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Medicare is the federal government that provides coverage to those who are 65+, under 65 and receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) for a certain period of time, or under 65 and with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). The Medicare program is funded in part by the Social Security and Medicare taxes paid on income, in part through premiums that those with Medicare pay, and additionally in part by the federal budget. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is the federal agency that runs Medicare. 

How Does It Work? 

The availability of Medicare does not factor in income. Once you’ve become Medicare-eligible and enroll you can choose to get your Medicare benefits from Original Medicare (the traditional fee-for-service program offered directly through the federal government) or from a Medicare Advantage Plan. A Medicare Advantage Plan is a type of private insurance offered by companies that contract with Medicare. Original Medicare consists of Part A and Part B when it comes to providing coverages.  

It’s important to understand all of your choices for Medicare options and to pick your coverages carefully. How you choose to get your benefits and who you are getting them from can greatly affect your out-of-pocket costs and where you will receive your care. Medicare consists of four parts: Part A, Part B, Part C, and Part D. Each part covers a specific type of coverage. Below is a list of what each part of Medicare covers. 

• Part A provides inpatient/hospital coverage
    
• Part B provides outpatient/medical coverage
    
• Part C provides Medicare Advantage
    
• Part D provides prescription drug coverage 

Medicare and Medicaid Are Not the Same 

Both programs are similar but they are serving different purposes. Medicare is a government-run program that provides health insurance. Unlike Medicare, Medicaid is run by the federal government in partnership with states to help cover those with limited income. Depending on the state, Medicaid can become available for those who are below a certain income level while meeting other criteria (such as age, disability status, pregnancy) or it will become available for all people below a certain income level. 

In addition to potentially saving you money on your life and health insurance, taking steps to improve your life expectancy can greatly increase your overall happiness in life. Here are 5 steps that have been proven to lead to longer, healthier lives.   

Get Daily Exercise  

Committing to daily exercise is the number one way to help extend your life expectancy. Those who exercise for around three hours a week have DNA and cells that were nine years younger than those who did not, according to a study. The easiest way to start your journey to committing to exercising is by daily repetition. To have results like those in the study, three hours is equal to thirty minutes a day.  

Maintain Regular Health Screenings and Testing  

It’s important to maintain an annual appointment with your primary care doctor for a number of reasons. The challenge is trying to figure out which tests you need to take and when. Everyone has a unique set of risk factors and family history, which means only your doctor can provide you with a timeline of what tests you should take and when. Regular mammograms, colonoscopies, and Pap smears have been proven to decrease mortality and morbidity from the diseases they screen for. 

Find Ways to Lessen Stress  

Stress can affect life expectancy in two significant ways. Direct and unhealthy effects of stress on the body in the long term is the first major way. The other way that stress can shorten your life expectancy is through the negative behaviors that become stress triggers. Comfort eating and smoking are unhealthy behaviors that come from these stress triggers. Try to pinpoint the things in your life that are causing you to hold onto stress and engage in negative, unhealthy behaviors. Once you find these stressors, try to find ways to counter them in order to have less stress surrounding you. 

Reduce Your Time Watching TV  

Did you know that watching TV can lead to a less active lifestyle? Those who sit in front of the television are bound to eat more than those who spend less time in front of the screen. TV consumption can also lead to antisocial habits due to you being home, zoning in instead of being with others. TV is stressful because of the types of things that are on the news or shows that have high-stress situations in them. On average, people consume about four hours of TV a day, which adds up to nineteen hours a week – ultimately more than 1,000 hours a year.  

Stop Smoking  

Smoking is one of the biggest health risks in the world. Smoking can cause your lungs to lose their functionality. In addition, if you smoke around others, you are putting them at a higher risk for lung issues due to inhaling secondhand smoke. Breathing in secondhand smoke can increase the risk of lung cancer, heart disease and stroke. If a child were to be exposed to secondhand smoke, it doubles their risk of getting chest related illnesses which include pneumonia, ear infections, wheezing and asthma.   

The better you maintain your health through exercise, healthy eating, and reducing stress and unhealthy behaviors, the more you can lower the costs of your health and life insurance. It’s never too late to make a lifestyle change, and your wallet will thank you as well as your body. Speak to your agent today about how you can lower your premiums! 

Discovering that you’re going to be a parent can be the most exciting news you’ll receive in a lifetime! But underneath all that joy and excitement is another emotion just as strong: fear. There is a ton of responsibility that comes with bringing your child into the world and you want to make sure you are doing it the right way. Even though your baby won’t arrive for another nine months, planning ahead is imperative. A great starting point to be sure that you and your bundle of joy are taken care of is by letting your insurance company know the amazing news. When you do, you should expect the following areas to be covered through your insurance plan. 

Prenatal Care Visits 

For many parents, it feels as though over half of the pregnancy is spent constantly visiting the doctor’s office while the other small part is the actual birth. However, every visit is important and results in news about your baby’s development. Gender revealing ultrasounds, glucose testing, multiple screenings, and hearing your baby’s heartbeat are all included in your visits. As the trimesters continue, you will even see your doctor more frequently to track and make sure your baby remains healthy. Typically visits happen every two weeks, but once the baby reaches a certain size, you will instead start showing up weekly. That’s a lot of visits! Make sure you have an insurance plan that covers all of them. 

Outpatient/Inpatient Services 

Without a doubt, the most important part of your health insurance is to make sure the delivery of your baby is covered. No matter how you give birth–natural, cesarean section, water birth or otherwise–this will be very costly if you are not taken care of financially. And it isn’t just the birth that will rack up the bill; room and board also comes with a price along with your meals, medication, and more. Luckily, with the right coverage plan, you won’t have to worry and can instead focus on bonding with your newborn child. 

Newborn Screening Coverage 

Many have said that time stands still when their child is born, but unfortunately, it cannot remain that way. Once they are welcomed into the world, they immediately have to undergo several tests that weren’t possible when they were in the womb. This is all to make sure that your baby is healthy and ready to go home. Screenings include testing for congenital hypothyroidism, hearing problems, phenylketonuria (PKU), and sickle cell anemia. Although these screenings, as stated before, do help ensure your baby’s health, they are not going to be free. At least not without insurance. If you are unsure about whether or not this is included in your plan, make sure you have a conversation with your agent as soon as possible.  

Newborn Baby Care 

Delivering a baby is by no means a simple task. It can take a serious toll on you both physically and emotionally. As a new parent, you will need a lot of rest to combat the unbelievable amount of exhaustion you will feel. However, having a crying newborn baby in the room may not help in this situation, regardless of how badly you want to see them. Nurses offer to take your child back to the nursery to tend to them throughout the night while you catch up on your much needed sleep. Luckily, newborn care is also covered through health insurance. 

Lactation Counseling and Breast Pump Rental 

For mothers who choose to breastfeed their baby, lactation counseling is available at the hospital to teach new mothers how to perform the task properly. Many see this as a great benefit, especially since it is one of the first of many bonding moments between mother and child. Even after the mother has left the hospital, breast pump rentals are made available to help you further and, as you may have guessed, are covered under your health insurance. 

As soon as your baby is brought into this world, you want to be sure to inform your insurance agency so that your son or daughter can be added onto your current plan. This way, they will continue to be covered throughout the rest of their life. To get started on the right insurance plan, give us a call today and let us insure all your major life moments.  

You are probably aware of how smoking can affect your health, but do you know how it changes your health insurance premiums?  

Determining Factors 

Health insurance premiums are determined based on five factors: age, location, plan category, number of dependents, and tobacco use. Insurance companies define tobacco use as the use of tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, and chewing tobacco) on an average of four times a week and within the last six months.   

Tobacco Rating 

Health insurers cannot outright deny coverage to smokers, but they can charge them higher premiums than non-smokers. The Affordable Care Act allows insurance companies to charge smokers up to 50% more for premiums. The explanation for this is simply that smokers are more likely to develop health concerns in the future, and therefore represent a greater risk for insurance companies. This surcharge is also known as tobacco rating, and states may opt out or charge below 50%. At this point most states charge the maximum 50% rate, but there are a handful that have taken the other options.  

Honor System 

It is important to point out that when applying for health insurance, lying about your smoking habits in order to receive lower premiums is considered a form of insurance fraud. In effect, by lying about tobacco use you are misrepresenting your health risks. Even if you use a smoking cessation device such as a vaporizer or an e-cigarette, many insurance companies will still consider you a smoker and raise your premiums in the same they will for tobacco product users.   

Uninsured Dangers 

Because of the higher premiums, some smokers may opt out of health or life insurance altogether. This can be a costly mistake due to the increased risk of diseases that commonly arise from long term tobacco use. If an uninsured smoker does become diagnosed with something like cancer or heart disease, they will surely wish they had insurance coverage to assist with treatment.  

Preventative Care 

There is some disagreement over whether higher insurance premiums actually help people stop smoking, but there are some providers that offer coverage for smoking cessation programs as preventative care.  

Having healthy habits is not only beneficial to your wallet; it is also beneficial to you and those who love you the most. Health insurance can help ensure that you’ll be there for family and friends for many more years to come. Reach out to one of our agents today to learn more about what you can be doing to take precautions for the future of your health.  

Enrolling in Medicare is considered a major milestone in your life’s journey. If your insurance does not automatically enroll you into Medicare when you are able, you will have to sign up manually with your carrier. Medicare is full of different plans and this is a new step so it can all be a little overwhelming. Below we’ve gone over all of the different plans of Medicare to help you decide what plan is best for you.  

Original Medicare 

As mentioned earlier, some people get enrolled in Medicare automatically, but for others they may have to sign up for coverage manually. There is an age restriction for Medicare, unless for certain situations, where you must be 65 or close to the age. This could also mean that you are not able to get Social Security. There are certain times of the year when you sign up for Medicare or change the current plan you have. When signing up you can choose how you get your Medicare coverage and you may be able to get help with your Medicare costs. 

What’s important is to remember that everyone who is signing up for Medicare has a different situation. This is why there are different types of coverage plans available. 

Medicare Part A Covers:  

• Inpatient care in a hospital 
• Skilled nursing facility care 
• Nursing home care (inpatient care in a skilled nursing facility that’s not custodial or long-term care) 
• Hospice care 

• Home health care 

Medicare Part B Covers: 

• Medically necessary services:  

• Services or supplies that are needed to diagnose or treat your medical condition and that meet accepted standards of medical practice. 

• Preventive services:  

• Health care to prevent illness (like the flu) or detect it at an early stage, when treatment is most likely to work best. 

Did you know that if you sign up for Medicare Part B when you’re first eligible, you can avoid a penalty? 

Medicare Part D (Drug Coverage) 

All Medicare plans cover a wide range of prescription drugs that those with Medicare take. These include most drugs in certain protected classes such as drugs that treat cancer or HIV/AIDs. Many Medicare drug plans and Medicare health plans with drug coverage place drugs into different levels called “tiers” on their formularies. Drugs in each tier have a different cost. For example, a drug in a lower tier will generally cost you less than a drug in a higher tier.   

Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) 

Medicare Advantage Plans, also labeled as “Part C” or “MA Plans,” are an “all in one” alternative to Original Medicare. These coverages are offered by private companies that are approved by Medicare. Not to worry though, if you join a Medicare Advantage Plan you will still have traditional Medicare. These plans are bundles that will always include Medicare Part A, Medicare Part B and usually Medicare Part D (drug coverage). 

To learn more about adding Medicare to your plan, reach out to your local agent today. 

It’s common to find most American families turn to sugary drinks like soda, energy drinks, sweetened coffee, or fruit juice daily. Families who ingest these drinks probably aren’t aware of the effects these beverages have on their health. While drinking these beverages regularly contribute to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and an increase in risk of heart disease, drinking these sugary drinks also have detrimental consequences to your dental health. 

What Makes Sugary Drinks So Harmful?  

Did you know that soda is considered the most harmful of all the surgery drinks out there? This is because they included acids such as phosphoric acid, carbonic acid, and citric acid among their top ingredients. Our mouths naturally contain harmful bacteria that interacts with sugars consumed and produces acid as a result. The acid is harmful enough on its own, but when mixed with the acids found in sugary drinks, the result is an even greater risk of dental damage. Diet and sugar-free drinks aren’t much better as these drinks are still really high in acids. This not only applies to soft drinks but beverages with high sugar content like fruit juice or sports drinks still interact with the bacteria in your mouth to produce damaging acids. This means even if you don’t drink sodas, you can still be at risk for dental damage caused by this acid. What happens to your teeth with these acids?

Enamel Erosion and Cavities 

The hardest substance in the human body is tooth enamel, but that doesn’t mean it’s indestructible. Enamel is the protective layer on the outside of your teeth, which means if you were to lose any of it, it would become weaker, thinner, and more susceptible to tooth decay. The mixed acids created while drinking sugary drinks can erode the enamel on your teeth. Enamel erosion has symptoms such as sensitivity to hot or cold foods and discoloration of the teeth. Once tooth enamel is damaged, it cannot be reversed. 

Over time as the enamel erodes, it can expose the inner layer of the teeth (this layer is known as dentin). The exposure of this layer is painful alone and it can also lead to the creation of cavities. Cavities can be difficult to locate in the early stages but once they’ve begun to progress, signs include pain or sensitivity, dark stain on teeth, and even holes appearing in teeth. 

Importance of Dental Insurance 

If you’ve been consuming a lot of sugary drinks lately, visiting your dentist should be on the top of your to-do list! Checking on your dental health is important, if you are experiencing the beginnings of enamel erosion or tooth decay, a visit to the dentist could help prevent any further issue. Dental insurance will help ease your worries about the effects that going to the dentist can have on your bank account. Most companies offer a dental coverage plan, but if your company does not, a private plan with a great alternative. Reach out to your local agent to learn more about the options available to you. 

Slips, trips and falls are the number 3 cause of accidental death in the United States, right behind motor vehicle accidents. No matter where you are in the world, if you are indoors or outdoors, you can experience a slip or fall. Slips and falls can naturally happen indoors when going up stairs or walking on wet hardwood or uneven flooring, but they are more common outdoors in parking lots and on sidewalks, stairs, decks, and other areas that are affected by the weather. 

Follow these tips to keep yourself safe and avoid having a dangerous slip, trip or fall. 

 Consider Your Shoe/Footwear Choices 

Depending on the weather in your city, you may need to change your plans for the day. If your area is experiencing lots of rain, opt for shoes that have traction, like tennis shoes. If it’s really muddy and slick outside, look for shoes that are fit for hiking. When it comes to footwear in the wintertime, store your steel toe boots. If you wear them too long in the cold, they could cause hypothermia in your feet. Waterproof shoes that have good traction on the bottom should be the top qualities to look for when buying your next pair of winter shoes. 

Planning an outfit that requires heels or sandals? Make sure that the weather is sunny with no chance of ice, snow, rain, and the terrain is dry – or if the weather is wet, wear better shoes until you reach indoors safely. You’ll be protecting your ankles from any potential harm. If you are climbing stairs in shoes with heels or sandals, take mind to grip the stair railing to help keep balance you don’t fall.  

Tread Forward with Caution 

Wintertime environments are some of the most dangerous when it comes to the risk of a trip or fall due to the ice and snow that can accumulate. Another dangerous climate is one with a ton of rainfall. Rain can cause even the flattest of areas to become slick and offer up a one-way ticket to a fall. In order to protect yourself from experiencing a fall in these two dangerous climates, choose to wear shoes that are high in traction and waterproof. Another big tip is when entering or exiting buildings, do your best to avoid walking on curbs or steps if you can help it. Walk with caution and do not run in these conditions or you are increasing your chances of falling.   

Take All the Precautions You Can 

Here are a few things to be mindful of when faced with an inclement weather situation. When getting out of your vehicle, keep a hand on the vehicle to support yourself because you don’t know how slick the ground is. Did you know that putting your hands in your pockets to keep warm is more dangerous than it is worth? Keeping your hands free is necessary because by putting your hands in your pockets, you risk your balance since you’ve now lowered your center of gravity. 

What Happens If You Fall? 

The number one thing that you should do if you do happen to take a tumble is to tuck your head in towards your chest to avoid hitting your head. Keep your elbows and knees bent when you fall and try to land on your butt to help protect your body from sustaining any injury. If you’re unsure how your insurance would protect you in the event of a slip, trip or fall related injury, reach out to your local agent to make sure you’re covered for this common risk. 

February is known as Heart Month in the United States, so there is no better time to learn about cardiovascular disease. According to the American Heart Association in a 2019 study, nearly half of all adults in the United States – 48% to be exact – have some form of cardiovascular disease. The term “cardiovascular disease” is used to refer to a number of conditions, including heart disease, heart attack, stroke, heart failure, arrhythmia, and heart valve problems. Because this disease is so prevalent, it can lead to potentially serious or fatal health concerns for up to half of the members of your staff. The good news is that 80% of cardiovascular disease can be prevented by adopting healthy lifestyle choices such as not smoking, adequate exercise, proper nutrition, and maintaining a healthy weight. 

What are the types of cardiovascular disease? 

Heart Disease: 

The most commonly found type of cardiovascular disease is heart disease, which is caused by a buildup of a fatty substance called plaque in the arteries. As this plaque lining the arteries builds up over time, blood cannot flow as easily as it needs to. When the heart does not receive enough blood, or if the plaque forms a blood clot and blocks the artery entirely, this can cause a heart attack or stroke. Heart disease can be monitored and maintained if the individual makes new healthy habits. 

Heart Attack:

A heart attack occurs when a plaque buildup or blood clot in the arteries cuts off all blood flow into the heart. The cells in the muscles that make up the heart will begin to die without blood, and other parts of the body will begin to shut down as well. Although many heart attacks are not fatal when individuals receive immediate critical care, it still means lifestyle changes need to be made. The heart often remains partially damaged after, and it cannot survive multiple heart attacks. 

Stroke: 

When the arteries that carry oxygen-filled blood to the brain are blocked, a stroke can occur. If the brain cannot receive oxygen, cells will begin to die and cause symptoms such as the inability to speak or move. In many cases, patients will recover these abilities with time and the help of rehabilitation therapists. However, if enough oxygen is cut off for a prolonged time during the stroke, the damage can be irreversible. 

Heart Failure, Arrhythmia, and Heart Valve Problems: 

Unlike the first three types of cardiovascular disease, these three conditions do not mean that the body’s supply of oxygen-filled blood has been completely cut off. Instead, the heart will continue to pump blood, but it is not able to provide the body with an adequate amount. If heart failure occurs, the heart still beats but does not supply enough oxygen. If arrhythmia occurs, the heart beats at an irregular rate. It can beat too slowly and not supply enough oxygen, or it can beat too quickly and fatigue the heart muscles. When one of the heart’s valves does not open and close properly, it can cause blood to leak through. This can also cause the valves to close in the wrong direction, creating immediate circulation issues. All three conditions can grow worse over time if left untreated. 

How Can I Help My Staff Prevent Cardiovascular Disease? 

Simply based on the fact that 8 out of 10 Americans live with cardiovascular disease, it is likely that someone on your staff already faces some form of the disease. However, you can offer incentives to help encourage your staff to adopt healthy preventative behaviors. These can include workplace perks such as a monthly free lunch and specially designated parking, or personal perks like gift cards and fitness accessories. 

By offering high-quality medical insurance to your employees, you always have peace of mind knowing they will be cared for if a cardiac emergency occurs. If you would like to know more about medical insurance and preventative care benefits, talk with your local agent today.

A wellness visit, also known as an annual primary care visit, usually takes around 30 minutes and the cost is often covered through insurance.  These visits are important for everyone to attend because as you age, your wellness can change in an instant. As you age, your risk level rises for illnesses and diseases that begin to take effect in those later years.  

Saving Time and Money 

If you only visit a doctor when you are showing visible symptoms or if you aren’t feeling like yourself, it can end up costing you more in the long run. Did you know that regular primary care is associated with fewer hospitalizations and emergency room visits? When you visit your doctor annually you will slowly be building and establishing a relationship with them, which will make it easier for you to schedule any unexpected appointments at a time that works best for you. A downside to not maintaining your regular annual primary care appointment is that if you do have to visit the emergency room or an urgent care center, treatment might mean longer waiting periods and take more time than necessary out of your day. 

Updating Your Wellness Exam Results 

When you become an older adult, health risk assessments become a forefront of important testing that you need to get taken care of. This kind of testing is crucial to preventing issues that could be a problem as you age and includes questions regarding your health status, injury risks, and behavioral health. Reaching this age means keeping your blood pressure in a healthy range because doing so can prevent serious cardiovascular issues, which include heart disease. Once your primary care doctor has determined that you have high blood pressure, it is possible that you will be prescribed medication in order to help bring it down or you may be referred to see a cardiologist.  

Catching a Disease in the Early Stages 

It isn’t always easy to notice symptoms of a progressive disease, such as cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or heart disease until it has reached one of its final stages. An annual exam can help your doctor identify if there are any progressive diseases that are showing early in your body. Catching diseases and illnesses early is the most effective way to treat them.

In order to help protect yourself in the future, schedule your annual appointment with your local doctor.  

Medicare is one of the biggest milestones you will reach in the later stages of life. Before going down your Medicare path, there are few things you need to know. Did you know that some people are automatically approved and placed on Medicare? This isn’t always the case, as a lot of people have to sign up before getting into the program. You may have to sign up if you are 65 or close to turning 65 and not getting Social Security. If you choose to sign up for Medicare Part B when you first become eligible, you can avoid a potential penalty! There are two great upsides when it comes to getting into your Medicare program: 1) you can choose how you get your Medicare coverages and 2) there may be ways for you to have assistance on paying your Medicare costs. 

 There are time frames in which you need to sign up to be on the Medicare program. These time frames also relate to when you can change your existing Medicare coverage if need be. More information on time frames is located below. 

Initial Enrollment Period

The Initial Medicare Enrollment Period is the time in which most people sign up for Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance). The time period starts three months before you turn 65 and ends 3 months after. As mentioned earlier, if you are not already collecting Social Security benefits before your Initial Enrollment Period starts, you will need to sign up for Medicare via online or contacting Social Security.

General Enrollment Period 

The General Medicare Enrollment Period is available if you missed the Initial Enrollment Period. This enrollment period is between January 1st and March 31st, and if you do enroll or make any changes during this time, coverage will go into full effect on July 1st.

Special Enrollment Period 

The Special Enrollment Period (SEP) is available if you missed either of the previous two enrollment periods. This enrollment period means that you can sign up for Medicare Part A and/or Medicare Part B during an SEP if you have special circumstances. 

Overall, the best timeframe to join a Medicare or drug supplement (Part D) program is when you first turn 65. Making the effort to sign up when the opportunity first arises can help you avoid paying a lifetime Medicare Part D late enrollment penalty. If you could not get into the previously mentioned time frame, this would be your next best option. Medicare offers an Annual Open Enrollment Period which occurs from October 15th and December 7th. During this time, you have the chance to join a program, drop, or switch your coverage.  

Need more information on Medicare? Reach out to your local agent today.