Life After 50 Expo

Health Tip – Hand Washing !

By

Doctors and nurses wash their hands frequently to stop the spread of sickness and disease in hospitals and other health care facilities. However, a new research study has found that patients should also take precautions to decrease the spread of disease. At certain facilities in Detroit, a study found that almost one in four adults had a virus or bacteria on their hands after leaving the facility. The standard perspective is that most diseases are spread by doctors, but an increasing number of studies have found that patients play a role in transmitting diseases as well. The authors of the study suggest that hand hygiene policies be revised to include patients. Hospitals and other facilities should also post reminders for patients, informing them that they should be washing their hands. To read more about the results of this study,

Dear Marci,

By

Dear Marci,

Does Medicare cover cataract surgery?

– Bonnie (Missoula, MO)

Dear Bonnie,

Medicare generally does not pay for vision care, but it will cover certain medically necessary services, such as cataract surgery. If you have Original Medicare, these services are covered under Part B, which covers outpatient services.Medicare Advantage Plans cover the same services as Original Medicare, but may have different costs and conditions. If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, contact a plan representative to learn about how the plan covers cataract surgery.

Specifically, Medicare covers:

  • The removal of the cataract
  • Basic lens implants
  • One set of prescription eyeglasses or one set of contact lenses after the surgery

Medicare covers cataract surgery that involves intraocular lens implants, which are small clear disks that help your eyes focus. Although Medicare covers basic lens implants, it does not cover more advanced implants. If your provider recommends more advanced lens implants, you may have to pay some or all of the cost. It is important to talk with your health care provider before the surgery to understand which costs you will be responsible for, and which costs will be paid by Original Medicare or your Medicare Advantage Plan.

After the surgery, Medicare will also cover one pair of glasses or contact lenses. This is an exception to Medicare coverage rules, which normally exclude eyeglasses from coverage. If you have Original Medicare. you should get your glasses or contact lenses from a supplier that accepts assignment in order to pay the least for your item. You will pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for the glasses or contact lenses. If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, contact a plan representative to learn where you should get your glasses or contact lenses.

Some beneficiaries may have trouble getting Original Medicare or their Medicare Advantage Plan to cover their glasses or contact lenses following cataract surgery. If your glasses or contact lenses are denied coverage, you can appeal the decision. You can request that the glasses or contact lenses be covered, or request reimbursement if you already paid out of pocket for your prescription. You and your health care provider can both write appeal letters to the plan. Be sure to state that because you met the Medicare requirements for cataract surgery, your prescription glasses or contact lenses must be covered.

– Marci

Procedures to repair knee cartiladge show promise in patients over 40 !

By

Surgeons used cartilage ‘plugs’ to repair damaged articular cartilage in the knee.

Patients who have cartilage damage in their knees often experience pain and are unable to engage in sports and other activities they enjoy. Two studies at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) find that cartilage restoration procedures are a viable treatment option for patients over 40 years old.

“Various cartilage restoration procedures have demonstrated success rates ranging from 50 to 90 percent, but the majority of reported results were in patients ages 30 and younger,” said Riley J. Williams, III, MD, senior study author and director of the Institute for Cartilage Repair at Hospital for Special Surgery. “Our studies are the first to look at outcomes of three specific procedures used to repair damaged cartilage in patients over 40.”

to continue reading click the link below

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/307477.php?tw

About Growing Older by Will Rogers

By

Will Rogers, who died before most of us were born, remains one of our finest humorists. Here are some of his musings.

First- Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it.

Second- The older we get, the fewer things seem worth standing in line for.

Third- Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me; I want people to know why I look this way. I’ve traveled a long way, and some of the roads weren’t paved.

Fourth- When you are dissatisfied and want to go back to your youth, think of Algebra.

Fifth- You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or leaks.

Sixth- I don’t know how I got over the hill without getting to the top.

Seventh- One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it is such a nice change from being young.

Eighth- One must wait until evening to see how splendid the day has been.

Ninth- Being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.

Tenth- Long ago when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks it was called witchcraft. Today it’s called golf.

And finally, If you don’t learn to laugh at trouble, you won’t have anything to laugh at when you are old.

What if you are denied a prescription drug ?

By

Medicare Reminder

If you were denied coverage for a prescription drug, you should ask your plan to reconsider its decision by filing an appeal. Your appeal process will be the same whether you have a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan or a Medicare Advantage plan that includes your Part D prescription drug coverage.

If your pharmacist tells you that your plan will not pay for your prescription drug, you should call your plan to find out the reason it is not covering your drug. Then, you should talk to your prescribing physician about your options. If switching to another drug is not an option, you should file an exception request – a formal coverage request – with your plan. Call your plan to learn how to file an exception request. Make sure you get a letter of support from your doctor and include that with your request.

Your plan should issue a decision within 72 hours. File an expedited request if you need your drug right away, and your plan should issue a decision within 24 hours. If your request is approved, your drug will be covered. If it is denied, you should follow the directions on the written denial you receive to appeal.