law doesntspecifically address wait times,many of its provisions areaimed at improving qualityof care, including some thatencourage more physicians tobecome primary care doctors

.MYTH 4: If I have Medi-

care, I will need to get moreor different insurance.

Some people have confusedthe ACAs individual man-date with a requirement toobtain additional insurance ontop of Medicare. Thats justnot accurate, says Guterman.Medicare beneficiaries willcontinue to have Medicare,and theres no requirementthat they get additional cover-age beyond what they alreadyhave.

MYTH 5: The new lawraids Medicare of $716billion.

Its simply not true. TheSee MYTHS, page 14

Eleven myths about health care reform

Myths such as the Affordable Care Act will bankrupt America, or make insurance premiums skyrocketpersist. (Stock photo)

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Submitted by AARPFor Senior Guide

I youre enrolled in MedicarePart D to help pay or prescrip-tion drugs, your benefts gotbetter in 2012.

Most people with Part Dwill receive an automatic 50percent discount on brand-name prescription drugs and a14 percent discount on gener-ic prescription drugs whileyoure in the Part D coveragegap. (Your discounts may be

dierent depending on the typeo Part D plan you are enrolledin.) You dont have to apply orthe discount or fll out any extrapaperwork and the discountswill keep growing until 2020,when the coverage gap disap-pears.

What is Medicare Part D?Medicare is the ederal health

insurance program or people65 and older and or someyounger people with disabili-ties. Medicare oers insurancecoverage that helps people pay

or their prescription drugsthrough Medicare drug plansand Medicare Advantage plans.Tis insurance coverage isknown as Medicare Part D.

What is the Medicare Part Dcoverage gap?

When your total drug costsexceed a certain amount($2,930 in 2012), you all intothe Medicare Part D coveragegap or doughnut hole. Whileyoure in the coverage gap, yourcosts will depend on a number

o actors as explained in theanswers below. When yourout-o-pocket costs or drugsreach a certain amount ($4,700in 2012), you leave the coveragegap and qualiy or catastroph-ic coverage. At that point,youre responsible or just 5 per-cent o your prescription drugcosts or the rest o the year.

How will I know i Ivereached the coverage gap?

Every month that you fll aprescription, your MedicarePart D drug plan mails you an

explanation o benefts (EOB)notice. Te EOB tells you howmuch youve spent on MedicarePart D-covered prescriptiondrugs. Tis EOB will also tellyou i youve reached the cover-age gap.

Who can get the coveragegap discounts?

I youre enrolled in a Medi-care prescription drug plan or a Medicare Advantage planthat includes prescription drugs you can get discounts on thedrugs that are covered by yourplan once youre in the cover-age gap. (Check the details oyour Part D plan to see i youllreceive the additional discountsin the coverage gap.)

I you receive Extra Help (aMedicare program that helpspeople with limited resourcespay their prescription drugcosts), you dont have a cover-age gap so you dont need thediscount.

How does the 50 percentdiscount work or brand-namedrugs while Im in the cover-age gap?

In 2012, once you reach thecoverage gap, you will automat-ically get a 50 percent discounton your brand-name prescrip-tion drugs at the time you buythem. However, the actual priceyou pay or an individual drugwill vary based on your Medi-care Part D plan. Te discountwill be applied to the price thatyour Part D plan has negotiated

with the companies that man-uacture your drugs. Keep inmind that you will need to payany pharmacy ees associatedwith flling a prescription. Teseare also known as dispensingees and are not included inyour discount.

Heres an example: Mrs.Smith reaches the coverage gap.She goes to her pharmacy to flla prescription or a MedicarePart D-covered brand-namedrug. Te price or the drugis $100 and the dispensingee is $2. Once the 50 percent

discount is applied, the cost othe drug is $50. Te $2 dispens-ing ee is then added to the $50discounted amount. Mrs. Smithwill pay $52 or the prescrip-tion.

Does the discounted priceor the ull drug price counttoward the amount I need toreach catastrophic coverage?

You pay 50 percent o theprice or brand-name drugs, butthe ull price will count towardthe amount you need to qualiy

or catastrophic coverage. (Tisincludes any costs you payin dispensing ees to fll anyprescription.) So in the exampleabove, even though Mrs. Smithpaid $52 or her prescription,the entire $102 counts towardthe amount she needs to makeher eligible or catastrophiccoverage.

In 2012, Medicare will giveyou a 14 percent discount onthe price o your generic drugswhile you are in the coveragegap.

What happens i I fll a pre-scription and only part o theamount is in the coverage gap?

Te 50 percent discount willonly apply to the portion o yourclaim thats in the coverage gap.For example, i you fll a prescrip-tion that costs $100 and only $50o that cost is in the coverage gap,the discount will only apply tothat $50. In this case, you wouldpay your normal copayment onthe $50 portion o the prescrip-tion thats not in the coveragegap, plus $25 (50 percent o the$50 portion thats in the coveragegap). Your normal copaymentplus the $50 portion thats in thecoverage gap will count as out-o-pocket spending and help you getout o the coverage gap.

Will I receive a 50 percentdiscount on all Medicare-cov-ered brand-name prescriptiondrugs?

I a drug company has signedan agreement to participate in

the Medicare Part D discountprogram, all o the Medi-care-covered Part D brand-name drugs they make arecovered during the coverage

See DOUGHNUT, page 14


Understanding

Health care law closes Medicare Part D coverage gap by 2020

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By Ainsley DespainFor Senior Guide

taying active and engagedis important at everystage of life.

Sometimes, however, thatcan be more difficult later inlife. Here are some ways tostay sharp both mentally andphysically as you age.

Thinking gamesDecreased memory function

is part of the natural processof life.

According to www.help-

guide.org those who continuelearning new things through-out life and challenging theirbrains are less likely to devel-

op Alzheimers disease anddementia.

In order to maintain brainfunction for as long as possi-ble, seniors should maintainphysical activity, proper dietand social function whilementally challenging them-selves as often as possible.

The Idaho Falls SeniorCenter offers thinking gamesto help seniors stay mentallysharp.

Groups will get together toplay card games like Bridge,Pinochle, and Hand and Foot,said Becky Cook, the Associ-

ate Director at the Idaho FallsSenior Center. These gamesgive them the mental exercisethat is said to help prevent

mental aging.The Senior Center holds

Bingo games every Wednesday

morning. On Saturdays mem-bers from the community,ages 18 and older, are invitedto participate in the games aswell.

The interaction with othermembers of the communitykeeps the seniors up to paron their interpersonal com-munication, Cook said. Theactivities that we offer are runby the seniors, so its aboutwhat they want.

ArtPriscilla Honer has been

teaching art classes at the Ida-ho Falls Senior Center for thepast seven years.

Her classes focus on water-color painting and color pen-cil drawings, Cook said. Oneof her students, Beth actuallyreceived an award for herartwork, which was displayedoutside in the Art in the Parkexhibition.

Outdoor activitiesAnother activity that can

help seniors stay sharp istraveling or spending timeoutside.

According to www.cnn.com,for people who are alreadyexperiencing mental decline,even just walking in a gardenmay be therapeutic. Many res-idential homes for people withdementia now have wanderor memory gardens on theirgrounds, so that residentswith Alzheimers disease or

other cognitive problems canwalk through them withoutgetting lost.

The Homestead, located inRexburg takes trips to BearWorld and to gardens in thearea for groups who wish toparticipate.

The residents really love itwhen we visit the gardens upby the college. Also, the own-er has a carriage with a teamof horses and hell bring thataround here every other weekor so during the summer and

take everyone out on rides,said Garren Shakespear, Ad-ministrator at The Homestead.This way they can get outand see the town even if theyare not typically able to go outon their own.

According to www.cnn.com,the sights, smells, and soundsof gardens are said to promoterelaxation and reduce stress.

ReadingParticipating in a book club

or attending poetry readings

can also increase mentalacuity.One of the attendants,

or a student will come in aread aloud to everyone. Pasta certain age its easier to doit this way than have a bookclub since everyone lives soclose, Shakespear said. Theylisten to the reading and thenwe all talk about it. It keepsthem mentally active as theykeep up with the characters

Activities that offer mental, physical edge as you age

Krysten Bullock/[email protected] line the shelves at the Idaho Falls Family History Center where residents can research their genealogy.

432ICC0526

7/30/2019 Sen Guide

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and imagine the story goingalong.

Shakespear said it also givesthem something to talk aboutwith each other.

GardeningGardening is another activ-

ity that gets seniors outdoorsand active.

A lot of the folks aroundhere grew up on farms sowhen it comes to garden-

ing, they know what they redoing, said Danette Peterson,manager at The Homestead.It takes them back to theirroots and they enjoy makingthat connection.

Two separate studies report-ed on CNN which followedpeople in their 60s and 70sfound that those who gar-dened regularly had a 36 to 47percent lower risk of dementiathan non-gardeners.

We have a plot that we usefor a garden when the season

is right, Peterson said. Ouractivities coordinator will or-ganize the times and a groupof people who want to go outand shell work with them toplant flowers and a few otherthings.

According to www.cnn.com,digging, planting, weeding,and other repetitive tasks thatrequire strength or stretchingare excellent forms of low-im-pact exercise, especially forpeople who find more vigor-ous exercise a challenge.

Some research suggests that

the physical activity associ-ated with gardening can helplower the risk of developingdementia.

Animal interactionOne activity that some

seniors may not consider isinteracting with animals.

The other day we broughtin a warming tank, like afish tank without water, andhad two chicken eggs thatwere incubating, Shakespearsaid. We got to watch theone hatch that afternoon andthe other hatched later thatnight. Its a neat experience towatch.

The previous week, resi-dents at The Homestead got toplay with ducklings.

Our activities coordinatorfilled up a kiddie pool out inthe commons area and hada few ducks and their baby

ducklings swimming aroundout there, Peterson said. Itwas a fun activity to watchthem swim and to play withthem.

Shakespear said the activ-ities provided are not purely

for entertainment. He said thecoordinator regularly attendsworkshops about the psychol-ogy behind sponsoring certainactivities.

MusicAccording to www.freese-

niorcitizensolutions.com,music is an effective meansof managing stress and hencecan be an important and effec-tive tool to facilitate healthyexistence. Music is based onsound waves that lie betweenour voice and the meditativebrain wavelengths and as a re-sult it can relieve anxiety andtension. The ability to play amusical instrument and makemusic improves analyticalabilities.

The college has plays andmusic concerts so well get agroup together and go attendthose events, Peterson said.

They enjoy being out witheveryone and seeing the per-formers. Sometimes groupswill come here and put onindividual performances.

Dance

Dance can also be a ben-eficial form of exercise forseniors, as it is less strenu-ous than running or contactsports.

A few of our group movea little too slow for dancingthemselves but a bunch oflittle ones came in the otherday from a school here intown and performed a danceroutine for us, Peterson said.Rexburg puts on an inter-national dance festival everyyear and well have one of thecountries come and do theirdance.

Peterson said that interac-tion helps to improve morale.

Personal hygieneAnother activity she sug-

gested was ensuring goodpersonal hygiene.

We have someone come inonce a week a do manicuresand pedicures for the ladies.

After a while it gets hard forthem to be so mobile and itsnice for them to have a treatlike that, Peterson said. Itsimportant to them to staylooking nice. We dont havethem do manicures for themen nearly as much as weshould.

Community serviceCommunity service is one

way for seniors to get involvedin giving back to society.

We have done several proj-

ects in the past. Either wellput together hygiene kits orthose newborn kits with thelittle blankets and hats, Pe-

terson said. Everyone reallyenjoys them and it helps themfeel like theyre contributingto the community.

On a smaller scale, Peter-son said that every once in awhile they make decorations

for each others doors and thattime they take to be creative,while helping someone else, isgreat for their sense of inde-pendence.

GenealogyAnother center that is

frequented by seniors is theIdaho Falls Family HistoryCenter.

We have quite a few seniorswho come in to do research.We have a weekly class ofabout five hundred and maybe50 percent of the class areseniors, said Elder Ned Sweat,Director of the Family HistoryCenter since 2007. Several ofour missionaries are at least

The Idaho Falls Senior Center offers several activities for seniors including card games. Opposite page: Apple Athletic Club offers Silver Sneak-ers, a fitness program for senior citizens and others who have limited mobility. (Submitted photo)

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80 years old, one we have is 90. He says thatdoing this family history research keeps himalive.

Sweat said that doing indexing and beinginvolved in FamilySearch really gives them apurpose in life.

Learning the technology of the programhelps to keep us sharp. Well have peoplecome in and need help so it gives everyonea chance to keep up on their interpersonalcommunication, Sweat said. Some peoplehave been doing FamilySearch for years andyears, others are just getting started so we getto help them learn it.

Search engines like ancestry.com charge to use the programfrom home but services are freeat the Family History Center.FamilySearch indexes about 30million names every month.

Sweat said that most of thepeople who come in are membersof Te Church of Jesus Christ ofLatter-day Saints but that theylove having members of the com-munity come in as well.

We have one lady whocomes in at least twice a week

to do some searching and itsgreat to see her come in everyweek, Sweat said. Its us being a part ofsomething bigger and we are happy to helpeveryone. We have all kinds of records here,newspapers and census records, theres somuch to go through.

Exercisehe Apple Athletic Club in Idaho Falls

offers several ways for seniors to stay fit withclasses that focus on low-intensity workouts.

We have programs specif ically designedfor seniors. here is a class we have calledsilver sneakers designed not just for seniorsbut for anyone with less mobility, said SandyGordon, Membership Coordinator at AppleAthletic Club. We have a variety of exerciseclasses to focus on strength training, hand-eye coordination, balance, and agility. Wecan do chair exercises for those who cantstand for very long.

Seated yoga is another activity that is of-fered at the AAC.

Gordon said the AAC offers seated yoga

because sometimes it can be embarrassingfor some to try and get back up off the floorduring traditional yoga classes.

he aquatics program we have is fantas-tic. Its great for anyone who may have backproblems, joint pain or issues with theirknees, Gordon said. One other programwe have that even Ive gotten into is ai Chi.Each of the activities are great for peoplewith arthritis who cant run on a treadmill. A stroll through a park or garden can be therapeutic and good exercise.

Its us being a part of something

bigger and we are happy to help

everyone. We have all kinds of records

here, newspapers and census records,

theres so much to go through.

Elder Ned Sweat, Director of the Idaho FallsFamily History Center

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7/30/2019 Sen Guide

11/16


(BP) Every day, about10,000 baby boomers turn65 and become eligible orMedicare. Not everyone willsign up, but its important tounderstand the importance oearly choices when enrolling inMedicare or the frst time.

You can enroll in Medicarethree months beore turning65, the month you turn 65 orup to three months aerward.

urning 65 opens the doorto Medicare eligibility, but itbrings with it some complex

choices, says Paula Muschler,manager o the Allsup Medi-care Advisor, a personalizedMedicare plan selectionservice. Choices seniors makeat this time can impact theirhealthcare costs over the longterm and their entire amily.

Muschler oers the ollow-ing key steps or Medicarefrst-timers.

1. ake a look at your exist-ing group health plan coverageand think about how it will co-ordinate with Medicare. Manypeople work past age 65. As a

result, Medicare-eligible indi-viduals who have health cov-erage through their employeror their spouses employermay be able to wait to enrollin Medicare Part B, whichcovers outpatient medical care.Tis is not true in every case,however. Tis option dependson other actors, such as thesize o the employer and howsoon you expect to retire aerreaching 65. You may want toconsider enrolling in MedicarePart A, which includes hospitalcoverage, even i you deer

Part B.2. Consider the options or

frst-time enrollment, keepingin mind your current healthneeds and fnancial resources.I you choose traditional Medi-care, you have an average o 31Medicare Part D prescriptiondrug plans rom which tochoose. You can also chooserom 10 standard Medigappolicies or supplementalcoverage, ranging rom basic tocomprehensive coverage. Teprice or these plans also can

dier rom one company to thenext.Adding to the complexity,

Medigap plans are not requiredto accept you aer your initialenrollment period. Tis is one

reason frst-time choices arecrucial. Seniors evaluatingMedicare Advantage plansover traditional Medicare alsohave an array o options - anaverage o 20 plans, dependingon where you live. Weve beenable to help Allsup customersfnd plans that cost less andmatch their specifc healthcareneeds, Muschler says.

3. Follow Medicare enroll-ment rules to avoid costlymistakes. Penalties are in placeor decisions related to PartB and Part D coverage. Te

late-enrollment penalty is 10percent or each ull 12-monthperiod you could have beenenrolled in Part B. Likewise,Part D imposes a penalty iyou go or more than 63 dayswithout coverage aer enroll-ing in Part B.

Your frst-time Medicareplan choices also are morecomplicated i you have retire-ment dates, COBRA coverageor dependent coverage to con-sider, Muschler says. Tese

are good reasons to contact aMedicare specialist, who canhelp answer the right questions

and provide guidance to se-niors so they make choices thatmatch their situations.

4. Understand how higherincome and changes in yourincome aect Medicare costs.Higher-income benefciariespay higher premiums orMedicare Part B and pre-scription drug coverage. ForPart B, the 2013 monthlypremium is $104.90 or jointflers with income o $170,000or below ($85,000 or singleflers). However, the premiumincreases to between $146.90

and $335.70 or those withincomes above these thresh-olds. Likewise, higher-incomebenefciaries can expect to payrom $11.60 to $66.40 moreeach month in prescriptiondrug premiums.

Te Social Security Adminis-tration uses IRS records whendetermining premiums. SocialSecurity may reduce an indi-

viduals income-related month-ly premium with verifcation.Social Security has specifc

requirements about how youcan document changes in yourincome when you are request-

ing reduced Medicare premi-ums, Muschler explains.

5. Review healthcare cover-age or your spouse and depen-dents to determine how yourchoices may aect their cover-age. I you are nearing Medi-care eligibility, you can fndyoursel at a crossroads when itcomes to providing healthcareor your entire amily.

Some employers may con-tinue to provide coverage toa workers amily, or you mayneed to purchase COBRAcoverage or private coverageor amily members. One

early step is to talk with yourbenefts plan administrator tosee what options you may haveand then plan or your amily,Muschler says.

Seniors turning 65 haveseven months during theirinitial enrollment period tomake critical decisions. Butyou can begin evaluating youroptions earlier to be betterprepared. For a ree brochureon urning 65 and MedicareEnrollment or or an evalua-tion o Medicare options, callan Allsup Medicare Advisor

specialist at (866) 521-7655 orgo to Medicare.Allsup.com.

Boomers turning 65 face complex healthcare choices

BPT photoAs the baby boomer generation turns 65, they are faced with enrolling in Medicare for the first time.

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By Patricia DavisFor Senior Guide

Finding the right long-term care facility for youor your loved one can

be confusing and, more oftenthan not, overwhelming.

In east Idaho alone there aremany nursing homes and as-sisted living facilities available.Seniors and their families canbe confused about where to

turn for the best information.The Affordable Care Act hasopened a lot of transparen-cy in information betweennursing home facilities andfamilies. However, manyfamilies are still left with thequestion, Where do we findthis information?

I think the first thing any-one in this situation needsto do is contact their localarea agency on aging, MariePeterson, a Long Term CareOmbudsman at the IdahoFalls Area Agency on Aging

said. When they do thatthey will have the opportu-nity to visit with an om-budsman who has their bestinterests at heart. We canlook at what kind of needsthey have and what kind offinancing options they haveavailable.

Speaking with an om-budsman is free and they arefocused on helping familiesthrough the long-term careexperience.

Seniors and their familymembers can get a lot of helpsifting through informationwhen they contact their localArea Agency on Aging. Thosewho are trying to choose anursing home can get a listof things to consider whenchoosing a long-term care fa-cility. For example, one of thethings seniors are prompted toconsider in choosing a facilityis the proximity of the facilityto family members.

A person who is gettingvisited tends to get bettercare, Peterson said.

Financial ability is anotherimportant factor in choosinga facility. Your long-term careombudsman can help youdecipher what kinds of long-term care insurance, Medi-care, and Medicaid coverageyou might have.

Other things to considerinclude the skilled nursing

ability of the facility and yourhealth needs, what kinds ofactivities are available at thefacility, and if the choicesavailable in meals and roomsfit your needs.

Every situation is differ-ent, Peterson said. This issomething that should becustomized to the individual.It should really be all aboutwhat the resident needs andwants.

Once families have nar-rowed down their list ofpotential long-term care fa-

cilities, it is important to visiteach candidate. A visit cangive you the feel of the facilityand if it will be a good match.Visiting the different facilitiesbefore choosing one will alsohelp seniors feel confident inthe decision.

It is good for the potentialresident to make the visits.The more you can give themcontrol over the process, thehappier they will be, Petersonsaid.

Another good reason toget in touch with your locallong-term care ombudsmanis to access all the resourcesavailable to you and your fam-ily as you enter into this newstage of life.

The Idaho Falls Area Agen-cy on Aging holds a CaregiverSupport Group that meetstwice a month on the first andthird Tuesdays. The supportgroup is a valuable resourcefor caregivers in the area.

Ombudsman can guide families

looking for assisted living

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(BP) Parents ofen usethe adage You are what youeat! to encourage children tomake healthy ood choices, butthe saying is equally true ormature adults. Providing yourbody with a variety o nutrientslets you eel your best, and mayeven prevent disease and helpyou live longer.

Allison annis is a nutrition-ist, author and proessionalconsultant. She believes that ag-ing well means eating well. Sherecommends these ve supernutrients to help baby boomersand older adults age well andstay healthy.

1. Omega-3sIt can be hard to see at

as healthy, but omega-3 attyacids are potentially one othe most important nutrientsor our health, says annis.

Omega-3 atty acids arevital to the maintenance andunction o our eyes, brainand nervous system partso us that start to weaken withincreasing age. In addition,these healthy ats have greatability to ight inlammationthat is the cause o painuljoints, cardiovascular diseaseand even wrinkles.

How can you get your dailydose o 1 to 2 grams o ome-ga-3s, as recommended by theAmerican Heart Association?Wild-caught ish like salmon,

sardines and Arctic char aregood sources o omega-3s.Plant sources o omega-3sinclude lax, chia and hemp. Itcan be diicult to get enoughomega-3s rom ood sources,so supplements are a goodalternative.

Every morning I wake withthe best intentions o eatinghealthy, but then lie can get inthe way, annis says. Usingdaily supplements ensures mybody gets all o the essential nu-trients it needs to be at its best.I take Nordic Naturals sh oils,available in liquids, sof gels andeven an eervescent drink.

2. Vitamin DVitamin D is really only

available to us rom the sun,explains annis. Sure, there areoods such as milk and orangejuice that have added vitaminD. For some, these oods area great choice, but or others,it can be hard to ensure youregetting enough o this essen-tial vitamin through ortiedoods.

Older people are prone tovitamin D deciency, and there-ore, may experience muscleweakness or impaired intestinalabsorption. annis suggests thateveryone, no matter their age,consider a vitamin D supple-ment i diet and sun exposurearent adequate. From taste-less liquid drops to pills thatcombine multiple nutrients,there are a variety o options orvitamin D supplementation.

3. ProbioticsProbiotics ght inamma-

tion, promote digestive healthand much more, says annis.With age, there is a decrease inthe most prominent probioticin the colon, Bidobacteria,leaving the colon prone toinammation, which increasesthe risk o disease and discom-ort.

Foods like ker and yogurtare common sources o probi-otics, but ofen its not enough

to get the ull benets. Probioticsupplements are a great way tomaintain and rebuild probioticlevels in your digestive tract.Seek out one with lots odierent probiotic species, rec-ommends annis. Youve gothundreds o kinds o probioticsin you. Each probiotic oers itsown unique health benets toyour body, so having lots o di-erent kinds in your system canhelp your body be at its best.

4. Green foodsGreens are packed with

more nutrients per bite thanalmost anything else on yourplate. Tey are ull o vitamins,minerals, antioxidants, enzymesand more, says annis.

What green oods are thebest?

Te best greens to eat arethe ones you like you donthave to hate your ood. Loveyour ood! Choose some greensthat you enjoy and then, oncea week, try something outsideyour comort zone, annissuggests. I you simply cant

stomach enough greens, thereare plenty o powders available,rom simple single ingredientproducts to complex ormulas.

5. MultivitaminsNo matter what your age,

eating a balanced diet pro-vides your body with plenty onutrients. ry to ensure that atsome point each day you enjoyoods rom each color o therainbow, and articial coloringdoesnt count, says annis.

aking a multivitamin is oneway to ensure your body has

the minimum amounts o theessential nutrients it needs eachday to unction properly. I youare considering a multivitamin,look or one that is designedor your age, activity level andgender.

Food hasnt changed, eventhough it eels that everyoneis telling you something newabout it, says annis. Enjoya well-balanced diet, rich incolorul ruits, vegetables, nuts,

seeds, beans, whole grains andsh. Nutrition really can be easyto swallow.

Five supernutrients that

help you age well

Eating healthy can help you agewell. (BPT photo)

Greens are packed with morenutrients per bite than almost

anything else on your plate. Theyare full of vitamins, minerals,

antioxidants, enzymes and more, Allison Tannis, nutritionist

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en or u e un ay, May ,

Continued from page 6

Congressional BudgetOice (CBO), Congress in-dependent and nonpartisanbudget scorekeeper, recentlyestimated that the changesto Medicare in the ACA will

reduce spending by a totalo $716 billion between 2013and 2022.

hats where the numbercomes rom, says Guter-man. he largest portion othese savings would comerom changes to providerpayments and correctingoverpayments to insurancecompanies that oer privateMedicare plans. And thatprojected savings will beused to close the prescriptiondrug doughnut hole; to payor ree, preventive care or

consumers; and to increasecoverage or the uninsured,Lavarreda says.

All guaranteed beneitsin Medicare were protect-ed. hese measures actuallystrengthen Medicares iscal

viabil ity : Be ore the ACAwas pass ed, Medicares Hos-pital Insurance rust Fund,which is used to pay hospitalbills or Medicare beneicia-ries, was projected to run outo money by 2017; ater thelaw was passed, that date waspushed back to 2024.

MYTH 6: The law is goingto bankrupt America.

Not according to the CBOand the Joint Committeeon axation, nonpartisanentities that estimated healthreorm will actually reducethe nations deicit by $210billion between 2012 and2021, by reducing subsidiesto private insurance compa-nies, cracking down on wasteand raud, and reining inproits.

I we dont get healthcare spending under con-trol, thats going to bankruptAmerica, says S hannonBrownlee, acting policydirector at the New AmericaFoundation, a nonpartisanthink tank.

MYTH 7: The new lawwill drive up premiumsastronomically.

hats an unlikely scenario.A signiicant number o theuninsured people who willbe brought into the system

with the ACA are the younginvincibles, says Brownlee,describing the 18-to-29 agegroup. heir relative goodhealth helps to subsidize careor less h ealthy people.

he law also strengthensstates power to questionunreasonable rate increas-es, whether because o age,preexisting conditions or anyother reason. And the lawsmedical loss ratio require-ment dictates that 80 to85 percent o premiums be

spent on medical costs. As oAug. 1, approximately 12.8million Americans receivedan estimated $1.1 billionin rebates rom insurancecompanies in cases whereoverhead expenses exceeded15 to 20 percent o premiumscharged in 2011.

As or Medicare Part Bpremiums (which coverdoctors services and outpa-

tient care), those are deter-mined by a ormula designeddecades ago by Congress,based on the previous yearsMedicare health care costs.In essence, the governmentpays 75 percent o Part Bcosts, and Medicare bene-

iciaries pay the remaining25 percent. he law did notchange this ormula. (hereis no truth to a rumor thatPart B premiums will riserom $99.90 a month in 2012to $247 a month by 2014,Lavarreda says.)

MYTH 8: If I cant affordto buy health insurance, Illbe taxed or worse.

I you cant aord healthinsurance because o inan-cial hardship (i the cheapestplan exceeds 8 percent o

your income), you will beexempt rom the tax penal-ty. Special taxes (rom $95the irst year to $695 a yearby 2017) will be phased inover the next seven years orthose who choose to orgocoverage. Even then, thegovernment will not crim-inally prosecute or placeproperty liens on people whoignore the tax. At worst, theIRS will withhold the taxamount rom individuals taxreunds.

MYTH 9: The ACA basi-cally turns our health caresystem into universal healthcare. So now some govern-ment bureaucrat will decidehow and when I get treated.

Health care under theACA will not be governmentrun. he law builds on andstrengthens the existing pri-

vate insurance sys tem, saysCollins. Fity to 60 percento people will continue to getinsurance through an em-ployer, and people who are

buying their own insurancewill still buy private healthplans. he choice o plan isnot dictated, and youll beable to choose the provideryou want no governmentbureaucrat involved.

he health care systemenvisioned by the law aims tobe universal in one way: bymaking health insurance ac-cessible to the vast majorityo Americans. hats a goodthing, says Brownlee. Wellhave more pe ople covered.

MYTH 10: If my statedoesnt set up an insuranceexchange, I cant get healthcoverage.

he ACA calls or eachstate to create an exchange, amarketplace o private healthinsurance companies. hiswill give individuals andsmall businesses a place toshop or aordable cover-age, with subsidies provided,starting in 2014. But somestates have declined to set upan exchange or have moved

slowly.I a state hasnt done it,then the Department oHealth and Human Serviceswill set up an exchange inthat state, says Collins. Eachstate will have an exchangeoperated by either the state orthe ederal government. Andtax credits will be available inyour state, regardless o who isrunning it.

Continued from page 7

gap or that calendar year. Tisincludes prescription drugs onthe plans list o covered drugsand those covered through anappeal.

How is coverage for genericdrugs changing in the cover-

age gap?In 2012, Medicare will giveyou a 14 percent discounton the price o your genericdrugs while you are in thecoverage gap. You will paythe remaining 86 percent othat price. he coverage orgeneric drugs works dier-ently than the 50 percent dis-count or brand-name drugs.For generic drugs, only theamount you actually pay willcount toward getting you outo the coverage gap. Also, thedispensing ee is included as

part o the cost o the drug.However, since several Part Dplans do pay or generic cov-erage in the gap, you shouldcheck the details o your plan.

Heres an example: Mrs.Smith reaches the coveragegap. She goes to the pharma-cy to fll a prescription ora Medicare Part D-coveredgeneric drug. Te price or thedrug is $20 and the dispens-ing ee o $2 is then added tothe cost. Once the 14 percentdiscount is applied to the $22,she will pay $18.92 or thecovered generic drug. Te$18.92 amount she pays willbe counted as out-o-pocketspending toward the amountshe needs to make her eligibleor catastrophic coverage.

Will I get additional sav-ings if I have a Medicare drugplan that already includescoverage in the gap?

Yes. You may get a discountaer your plans coverage hasbeen applied to the price o thedrug. Te 50 percent discountor brand-name drugs willapply to the remaining amount

that you owe. For example,i youre in a drug plan thatoers a 60 percent discount onbrand-name drugs while yourein the coverage gap and you flla $100 brand-name prescrip-tion, the cost o your prescrip-tion aer your plans savings is$40. Te 50 percent discount isthen applied to the $40 amountand you would pay $20 orthe prescription. Te $40 willcount as out-o-pocket spend-ing and help you get out o thecoverage gap.

What if I dont get a discountbut think I should?

I you think you have reachedthe coverage gap but you haventreceived a discount when youpay or your prescription, reviewyour next Explanation o Bene-fts (EOB) notice. I the discountdoesnt appear on the EOB,work with your drug plan tomake sure that your prescriptionrecords are up to date. I yourdrug plan doesnt agree that youare owed a discount, you canappeal. You can get help fling anappeal rom your State HealthInsurance Assistance Program(SHIP) or by calling Medicaredirectly at 800-MEDICARE(800-633-4227).

Can I receive the discount

if I have insurance other thanMedicare?

You can only get the discounti Medicare Part D pays frst oryour prescription drugs. I yourother insurance coverage is thesecondary payer, your otherinsurance coverage will pay aerthe discount has been applied.

Do I get the discount if Ihave drug coverage from aState Pharmacy AssistanceProgram (SPAP)?

I youre enrolled in a StatePharmacy Assistance Programor any other program that pro-

vides coverage or Part D drugs(other than Extra Help), you stillget the 50 percent discount oncovered brand-name drugs. Te50 percent discount is appliedto the price o the drug beoreany SPAP or other coverage. Forexample, i you fll a $200 brand-name prescription, the cost o

your prescription aer the 50percent discount would be $100.I youre enrolled in an SPAPthat reduces your cost-sharingor brand-name drugs by $25,you would pay the remaining$75 or the prescription. Te$200 will count as out-o-pocketspending and help you get out othe coverage gap.

What will the discounts looklike for the coverage gap overthe next 10 years?

Te coverage gap discountswill continue to increase until2020. In 2020 you will still beresponsible or paying your pre-miums and deductible, as well as25 percent o your prescriptiondrug costs until you reach cata-strophic coverage.

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789MIR0526

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Continued rom page 5

Primary care doctors and nurs-es who treat people with Medi-care will get bonus payments orproviding quality care.

Medicare will give extra pay-ments to physicians and nurseswho provide primary care inareas with doctor shortages.

Cracks down on waste,raud and inef ciency: Likemany people on Medicare, youare probably concerned abouthealth care raud. Scams andraud take money rom theMedicare program.

Te law provides new re-sources to fght raud and abusein Medicare.

It puts in place more tools tocatch those who raudulentlybill Medicare in order to keepthem out o the program.

Te law and Medicare

AdvantageTe law changes the way Medi-

care pays or Medicare Advantageplans that could result in changesto your particular plan. As usualduring open enrollment, youhave the option to stay with yourcurrent plan, switch to a new oneor move to Original Medicare.

A ocus on quality and val-ue: Te law rewards MedicareAdvantage plans that providehigh quality care. Te law alsoestablishes new rules to makeplans more cost-eective.

Te Centers or Medicare &

Medicaid Services (CMS) hasa rating system or MedicareAdvantage plans. Plans that rateat least three out o fve starsby CMS now receive bonuspayments or providing youwith better quality care. You canreview your plans rating at anytime on Medicares website.

Plans must use some o the

bonus money they receive toprovide extra benefts and re-bates to people participating inthe plans. Tis means that high-er quality plans may be able tooer you more services.

Medicare Advantage planscannot charge more than Origi-nal Medicare or certain services.Tese include chemotherapyadministration, renal dialysis andskilled nursing care.

As o 2014, plans must limithow much they spend each yearon administrative costs. For eachdollar you pay in premiums,Medicare Advantage plans maynot spend more than 15 cents onadministrative expenses.

Changes in how MedicareAdvantage plans are paid: Inthe past, Medicare paid subsi-dies to the private companiesthat oer Medicare Advan-tage plans. Tis means thatthese plans cost the Medicare

program more than OriginalMedicare on average about13 percent more per person.

As o 2012, Medicare hasstarted to reduce these subsidiesso payments are more in linewith Original Medicare.

Te changes in MedicareAdvantage payments will savethe Medicare program money.Some o the savings will be usedto close the Medicare prescrip-tion drug coverage gap andprovide more preventive care topeople with Medicare.

What this means or your

Medicare Advantage plan: Plansdier in how they respond to thelower subsidies. Lower subsidiescould mean that some plans maydrop extra services, such as eye-glasses and gym memberships.Some plans may raise their pre-miums and co-payments. Othersmay decide to leave the Medicareprogram.

How youll know aboutchanges to your Medicare:Each year insurance companiesthat oer Medicare Advantageplans made annual decisionsabout what they would coverand what they would charge. Asusual, during Medicare openenrollment you have the optionto stay with your current plan,switch to a new one, or move toOriginal Medicare.

I you have questions aboutthe notice, you can contactyour Medicare Advantageplan directly. You can also call800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227) to speak with a counselorabout your options.

You can compare your op-tions at Medicare Plan Finder.Tis Web page identifes theMedicare Advantage plansoered in your area.

I your plan is changed ordropped, you can switch to adierent Medicare Advantageplan or to Original Medicare.

Changes to income-relatedMedicare premiums

Te law includes two import-ant changes in the premiumsor people with higher incomes.Currently, you pay a higherpremium or Medicare Part B iyour income is above a certainlevel. Te income level starts at$85,000 or a single person or$170,000 or married couplesfling joint tax returns.

Income-related premiumsnow apply to people who havePart D prescription drug cover-age. Te income levels are thesame as or Part B.

Te new law reezes the 2010income levels until 2020. As

a result, more people will paythe higher-income premiumsor Medicare Part B and PartD when they reach the incomelevels above.

Make your choices wiselyI you are thinking about

changing your Medicare orMedigap coverage, be sure tofnd out all the acts frst.

Review all your options beoreyou switch rom one Medicareplan to another. I you have otherhealth coverage, such as Medicaidor retiree health insurance roman employer or a union, fnd outhow these plans work with eachMedicare plan you are considering.I you drop your additional insur-ance when you change plans, youmay not be able to get the samecoverage back i you change yourmind at a later date.


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