Most people get Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) when they turn 65. If you didn’t sign up for Part B then, now’s the time to decide if you want to enroll. During Medicare’s General Enrollment Period (January 1–March 31), you can enroll in Part B and your coverage will start July 1. Deciding to enroll in Part B is an important …
Give your heart some love: prevent heart disease
While you’re celebrating with loved ones this Valentine’s Day, don’t forget your heart needs some love, too. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women, taking about 647,000 lives each year. You might not be able to avoid Cupid’s arrow, but you can take steps to help prevent heart disease. Start …
Get a glaucoma test and make your vision top priority!
More than 3 million people in the U.S. have glaucoma, and some have no idea they have it. Glaucoma is a group of diseases that can cause permanent vision loss and blindness. If you get a glaucoma test and find treatment early, you can protect your eyes from serious vision loss. January is glaucoma awareness month, and it’s the perfect …
Get your pneumococcal shot
Did you know about 1 million Americans go to the hospital with pneumonia every year? Pneumonia is a lung infection caused by pneumococcal disease, which can also cause blood infections and meningitis. The pneumococcal shot is the best way to help prevent certain types of pneumonia and other pneumococcal infections. Medicare Part B covers the initial shot, plus a second …
Medicare scam alert
Scammers may call about your new Medicare card to trick you into sharing your personal information — like your current Medicare Number. Remember, Medicare will never call you uninvited or ask for your personal or private information to get your new Medicare Number and card. There are very limited situations in which Medicare can call you. Here are 2 tips …
Medicare improvements education events for seniors to be held Oct. 18-19
Senior citizens are invited to MIPPA education events being hosted by the Ascension Council on Aging. MIPPA is the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008. Events are at 11 a.m. Oct. 18 at the Donaldsonville Senior Center and 11 a.m. Oct. 19 at the Gonzales Senior Center. The guest speaker is Giselle Lee, of the Capital Area …
CMS Reveals New Medicare Card Design
Removing Social Security numbers strengthens fraud protections for about 58 million Americans Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) gave the public its first look at the newly designed Medicare card. The new Medicare card contains a unique, randomly-assigned number that replaces the current Social Security-based number. CMS will begin mailing the new cards to people with Medicare …