Jagger EschDoes Medicare Cover Hearing Aids?
As you get older, you start to think about your health in new ways. Things you never were too concerned about before now become a top priority. One of these things is hearing. Hearing loss is a common and sometimes frightening development that takes place as you age. Does Medicare Cover Hearing Aids? Causes of Hearing Loss A variety of circumstances can cause hearing loss. External causes, like long-term exposure to noise pollution, are common. Internal causes, such as genetics or illness, can also play a major role in hearing loss. Do You Need Your Hearing Tested? If you have noticed
Continue reading
Guest Blogger6 Ways Seniors can Save on Prescription Drugs
Prescription drug use is increasing across all groups of people. But seniors are the most like to use multiple medications at once. This phenomenon, called polypharmacy, sees some seniors saddled with ten or more prescriptions. As age increases, so does the number of pills consumed each day. Whether or not polypharmacy is the best option medically, the financial burden is undeniable. Even with a Medicare Part D plan, prescription drugs costs stifle many seniors. This is especially true in the coverage gap, where patients are responsible for a larger percentage of drug costs. If you’re overwhelmed by the cost of
Continue reading
Garrett BallGuide to Choosing a Part D Prescription Drug Plan
With the arrival of the Medicare annual election period, now is the time to compare your Part D plan to make sure you have the best “deal” for 2018. Guide to Choosing a Part D Prescription Drug Plan First of all, it is important to understand that, each year, the Medicare Part D prescription drug plans have the ability to change their benefit structures, including premiums, deductibles, co-pays, networks and formularies. This means that keeping the “status quo” from year-to-year carries with it some definite risk. It is advisable to re-evaluate your Part D selection annually to ensure you have the
Continue reading
Kimberly JohnsonComparing Retail and Mail Order Pharmacies
Wondering whether to make a switch to mail order for your elder’s medications? Wishing you knew if there was really a difference? Do you like ordering things online? Or, do you prefer the personal touch? Comparing Retail and Mail Order Pharmacies Well, here are some basic tidbits that can help you evaluate which system works best for you and your elders. Sometimes it works best to use both! Comparing Retail and Mail Order Pharmacies Retail Pharmacies Pros – Local store, usually convenient to you and/or your elders Fast turnaround Consultations with pharmacists are easy Many offer compounding (custom Rx blending/preparation) You can
Continue reading
Jeff DaileyHelping The Elderly Avoid Prescription Drug Problems
According to the National Alliance for Caregiving, there are over 33 million people in the U.S. who care for an aging relative or friend. Caregivers need to be aware that drug errors can happen and may be serious, but often are preventable. Helping The Elderly Avoid Prescription Drug Problems The problem stems largely from the multiple drugs seniors are prescribed and the complex network of physicians and pharmacists caring for them. According to Medco Health Solutions, Inc., the average senior takes nine prescription medications a year. One in four seniors sees four or more different physicians and uses three or more
Continue readingPrescription Drug Coverage
When you join Medicare you may want to add coverage for your prescription medications. Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage (MPDC, or Part D) will cover both brand-name drugs and generic at participating pharmacies. Part D helps to protect you from unexpected drug expenses and help you better predict your medical spending. If you want to enroll in Medicare Part D, make sure to do so when first eligible. If you do so at a later date, you will have to pay penalty fees that will last as long as you have the drug plan. When you do choose to join Medicare
Continue readingAre Pills The Best Way To Take Medication
Are Pills The Best Way To Take Medication People take medications expecting fast pain relief. If you’re swallowing pills, however, you might have to endure a longer wait. Medications designed to work immediately don’t come in pill form. Take the epipen. Epipens are meant to stem severe allergic reactions, which can progress rapidly. The medication comes in the form of an injection, so someone entering anaphylactic shock can shoot the drug epinephrine directly into their bloodstream, leading to the fastest possible relief. On the other hand, when you take a pill, the medication has to go through your esophagus and
Continue readingMore Americans Choosing Generic Drugs
More Americans Choosing Generic Drugs Have you ever gone to fill a prescription and the pharmacist asks if you'd like the generic version of the medication, perhaps reminding you that it is at a considerable cost savings over the brand-named drug? Or you're told that your insurance will only cover the generic equivalent of what your doctor has prescribed?More Americans Choosing Generic Drugs The first time this happens, you undoubtedly have many questions: Is there a difference between branded and generic medicines? Will the generic be just as safe and effective? Do insurance companies prefer generics? If you have, you're
Continue readingHow to Manage Multiple Medications
Someone older than 65 takes an average of six medications a day. Taking multiple medications at the same time is called polypharmacy. But with more medications come higher costs and greater risks, so it should come as no surprise that polypharmacy is a major concern for seniors. How to Manage Multiple Medications There are plenty of legitimate reasons why polypharmacy can occur. You may have developed a new condition, or an existing condition may have worsened. You may need certain medications to treat unavoidable side effects of other medications. And it may be that that you’re facing treatment gaps that
Continue reading