Holiday Blues, Depression, or Dementia??

Causes of Depression
Medical conditions
Reaction to pain and disability
Medications
Life events & personal crisis
Family history
Personality
Get help now; don’t wait until it gets worse!
Check with your doctor – he knows your family history, yours meds, your health problems
Share with a close friend or family member who’s known you for a long time & whom you trust
Talk to a counselor or a clergyman

What about Dementia?
How is it Different from Depression?

Open Enrollment Period

There will be even more Part D plans to choose from in 2007 – 61 to be exact, so you might find that one of the new plans better meets your needs.  Seniors who have delayed enrolling in Medicare Part D, wish to change plans, or just want to make sure their current plan is still the best choice, may do so by calling me at 988-5822 during this year’s “open enrollment period”, which begins on November 15^th and continues until December 31^st.  Coverage changes will go into effect January 1^st, 2007.  If you failed to sign up for a plan before the May 15, 2006 deadline, you will have to pay a monthly premium penalty which will be applied on top of the regular plan premium starting in January.  After that, the next enrollment time will not begin until November 15, 2007 when the premium penalty will grow from $2.24 to $6.08 per month.  Only seniors with very low incomes and assets will not be affected by the premium penalty calculated at 1% for each month of delay in enrolling.

Medicare Helps You Stay Healthy

Utilize Medicare’s preventive benefits by asking your doctor or health care provider to discuss which of the preventive services you need and how often you need them.  Covered benefits include:

• Bone mass measurement
• Cardiovascular screening
• Colorectal cancer screening
• Diabetes screening
• Services & supplies
• Vaccinations for flu, pneumonia, & hepatitis B
• Glaucoma screening
• Pap test& pelvic exam with clinical breast exam
• Prostate cancer screening
• Screening mammogram
• Smoking cessation counseling
• “Welcome to Medicare” physical exam, which now includes an ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm during the first six month you are eligible for Medicare benefits

2007 Medicare Amounts

• Part A
  
  
  • Hospital deductible...... $992 per period
    
    
  • Hospital co-pay.......... $248/day
    In-patient days 61-90
    
    
  • Skilled Nursing Facility
    Co-pay..................... $124/day
    
    
• Part B
  
  
  • Monthly premium........ $93.50
    
    
  • Annual deductible........ $131
    
    
  • Copay......................   20%

Secondary Insurance

Many people ask me about which type is best when they become eligible for Medicare.  Here’s an easy way to think about it:

• Group Health plans from a former employer or union are usually the cheapest & best supplements to Medicare if you’re lucky enough to have one available, even if you have to pay part of the cost.
  
  
• Medicaid is state assistance to those with limited income & resources.
  
  
• Medicare Supplemental Insurance is private insurance designed to coordinate with original Medicare.  There are 12 standard plans (A-L) which pay all or most of the remaining costs after Medicare pays their portion.  There is no network of providers or facilities with these plans and you are guaranteed the right to purchase one of these plans without medical underwriting, but they must be purchased within six months from the Part B effective date for those over 65 years of age.