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Medicare Open Enrollment Made Easy with Free Counseling from APPRISE

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Medicare Open Enrollment Made Easy with Free Counseling from APPRISE NEWS AND POSSIBILITIES FOR SENIORS A Publication of PHILADELPHIA CORPORATION FOR AGING October 2019 • Free IN THIS ISSUE Health Care HEALTH CARE Narrative medicine focuses on the person Survivorship: By Constance Garcia-Barrio Care after cancer................6 When it comes to staying healthy, talk can be worth a mint. Narrative medicine puts a premi- um on the stories patients tell their doctors about why they’re seeking treatment. “The patient’s story provides a pre-diagnostic framework,” said Donna Bradley Raziano, an award-winning geri- atrician and chief medical officer of Mercy LIFE, a health care organization that provides seniors with all-inclusive medical, social and community support services. “You get the patient’s wisdom Witchcraft: about his or her situation. A patient knows her Trial of 1683......................14 iStock body better than anyone else.” Begun in the 1990s, narrative medicine helps Medicare open enrollment made easy doctors fine-tune treatments and feel more con- nected to the wider medical community. At with free counseling from APPRISE Temple University Hospital’s Lewis Katz School By Shannon Reyes benefits. In Philadelphia, APPRISE is oper- of Medicine, one of many medical schools offer- ated by PCA, which contracts with the May- • continued on page 17 Are you confused about or’s Commission on Aging, Einstein Medi- Funded by PCA Medicare? You’re not alone. Funded by PCA cal Center, and Center for Advocacy for the Many older adults turn to Philadelphia Rights and Interests of the Elderly (CARIE) Corporation for Aging’s (PCA) APPRISE to provide this service. program for help sorting out their insurance With Medicare’s open enrollment period options. beginning on Tuesday, Oct. 15, Pickett en- Editor’s Column..................2 “Most of the calls are from individuals courages all Medicare beneficiaries to Calendar............................10 who are retiring,” said Lynda Pickett, PCA’s evaluate their medical needs to ensure Health Brief.......................19 assistant director of in-home support pro- their current plan is still the right fit for gram and volunteer services. “New retirees them – a process that can be facilitated by Crossword.........................19 often have a lot of questions.” an APPRISE counselor. APPRISE is Pennsylvania’s State Health APPRISE offers free consulting for anyone NEXT MONTH: Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). The who is 60 or older. Paid staff and volunteers For The Ages Pennsylvania Department of Aging created that are knowledgeable in Medicare, Medi- Mercy LIFE APPRISE to help Pennsylvanians under- care Advantage and Medigap coverage are Nurse practitioner Nicole Blackwood (left) speaks with Mercy LIFE participant Pat Courtney about his medical stand and make informed decisions about available to answer questions pertaining to concerns. their Medicare and other health insurance • continued on page 13 Milestones 2 October 2019 EDITOR’S COLUMN By Alicia M. Colombo, Milestones editor From now on, you’ll find my column in every issue, right here on page 2. Each month, I’ll share my thoughts WHAT IS PCA? on a different topic. It could be related to the issue’s theme, an observance or holiday, current events, or some- Philadelphia Corporation for thing that’s been on my mind. Got ideas for an Editor’s Aging (PCA) is a nonprofit Column topic? Email me at MilestonesNews@pcaCares. agency dedicated to serving org. If you’re looking for the monthly Health Brief, it’s Philadelphia seniors. In addi- now located on the inside back cover. tion to bringing you Milestones newspaper, PCA offers: • Care in the home “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you • Home-delivered meals • Home repairs and know nothing about. Be kind. Always.” modifications • Protective services • Senior centers • Ombudsman services I came across this quote on the in- a brave face and “be strong” for those • Health education • Caregiver support ternet a few years ago. I don’t know around you, it might be time to seek • Information and referral • Employment and who said it, but the message has stuck help. volunteer programs For more information, call the PCA with me. IT IS OK TO NOT BE OK. If you • Legal services Helpline at 215-765-9040 or visit We all struggle from time to time don’t know what to do, start by talk- • Transportation pcaCares.org. – no matter our age, financial status, ing with a trusted friend or neighbor, ethnic background or religion. Some your pastor, or the counselor at your Call 24/7 to report suspected elder abuse. of us have physical ailments or dis- senior center. Make an appointment PCA Helpline: 215-765-9040 abilities, while others may have men- with your doctor for a mental health Outside Philadelphia toll-free: 888-215-765-9041 (TDD) tal health concerns. But many people screening, treatment and/or referrals. Published by Philadelphia Corporation for Aging pcaCares.org have a mix of the two. So, why isn’t A combination of medicine, psycho- Holly Lange, President and CEO Milestones is published monthly and distrib- our usual approach to treating mental therapy (a.k.a., counseling or “talk uted at more than 1,100 locations throughout wellness the same as it is for physical therapy”), and other approaches might Board of Directors Philadelphia, Lower Bucks and Eastern Mont- wellness? When a cough or shooting be best for you. Katherine E. Galluzzi, D.O., gomery counties. F.A.C.O.F.P., Chair pain doesn’t go away after a couple Check us out online: pcaMilestones.org. Judee M. Bavaria, Vice Chair days, it’s time to make an appoint- Medicare and mental health Glenn D. Bryan, Secretary ment with your doctor or go to an ur- One depression screening each year Barbara Waynant Murphy, Treasurer Editor: Alicia M. Colombo gent care center to seek medical treat- is covered by Medicare. Medicare Part Louis A. Bove, Esq. 215-765-9000, ext. 5081 ment. B (medical insurance) helps pay for Lynn Fields Harris PCA, 642 N. Broad St. Sadly, most people do not treat several other mental health services, Angela Foreshaw-Rouse Philadelphia, PA 19130 depression, anxiety and other severe including individual and group psy- Fran Miller Email: [email protected] mental health disorders with the same chotherapy, psychiatric evaluation, Victor M. Negrón, Jr Advertising, Subscriptions & Satya B. Verma, O.D. Distribution: immediacy as they would the flu. I medication management, partial hos- Lenore Wasserman Scola Joan Zaremba speak from experience when I say that pitalization, and treatment for alcohol John Whitman 215-765-9000, ext. 5051 you’re not going to get better by ignor- and drug misuse. Eloise N. Young Email: [email protected] Jacqueline S. Zinn, Ph.D. ing the problem or simply thinking Be patient and take care of yourself. Home delivery: $12/year Emeritus: Arthur E. Helfand, D.P.M. positive thoughts. Every day will not be easy or pleasant. With all of the mental health treat- But with the proper treatment, you can The views expressed in Milestones are not necessarily those of Philadelphia Corporation for Ag- ing (PCA). Milestones will not knowingly accept or publish fraudulent or misleading advertising. ments now available – from counsel- learn to accept challenges in life and Milestones reserves the right to edit, revise or reject ads. Milestones assumes no responsibility for ing and support groups to medication face them with calm assurance. You errors, misprints, omissions or misinformation; for failure to publish an ad; or for any damages of any kind. Neither the publisher nor any other party is rendering expert advice in this publication. and breathing exercises – there is no can’t change what happens to you, but No part of this newspaper may be reproduced without the permission of PCA. need to suffer in silence. If you find you CAN change your reaction to it. ©2019 Philadelphia Corporation for Aging. All rights reserved. yourself struggling to always put on And, that makes all the difference. Funded by PCA Milestones 4 October 2019 Health Care Medicare upgrades online resources Medicare open enrollment begins Oct. surance (Medigap) policies. 15 and ends Dec. 7. This is the time for • Compare coverage options on smart- people with Medicare to review their phones and tablets. health coverage, as health and drug plan • Compare up to three drug plans or costs and covered benefits can change three Medicare Advantage plans side from year to year. Existing Medicare ben- by side. eficiaries who do not wish to change • Get plan costs and benefits, includ- their current coverage do not need to ing which Medicare Advantage plans re-enroll in order to keep their current offer extra benefits. coverage. • Build a personal drug list and find Navigating the Medicare maze can be Medicare Part D prescription drug challenging with the dizzying array of coverage that best meets their needs. iStock options available – nearly 600 Medicare tinue to have access to paper copies of ing services (see story on page 1). Advantage plans were added in 2019. Re- Other online tools the Medicare & You handbook, phone sources are available to help beneficiaries In addition to upgrading its Medicare support using 1-800-MEDICARE and Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid sort through all the choices. Among them Plan Finder, CMS has redesigned the free APPRISE health insurance counsel- Services (CMS) are improved online Medicare tools to Medicare.gov homepage and refreshed meet the needs of a growing number of the personalized MyMedicare.gov portal tech-savvy beneficiaries. to create a more seamless, easy to navi- New to Medicare? Here’s an introduction gate, personalized online experience for Medicare is health insurance for for an extra cost and usually in- New Plan Finder people with Medicare. Other new tools people 65 or older, people under 65 cludes prescription drug coverage.
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