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Senior Health

Finding the Best Medicare Supplement Plan

Just the thought of trying to choose a Medicare supplement plan can give you a headache and feeling of dread. Plan A in the Medicare group has the fewest benefits and is the least expensive and Plan J has the most benefits and is the most expensive. Somewhere in between, you should be able to find a plan that’s right for you.

The best way to look for a plan is to go to www.medicare.gov, the official government website for Medicare and peruse the wealth of information available to find out about eligibility, what you get with basic Medicare coverage and the types of plans that you’ve got to choose from. The site also offers a telephone number if you want to talk to a representative about which plan is right for you.

Medicare supplement plans are only available for one person, not a family or husband and wife. Try to find a plan during the first six months after you enroll in Medicare, Part B. Insurers have to accept you into their plan during that time even though you may have had preexisting conditions. After the six month time period, policies could cost more.

You should know that Medicare Supplemental plans which charge higher premiums don’t get you any more coverage than you’d get for the same plan with a lower premium – and, procedures for filing claims are exactly the same. Medicare’s Medigap plans increases the amount of health insurance if you’re eligible and have enrolled in Part A and B. Also, Medicare’s Medigap plans usually increase every year on January 1st, the same time that benefits are adjusted.

Along with the raises to Medicare plan premiums each year, you should know that Medicare also adjusts rates for “attained age.” So, between about 80 and 90 years old, the premiums are at their highest – just when they’re least affordable. Medigap policies are also adjusted according to others in your geographic area, so that everyone is paying the same premium.

You can purchase an issue-age or community-rated Medigap policy that charges the lowest premium. It may be a bit more expensive at first, but your premiums aren’t raised every year as you age. Medigap policies are provided by companies like Blue Cross, Blue Shield and Humana and offers extra coverage that might help healthcare deficiencies offered under the Original Medicare, Part A and B.

Some questions you should ask before you sign up for a Medicare Supplement plan are what the coverage is on the services you know you’ll need, how does the supplement work with other health care coverage you might have – such as from an employer — and how much you’ll pay out of pocket for hospital stays and doctors’ visits. Other questions might concern drugs and prescriptions you’ll need and whether or not you’ll be covered elsewhere if you travel a great deal.

Medicare and Medigap sounds complicated and can be confusing, but one of the professional health insurance representatives at Medicare can work with you and help you to find the best possible policy and premium for you.

Coping With the Chronic Pain of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is likely to affect men over 70 and women over 50 and can result in serious and life-changing fractures if not treated. Osteoporosis occurs when calcium and phosphate leave the bones and are reabsorbed in the body, leaving the bones thinner and weaker. Osteoporosis in women is sometimes caused by an estrogen shortage during menopause and in men – a drop in testosterone.

Fragile bones eventually result in a fracture of some type, and when the disease is in the later stages, those fractures can be very serious. Fractures in seniors can lead to extreme pain and loss of mobility as well as negative changes in lifestyle. Even after the fractures heal, pain may remain and the issue then is to try and cope with it as much as possible.

The chronic pain and problems of osteoporosis can occur in the form of stiffness and weakness, muscle tension and spasms. Your doctor can order a bone density test to see if you have osteoporosis and determine how severe it is. Then, she can help you manage the pain in a number of ways that’s best for you.
Some ways to manage osteoporosis pain are:

· Regular exercise – Exercise releases natural pain killers called endorphins from the brain. Engaging in a regular exercise program also helps you build your strength and increases energy, makes you more flexible and builds muscles that protect the fragile bones – among many other benefits.

· Massage – A therapeutic massage therapist can do wonders for the pain caused by osteoporosis. Other benefits include relaxation and increasing blood supply. Be sure to tell your massage therapist if you have osteoporosis and he or she can adjust the pressure so that your spine won’t be affected.

· Hot and cold packs – Cold packs can relieve pain by anesthetizing nerves in the painful area(s). Taking a warm bath or shower or adding warmth to the pain area can loosen stiff muscles. Try both of these methods to see which works best for your pain.

· Acupuncture – An acupuncturist might be able to relieve pain associated with osteoporosis by inserting specially-developed needles at specific body areas. The needles cause the brain to release endorphins.

· TENS – Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation are small mechanisms that are sometimes used to send electrical currents to the area where pain occurs, preventing pain transmissions to be sent to the brain. These devices are small and can be fastened to a belt for uninterrupted relief.

The chronic pain suffered with osteoporosis can affect victims emotionally as well as physically and could cause depression, isolation and hopelessness. Seniors suffering from osteoporosis may feel despondent and withdraw from life, so it’s very important to be tested and treated for the chronic pain that may occur.

Are You at Risk for Colon Cancer?

There are a number of risk factors that figure in to your susceptibility to colon cancer, but the truth is that each of us, no matter what our background or current health status, is at risk – and most of the people who are diagnosed with colon cancer have no specific risk factors. That’s why it’s important that you know the warning signs and are aware of what the risk factors are so that you can discuss them with your health care provider.

One of the high risk categories for developing colon cancer is people over 50 years of age, and the risk increases with each decade after that. Also, women are at greater risk for colon cancer than men, although men are at higher risk to be diagnosed with rectal cancer. Here are some other risk categories for colon cancer:

· Medical history – Women who have experienced other cancers such as ovarian and breast are at greater risk to develop colon cancer. Those who have inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis are also at risk. If you’ve had colon and/or colorectal cancer once, it may come back again.

· Family – If you’re a parent, brother, sister or child of a person who has been diagnosed with colon cancer, you’re more likely to develop it.

· Polyps – These are non-cancerous lumps found on the wall of the colon, but even though they’re non-cancerous, they can lead to colon or rectal cancer. Adenomas, a type of polyp, increases the risk factor.

· Diabetes – Diabetics have an increased risk of developing colon cancer.

· Smoking and alcohol – Smoking is definitely a high risk factor for getting colon cancer. Alcohol should be drunk in moderation or not at all.

· Diet and exercise – High fat in your diet increases the risk of colon cancer as does obesity. Your diet should include high fiber — and exercise should be a part of your daily routine.

Don’t think you’ll definitely get colon cancer if you have one or even more of these risk factors, but do discuss them with your doctor and begin to change your lifestyle so that you minimize the risks. Some people who seem to be at extremely high risk for developing colon cancer won’t get it, and others who seem at almost no risk will be diagnosed with colon cancer — researchers can’t explain why.

Scheduling a screening for colon cancer should be an important part of your medical examinations if you’re over 50 years of age. Your health care provider can advise you how often a colonoscopy should be scheduled. At that time, polyps can be easily removed and you and your doctor can discuss the results and possible actions you can take to lower the risk of hearing a diagnosis of colon cancer.