Health

Have you ever felt like doing some yoga, but your mat wasn’t on hand? Practicing on the beach or at the park can be challenging when you don’t want to get covered in dirt and sand. The class is a Standing Only Yoga Flow, designed to be low impact with a focus on our breathing and mobility. Enjoy this slow flow and we'll take your time with it. As we are standing throughout the practice, there is more focus on balance and active poses. Stay engaged and enjoy 3-6 breaths per yoga pose.  We close with guided affirmations for the mind, body and soul. If you are in the Atlanta area join me for this free class! register below! Atlanta Beltline

Under the Biden Admin, the cost of insulin was reduced to $35 a month.  Under the same policy, the cost of the drug Eliquis was scheduled to be reduced in Jan 2026.  Will this reduction still be implemented or has the Trump Admin taken away this much needed relief from high priced medicines?

Strong relationships and lasting social bonds not only boost emotional well-being but also support cognitive health. Take our quiz and check out our content on building and strengthening lasting friendships. Visit AARP® Staying Sharp® for more information on brain health.

I am searching for a Medicare Part D plan that includes Wegovy or another semaglutide in their 2025 formulary for a diagnosis of pre-diabetes.  After weeks of intermittent searching I have found NO useful information from any source.  The MyMedicare plan search tool doesn't help.  The clock is ticking on the enrollment period.  I'm hoping someone in this community may know any of the following:a Part D plan that includes Wegovy or other semaglutide in their 2025 formulary;for which diagnoses Wegovy or other semaglutide is covered in that plan;at what level of coverage;whether pre-approval is required.Any links to useful sites or documents would be also be much appreciated. Thanks for your help!

Do you have a recommendation for a product that helps with bloating?

Given the current litigation and press about United Healthcare and their propensity to delay and denial care, how can AARP continue to support this company?

Hail, Hale NaniMany of the residents at the last nursing/rehab facility that I attended (marking my sixth month recovery from intestinal surgeries) had strange habits. One woman spoke gibberish to her imaginary friends while she obsessively stroked every hair of her beloved, bedraggled dog-eared teddy bear. Another woman devoted much of her time methodically embracing two stuffed animals from The Lion King, Simba and Kiara. She didn’t talk to them. Instead, she groomed them with precise strokes.I, on the other hand, was proud to have more constructive things to do: checking a few news websites, following the baseball playoffs, watching thrillers on Netflix, and reading historical romance novels.But last week I had an epiphany.  At one point in my stay at Queen’s hospital, I was blessed with two stuffed animals; one represented courage and the other, gratitude. Occasionally I latched onto them with the fervor displayed by the two women who doted on their stuffed animals. I am not a

Courteous Strangers Assist me during my RehabilitationThis past week, a stranger kindly lifted me when I was having trouble maneuvering out of a low-seated chair at a restaurant; many people helped me when I tried to keep open a door to enter and exit a restroom. One fellow even raised my uncooperative shorts that perversely enjoyed being stuck at half- mast after I had almost finished my routine in the men’s room.I greatly appreciated Chris, a nurse at 720 Puahi Queens Medical Center. He anticipated my needs, whether it was making the bed, finding late-night snacks, or getting the doctor to sign a couple of prescriptions. Whenever he heard about how soon I’d go home, he told me my status. I could always count on Chris to handle me confidently, gently, and graciously.  He is a true mensch, as we say in Yiddish. Give him the highest honors at your facility.

Over the past year we have had our auto insurance through AARP and the Hartford, paying $2,497 for two vehicles. It is renewal time and our Agent tells us that The Hartford has decided to increase their rates across the tri-county area in south Florida. Our renewal policy increased $690 annually. This, in spite of our clear driving record. My agent also tells us that it is a strategy the company has taken to reduce risk. They know that X% will drop them and switch to another company. They also know that Y% will continue with them and pay the higher rate, offsetting the lost revenue. So the insurance company, in the end, is able to maintain revenue with a smaller customer base and thus reduce their exposure to risk. Great plan for the company unless the value of X turns out greater than expected. Although I think the Hartford is a top notch company I am one of the X's and am switching to another well regarded company with similar coverage, including accident forgiveness, payin

  I recently was interested in buying a $100,000 LTC policy funded by my IRA and was told that I needed to wire the $100,000 before the insurance company would send my my contract and benefit information. Is this normal? They are a well known company but I just couldn't imagine sending the money without a contract.

Stress can harm the body and brain. A recent study found that chronic stress was linked to a higher risk of mild cognitive impairment. Watch this video to learn ways you can help manage de-stress. Visit AARP® Staying Sharp® for more brain health tips.               7 Simple Stress Busters to Try Today

Renew Active has fixed its website, so supplement holders no longer have to log in to their UHC account and do two-factor verification just to see which gyms are available to them. UHCrenewactive.com now has a drop-down menu where you pick your fitness network (e.g. Advantage or supplement).  Yay!  Plus the interface on the Renew Active site is massively easier to use than the one accessed by logging in to my UHC account. Supplement holders now have an easier time finding gyms, and people with Advantage plans can see what gyms would be included if they switch to a UHC supplement, or change to an Advantage plan that includes premium gyms. None of this brings back Club Pilates or Stretch Lab, of course, but at least I can look for gyms without wanting to tear my hair out.  And people can be informed customers when choosing a UHC supplement or Advantage plan. Unfortunately, it's not working on my Firefox, but it does work on Chrome.

 We paid for Medicare PART A or Medicare Hospital Insurance during our working years via a payroll tax currently at the rate of 1.45% for the employee and matched by the employer.  This is on all earned income.  But this Trust Fund is running out of money.  So what are we to do for this portion of Medicare to preserve it - probably the only solution is to up the payroll tax rate for those working - but also perhaps it is to review these benefits and cut back on them when we can.  Medicare Advantage plans already do this so perhaps it is time for traditional Medicare specifically  Medicare Part A to become more managed-care-like or at least make sure that the medical need is there under Part A Medicare. What else could we do?  Cut doctor pay even more?  Cut payments to hospitals and Skilled Nursing Facilities?   Each part of Medicare is different - in what it covers and how it is funded - so it is best to take each part and discuss

I trusted AARP to only "endorse" an insurance provider that would be sensitive to our increasing need for complex medical treatment as we age. Turns out AARP has failed us. UHC is literally killing me by trying to tell my heart specialist what he should be prescribing rather than what he wants to prescribe. This not a simple generic replacement for a brand name. They literally want him to select from 4 drugs that do not treat my HCM in the same way. AARP - you should be ashamed to make UHC the insurance provider that you are associating with - we trusted you & you clearly are making decisions based on something other than the quality of the organization in serving the senior population. 

  We pay for Medicare Part B or SMI Insurance (Supplemental Medical Insurance) by premiums which are either paid or deducted from our Social Security Benefit.  The amount we pay in premiums are based on our income.  Lower income beneficiaries have their premiums paid for them by their state if they meet the eligibility guidelines in income and assets; therefore these lower income beneficiaries actually have their premiums paid by YOU, the state taxpayers.  The majority of beneficiaries pay a premium that is equal to 25% of the cost of the program.  Higher income beneficiaries based on their higher income pay a premium that is higher in a percentage of coverage from 35%, 50%, 65%, 80% to 85% of the program cost instead of the standard 25% (these higher premiums are known as IRMAA or "income related monthly adjustment Amounts and these are very high.   The remainder of the Part B cost are covered by our government's general fund - meaning it adds t

Whether I’m feeling happy or sad, listening to music gives me comfort. That’s a common experience. There’s a large body of research on the benefits of listening to music, with some studies showing that music can lower stress levels and help with sleep. Want to learn more? Watch this video to learn about the connections between music and the brain and why music is considered a universal language. So tell me, what’s your favorite type of music? Visit AARP® Staying Sharp® for more information on brain health.

FROM THE ARTICLE - SEE ARTICLE FOR MORE!!! Open enrollment for Part D and Medicare Advantage plans begins Oct. 15. By Kimberly Lankford, AARP. Published September 27, 2024. Average monthly premiums for Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans will decrease in 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Friday. The average monthly premium for a stand-alone Part D prescription plan is projected to be $40 next year, a decline of $1.63, almost $20 annually. https://www.aarp.org/health/medicare-insurance/info-2024/drug-plan-premiums.html

Got hurt bad in oil field in Oklahoma 2014 and got retired sooner then planned . Been on pain management using morphine . It has helped and held it at level can have sort of life . Past few years it has got harder to find a pharmacy who has opioids in stock . Past year it is not uncommon to have to call 4 plus pharmacies to find it . Does anyone use THC gummies for pain management for bad pain . I have 8 herniated discs , 3 shoulder surgeries , nerve damage ect .  Trying to decide to try it or not . If I do I will have to stop the morphine . I have gone thru withdraw several times cause of taking so long to get meds refilled which is no fun . Plus add the pain you are dealing with . Not sure why it''s got so hard but everyone is having same problem . 

AARP® Staying Sharp® partners with leading universities to research health, habits and cognitive aging. Enrollment is now open for Boston University’s COVID-19 Brain Health Study, which will explore the impact of COVID-19 on cognitive function. Visit AARP® Staying Sharp® today to learn more about enrolling in future research studies.

FROM THE ARTICLE: By Kimberly Lankford, AARP. *** There are 2 Comments on the AARP website. Stop by to add yours. *** Published June 16, 2022.➡️ Updated January 24, 2025. ⬅️ No the infamous donut hole — when Medicare beneficiaries with Part D prescription drug coverage had to pay 100 percent of their drug costs until they reached a certain threshold — has closed.Also gone is the less intense but still steep coverage gap, which occurred when you and your drug plan reached $5,030 spent on covered medications in 2024 and you had to pay up to 25 percent of the cost for covered drugs, more out of pocket than in your initial coverage period. USE THE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE: https://www.aarp.org/medicare/faq/donut-hole-coverage-gap.html

On my Medicare Claims and Medicare Summary, a service is not covered and Medicare States I may be billed / am responsible for $0. This is with a Medicare Contractrated Provider.  Stanford is taking the amount I am not responsible per Medicare and billing my Medicare Supplement Plan  - AARP UHC, which I was told by a Medicare rep is a violation of Medicare, and an investigation is supposedly being opened.  Of course, UHC wont pay it since Medicare isnt covering it. UHC states on their statement I may be responsible for charges unpaid. So Stanford says I must pay. I have tried everything you can think of to remedy this.  Any Ideas? 

  age 67 female.   Enrolled in 2023 , $84 a month     2024  $96 month . 2025  $113 a month

My wife turned 65 April 30 and wanted the supplement plan g she previously had an advantage plan,signed up for plan g, was approved coverage starting August 1st 2024, requested disenrollment in advantage plan, was not disenrolled requested disenrollment July with application, disenrolled August, disenrolled Sept, disenrolled Oct and disenrolled Nov was not disenrolled even after hours on the phone saying I was disenrolled. The favorite tactic is to say advantage plan cannot see the supplement plan and vice verse to call them. Contacting CMS was told they do not have jurisdiction over Medicare. I Paid the $153 extra per month August thru December 2024, for the plan g. I was told I had to wait for the annual enrollment period, they could not understand there is a window when you turn 65 to join and I was well within it. Finally Jan 1st 2025 advantage plan was terminated.   As a result and countless hrs on the phone I am left with $1600 or more in copays plan g would not pay. They al

     NPR.org 03/07/2025 - Walgreens agrees to be acquired by private equity firm for almost $10 billion    Change is always pretty inevitable - sometimes you just have to do what is necessary to stay afloat.   from the link ~  A buyout to take the drugstore chain private would give it more flexibility to make changes to improve its business without worrying about Wall Street's reaction. The company has already been making some big changes as it seeks to turn around its business. Walgreens has been a public company since 1927.

  I think the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services should cut their losses on this one - If they have NOT won the case by now maybe they should stop wasting money with continuing it.  Perhaps they should just stick to making the instructions for assessing higher risk patients clearer to all the insurers that participate in Medicare Advantage plans.   Continuing the case over and over when several ruling have already been made to vindicate the insurer is WASTEFUL spending on the part of the government (CMS). KHN 03/04/2025 - UnitedHealth Wins Ruling Over $2B in Alleged Medicare Advantage Overpayments  from the linkThe Justice Department’s years-long court battle to force UnitedHealth Group to return billions of dollars in alleged Medicare Advantage overpayments hit a major setback Monday when a special master ruled the government had failed to prove its case. In finding for UnitedHealth, Special Master Suzanne Segal found that the DOJ ha