Tag: Medicare

Did You Claim Your Medicare Rewards?

You read the title of this column correctly. Many Medicare plans are launching reward and incentive plans. Points earned can be redeemed for prizes or gift cards. Incentives are awarded for healthy activities that result in positive health outcomes. You could earn points for: Completing an Annual Wellness Visit(AWV) Tobacco cessation Maintaining a certain Body…
Getting Ready For 2015 And My Medicare

The holidays are quickly coming. We hope that you have all looked at your Medicare options for 2015. If your plan won’t be available, we urge you take action and make the changes that are best for you. If you have not yet made your decision and need help comparing the many plans available, please…
It’s Time: Medicare Open Enrollment

Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period (also called the “Annual Enrollment Period”) is each year from Oct. 15th — Dec. 7th. Each year this is your opportunity to do a Medicare Checkup: Will my plan still be available in 2016? Is my plan still affordable (looking at premiums AND copays)? Are there any new health or drug…
Hospice & Part D Prescription Medications

Earlier this year the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) clarified the criteria for determining payment responsibility under the Part A hospice benefit and Part D prescription drug benefit for individuals who are under the Medicare hospice benefit. This was done to help prevent duplicate payments. CMS has issued a new guidance that requires…
Medicare and The Working Individual

Are you going to stop working when you are 65 years old? If you are like some people in Hawaii — you love your job and you aren’t ready to stop working just because you are eligible for Medicare. What happens then? Do you have to sign up for Medicare? Will you be penalized if…
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: A Tale About Medicare Eligibility

The Hawaii SHIP office recently received a call from a woman who left the message, “I looked in the mirror this morning and this young 50 year old was looking back at me. Then my high school classmate called and asked if I had enrolled in Medicare yet? I realized I will be 65 this…
Start a New Tradition with Social Security

The holiday season has arrived — a time of year that is steeped in tradition. We’d like to suggest that you start a new tradition. It actually starts with breaking the old tradition of trudging to an office when you need to do business with Social Security. Sometimes traditions evolve. Many of the things your…
Medicare: Making the Most of Your Health & Drug Plan

Congratulations! You have made your decision of the Medicare Health and Drug Plan for 2013. For many, this might mean that you stayed with the plan that you had in 2012 and for some, you may have looked at the options available in your area and have enrolled with a new Medicare plan. The decision…
Medicares’ National Mail-Order Program

On July 1, 2013, Medicare was scheduled to implement a national mail-order program for diabetic testing supplies. The program was designed to offer patients quality supplies at a discounted rate. Rather than having an approved amount of $78 for 100 test strips and lancets, Medicare’s approved amount is around $22 — and your co-pay will…
Al Harrington Discusses His Years … And Yours

At 77 years young, Al Harrington has seemingly lived the life of the American Dream—entertainer, actor, healer and educator. Yet, after experiencing cancer and diabetes, Al was compelled to build the healing spirit in Hawai‘i. For him, that meant illustrating how new and old methods of healing can work well together.