Review Your Medicare Plans
Those of us 65 and older, have begun receiving notices regarding changes to our Medicare healthcare plans. Open enrollment is between October 15 and December 7. This gives us time to review the information before deciding what we’ll keep and what we’ll change.
Do you continue with your Medigap policy or move over to Advantage? While appearing to be lower cost, many Advantage plans are changing. Have your medical needs changed? Will a Medigap policy provide you with a more customized approach? Review your benefit notices carefully.
Keep an eye out for Plan D, prescription-related coverages. Premiums are rising. Inflation is taking a bite out of how much Plan D will cover versus how much we’ll pay out-of-pocket. Review your plans carefully to make sure your medications are still covered.
Do you have a dental plan? Vision?
Are your preferred doctors still in network? Sometimes, doctors stop accepting Medicare because of the low reimbursements.
Follow these three steps to reduce the overwhelm of paperwork and to make the best decision. ONE: When these documents arrive, open them and read the first two pages. TWO: Set these mailings aside in an easy-to-access folder. THREE: Pick up and review them every few days to digest in bite-sized pieces. Over time, you understand enough to weigh the costs of the premiums versus coverages. If this is all new to you, consult a broker. I consulted one who was knowledgeable enough to recommend several options based on the needs I shared. Be careful that the broker you choose doesn’t recommend a plan based on commissions earned.
Take Care of Your Health
With health care costs rising (see estimated figures at the end of this article) we must take care of ourselves. We see and hear repeatedly and perhaps, ignore the messages; but consider that all the money in the world won’t do you a bit of good if your health suffers. The older we grow the more important our health is. Health becomes the currency of aging; more than US dollars (or your nation’s currency) and even bitcoin.
Health is wealth.
What steps are you taking to improve your health?
Eat Nutritious Foods
While processed foods are a convenient and tasty option, their excessive sodium and/or high carbohydrates don’t give our bodies what they need, like protein. We end up in a vicious cycle of eating more to get enough energy. But these foods provide limited nutrients. Over time, instead of having energy, we’re gaining weight.
It’s hard to evaluate the quality of our food today. Unless you tend to your own garden, foods picked too soon and left to ripen in store displays or on our own kitchen counters, don’t provide the same nourishment of vine-ripened produce. I was gifted the tastiest and juiciest ripe tomatoes from two different home gardens. What a world of difference between store bought and home grown!
Do you read labels?
I read labels. I aim for minimally processed foods. Though I grabbed a box of protein-enriched Cheerios recently. One of the ingredients caught my eye—tripotassium phosphate. What the heck is that? Ask yourself, would I browse the store aisles for maltodextrin, guar gum, and artificial flavors? Even Natural Flavors are not natural! Here in the U.S., we don’t know what we’re eating or drinking.
Coca Cola used to have less sugar and likely fewer ingredients than it does now. Here in the U.S., we believe, if a little is good, more (much more) is better.
Move
The older we grow, the more we must stretch and move. Stiffness is a part of growing older and unless we keep stretching to maintain flexibility, we’ll feel the pain. Heck, despite my nature hikes, I hurt while sleeping! Get out a walk each day. It helps your blood circulate for better health. Even a one-mile walk for 20 minutes can make a world of difference. Okay, even five minutes!
Socialize
Research continually posts the benefits of socialization. While, I enjoy socializing, I also treasure periods of solitude. These are times I can think more deeply. I use this quiet time to write articles such as this one. Being mostly retired, I can tune into my own life-rhythms. (I may unretire at some point.) For now, I eat what I want, when I want. I sleep and wake whenever. Independence has its advantages.
I volunteer and enjoy the socialization with my fellow Red Cross volunteers. Plus, I learn something new each time I help.
While many of us crave our independence, we also need to be brave enough to ask for help.
Asking for help is the most courageous thing we can do. I was raised to help others. Now, I’m learning to ask for help. People are eager to help when asked kindly. And I am ever grateful for their help. For instance, I had a good fortune when two 30-year-old Trail Angels distanced me from my fear while climbing the sheer granite rock face of Yosemite’s Lembert Dome. Guiding me with compassion and patience, I was able to relive the exhilaration of climbs from decades earlier. Of course, I had to come back down and that’s when there was some hand holding.
ONE of SIX: Yosemite: Climbing Lembert Dome SCARY!
If we don’t take care of ourselves, we’ll need more expensive medical care. Inflation raises the costs while services are declining. As of this writing, the Medicare monthly premium (Part B) is expected to rise almost 12%—from $185 to an estimated $206.50. By comparison, in 2025 the Part B premium increased 5.9%—from $174.7 in 2024 to $185. Plus, the deductible is also rising.