Page 7 - Spring 2015

Get the most out of your Medicare experience continued from page 1
through the process. And when I’m ready to retire, I’ll feel confident that I have everything in place.”
Mardis informed Hodnett that she’ll have a seven month time span to enroll in Medicare through the Social Security Administration. “You’ve got three months before your birth month, your birth month, and then three months beyond your birth month,” said Mardis. Enrolling in Medicare is voluntary and registering outside of that timeframe can mean a delay in coverage and higher premiums.
Arrange for your first Medicare preventive visit
When Hodnett joins Part B, one perk to take advantage of within your first 12 months is a free “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit scheduled with your physician. This appointment differs from the subsequent free annual wellness visits in that it’s more com- prehensive and provides a baseline
for future care with your physician.
It’s also an opportunity for you and your doctor to discuss short and long term steps you can take to age well, prevent disease, and improve your health as well as make healthcare wishes known so they can be carried out in the future.
Following a thorough assessment of your health, you’ll be presented with
a set of benchmarks to assist you in taking charge of health and Medicare benefits from the start. The doctor should present a plan or checklist that outlines the screenings and preventive services that would be beneficial.
Benefit from free screenings and preventive services
Those insured with Part B this year are eligible to receive the following free screenings and preventive services from providers who accept Medicare:
• Screening blood tests for cholesterol, lipid and triglyceride levels every
5 years.
• Annual cardiovascular disease behavioral therapy visit with your primary care doctor in their office or primary care clinic to help you lower your risk for cardiovascular disease.
• Pap tests and pelvic exams once every 24 months to check for cervical and vaginal cancer.
• Screening mammogram annually.
• Colonoscopy every 10 years or every 24 months for those at high risk for colorectal cancer.
• Depression screening annually in a primary care setting that can provide follow-up treatment and/or referrals.
• HIV screening annually if you ask for the test or are at increased risk for the virus.
• Obesity screening and counseling in a primary care setting to help those with a body mass index of 30 or more lose weight.
• Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test once every year.
• Annual flu shot.
• Pneumococcal shot (most people
only need this once in their lifetime).
• Alcohol misuse screening is covered once a year followed by four brief, face-to-face counseling sessions
in a primary care setting for those determined by the primary care doctor to be misusing alcohol.
• Therapy for Alzheimer’s patients to include outpatient physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy. Doctor must prescribe the treatment. Therapists must be Medicare-certified.
• Sexually transmitted infections (STI) screening and counseling for sexually active adults at an increased risk of STI’s. Screenings covered once every 12 months for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and/or Hepatitis B. Behavioral counseling for two individual 20-30 minute face-to-face, high-intensity sessions per year.
Is it medically necessary?
If while covered under Part B, you find that you need Durable Medical Equipment (DME) like a power wheel chair, power scooter, or walker, you’ll need to schedule a Medicare face-to- face mobility evaluation with your physician. According to Mardis, “The golden rule for Medicare is that the DME or service should be ‘medically necessary.”
Once your physician makes this determination they must fill out a written order or certificate of medical necessity (CMN) form that you can take to a Medicare approved supplier within 45 days. After meeting your yearly deductible of $147, Medicare will pay 80% of the cost and you’ll be responsible for the remaining 20%.
Check out programs to offset Medicare costs
Mardis often gives presentations
on Medicare savings programs. “There are programs out there that can help offset the costs associated with Medicare Part B and Part D co-pays and deductibles,” she said. If you’d like more information, contact the AAA 1-B’s Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program to schedule an appointment with a certified counselor at 800-803-7174.
PAID ADVERTISEMENT
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Hearing aid issues continued from page 1
that receives high frequency sound. Following surgery, while the implant adjustment period can take a few months, results have been positive. Added benefits include being able to hear in the midst of background noise due to the hybrid system’s electroa- coustic stimulation solution.
To explore this option, meet with a certified audiologist to see if you’re a candidate for the surgery. Check out www.cochlear.com or call 800-633-4667 for more details. The Hybrid Cochlear implant and all hearing aids are not currently covered through Medicare, but may be covered under some Medigap plans or through private insurance.
Another glimmer of hope is rising out of the University of Texas at Austin where a team of researchers have developed a prototype based on the amazingly acute hearing of the yellow- colored Ormia Ochracea fly found in southern states. This unique insect can pinpoint the location of its prey with fine-tuned accuracy, using a sophisticated sound processing mech- anism. Researchers have mirrored the fly’s apparatus, creating a 2ml wide prototype that uses piezoelectric materials, which require very little power, to transform mechanical strain into electric signals. Its research that’s inspiring a new generation of high-tech
hypersensitive hearing aids that adapt to the user’s preferences, while utilizing less battery. That’s good news considering current hearing aid batteries last several days to two weeks and some are challenging to replace.
Number three problem: Fit and comfort
Since that survey, the latest digital hearing aids are much smaller and easily hidden within the ear canal (Completely-in Canal or CIC). They house a microcomputer which converts sound waves into numerical codes which are then amplified. They can be programmed to match aspects of the person’s hearing loss and volume can be automatically adjusted. These devices respond more efficiently in order to eliminate environmental noise and feedback. They run $1,700 to $3,000. Invisible-in-Canal or IIC hearing aids are the newest style that fits deep into the ear canal next to the ear drum and go practically unseen. These cost $1,720 - $2,860.
If you’d like more information regarding hearing loss or hearing aids, contact the NIDCD at 800-241-1055 or visit online at www.nidcd.nih.gov.
If you’d like information on groups that offer financial assistance for hearing aids, contact the Better Hearing Institute at 800-327-9355 or the NIDCD.