Health

I went to change from UHC supplement G+ to G as that would save me about $70/mo. Getting actual useful information out of the medical underwriting people is like pulling teeth and then some.  I failed - not because I should have but because of mistakes in my medical record (eg coding errors and in two cases people listing in my visit notes issues I neither saw them for nor have). As a result of that in care everywhere (where EPIC/MyChart parks your diagnoses) I have wrong things (that are causing me to fail - although it took 3 phone calls to finally get a list). And some wrong codes have been listed with billing me. I have corrected all but 2 things on that list and can't figure out how to do those last two. In one case I called the head of billing and she had codes corrected in their system and then re-submitted the bills with the corrected codes.In the other two cases I had one person fix his visit notes but can't get him to report this to billing so they can fix the

I have gone to several different optometrists during the past several years for what I believe are routine eye exams and got new eyeglasses when my prescription changed. I believe those exams were pretty much the same at each place, and included “refraction” to determine my eye glasses prescription, plus they checked my eyes for glaucoma and cataracts, and looked at my optic nerve - none of which I’ve never had any issues, luckily.   These exams each took about 30 minutes each optometrist. Two of these optometrists charged me about $125.00 for the exam, which I paid.  The 3rd optometrist charged $253.00 for the exam, asked me to pay them $45.00 for the refraction portion of that charge (which Medicare does not cover), which I did pay them, and then they billed Medicare for the remaining $208.00 (which Medicare subsequently paid to them). I have looked at the Medicare website, all of the invoicing codes and descriptions for this optometrist’s billing to Medicare

What is AARP's position on Medicare's soon to be enacted pilot program in six states that would require prior approval for certain medical procedures? 

 I have recently been diagnosed with cancer.  Fortunately, I have a Colonial cancer policy to assist my regular health insurance and medicare coverage.  Is there someone with AARP that can assist me in filing my claims?  I am insurance challenged. 

Where is this type of info on the AARP website? I cannot locate any current articles that cover this topic. I would expect there would be an abundance of frequently updated information on AARP regarding mobility aids available on the market. Appreciate any guidance as this can be as challenging as shopping for a car. 🙂 Thanks.

Happy Fitness Friday! Fitness expert Denise Austin will guide you through this low-impact cardio sculpt workout to burn calories and tone muscles, all in your own home!   This video reminded me of the Zumba class. If you liked that one, definitely check this routine out!   With AARP Rewards, you’ll also score points for your workout! Get started today.     Hit reply and let me know what you thought of this workout! 

Is NY moving in the right direction on this important issue - other US states have similar laws but is it enough - IMO, it is not. AP: 06/10/2025 - New York lawmakers approve bill that would allow medically assisted suicide for the terminally ill Too Restrictive - Needs to be more like Canada’s revised law - they learned; why can’t we? NYT Magazine 06/01/2025 - D Do Patients Without a Terminal Illness Have the Right to Die?But I guess this is the way things are done - step by step - inch by inch.  The ultimate Right to Choose.

In reading, listening, and talking to people, I've learned there is so much misinformation about the upcoming Covid vaccine that is causing a lot of people to become paranoid and terribly frightened about getting it!   I thought I would share some of the information I have obtained from doing research on the subject using very reliable sources: 1.  The vaccine does NOT contain a live virus.  The virus that is injected is dead.2.  The vaccine, just like a flu shot, will NOT give you the Covid virus.3.  The vaccine will NOT change your personal DNA, will NOT cause Bell's Palsy, make you impotent, cause a stroke, make you go blind, etc. etc.4.  The vaccine should NOT be given to pregnant women or children under age 18 ONLY because researchers don't know how/if the vaccine would affect pregnant women or children.5.  The Covid vaccine CAN but not necessarily WILL cause the following side effects...     * Pain, redness, or swelling where

I will probably eat my first hot meal in more than a week today. While thinking about that it occurred to me this might make a helpful topic.The reason this could be my first hot meal in a week is that we've been experiencing a heatwave for more than a week and it finally abated overnight. Eating only cold meals is one of my adaptation tactics during heatwaves. I also drink mostly water (make sure I keep at least 2 gallon jugs in the refrigerator) and if I prepare a hot beverage (Like Decaf or Herbal Tea) I let it cool down to room temp. before I drink it.Just thought it might be informative to share heat adaptation strategies and tactics...and maybe pas them on to our kids and grandkids.

I am curious about how much time others are committed to making time for exercise as you age. Do you find it less important, about the same, or more important? As I get older, I have found it more of a necessity to spend more time being active and spending more time outside.

I am looking for  a treadmill that is foldable, quiet, with side handles and wheels, good cushioning, a console, start and stop key, low step-up and possible incline and self- lubricating. There is so much information available that I am lost. Anyone have a recommendation please. I checked CR and couldn't, t find what I needed. Thanks so much!! 

In the April May edition of the AARP magazine the article on the Weight Issue indicates that a 2022 study shows that people over the age of 65 should have different BMIs than younger people. For instance, a healthy BMI for a woman over 65 is 31 to 32. When I went to the aarp.org/BMI website to find my own BMI I was yelled at by the information telling me that I am terribly obese . This information is in direct conflict with the study that you highlighted in the article. So, am I obese or am I a healthy 70-year-old person?

Medicare Program; Implementation ofPrior Authorization for Select Servicesfor the Wasteful and InappropriateServices Reduction (WISeR) Model Has anyone heard about this going into effect? Shouldn't we be concerned? It is going to impact 6 states to start with. This is for standard Medicare. New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas, Arizona and Washington. It will mostly impact procedures that deal with pain mitigation.  

Any body know much about this condition?  Doctors haven't been any help, Facebook vendors promote a product, Im not convinced is any good.   I Would appreciate any discussion with anyone who has had actual experience with this condition and found real solutions? Thanks.  🙂Spoiler (Highlight to read)  

Mike Wood, founder of the preschool educational digital toy company called LeapFrog, died at 72 years old yesterday.   He died by physician-assisted suicide following an Alzheimer’s diagnosis in Switzerland where this method of demise is legal.  His family was by his side. Wood’s brother told the New York Times that Wood made the decision to end his life due to his diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease. Wood wanted to do so “before the disease progressed too far,” the outlet reported. LIVE5News 04/28/2025 - LeapFrog founder Mike Wood dies by physician-assisted suicide following Alzheimer’s diagnosis  We should have this choice in this country for those that want it.  The right to choose covers many boundaries - 

Cardiovascular exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight, improve your mental health and reduce your risk of certain ailments, such as cardiovascular disease, some types of cancer and diabetes. So, take a spin on your bike, go for a brisk walk or turn on some music and dance around the room. Your heart, lungs and brain will thank you. Get more health tips at AARP® Staying Sharp® today.

A number of years ago, I started seeing a specialized physical therapist for a health condition.  In addition to PT, he recommended many over the counter supplements.  I took what he recommended because he was not selling them and told me to research and chose my own brands; however, he felt I should take so much of "A" and so much of "B".   I have been seeing him periodically over the past decade because my condition is a permanent one, and over that time I realized while he is a great PT, he is a bit wack-a-doo when it comes to over the counter supplements and falls to the latest fads.   I now have over 15 bottles of supplements that I take multiple times a day.  I want to figure out which ones I truly need (I do have a number of inherited medical issues) and which ones are not necessary.   I asked my regular physician.  He told me there are no real studies for this except for high danger levels and the only way to know

I set up an appointment with my usual Primary Care, she's great, evaluates everything, monitors my Thyroid, Hypertension, blood sugar, etc.  But after setting up the appointment, the office called me and said she had an emergency, and will not be returning to the office until April 2026, ugh.  So the office told me about other doctors at the clinic, one MD and one NP, I told them my insurance is paying for me to see an MD.  So the best they could do is schedule me for a DO, which is fine.  Now while waiting for this, I have been concerned because my Apple watch warned me one night that I had Afib (very scary, so this is one of my reasons to get an appointment).  After having this appointment and waiting to get in (been over a week), the office calls me and tells me I can't see this doctor, he doesn't take new patients, and he is semi-retired.  What??? They didn't know this when they scheduled me?  They told me my own option is to get in to see the Nur

the more I read, the better my brain functions.  This is especially true when I choose non-fiction classics.

I could not find the HOUSING board so I am posting this here just so you can stay informed at what some states are doing for the elderly/disabled. KFF Health News 08/18/2025 - Health Care Groups Aim To Counter Growing ‘National Scandal’ of Elder Homelessness  Medicare.gov - PACE from the link ~Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) is a Medicare and Medicaid program that helps people meet their health care needs in the community instead of going to a nursing home or other care facility.If you join PACE, a team of health care professionals will work with you to help coordinate your care. Read a lot more at this Medicare link to tell you all about the PACE program - Does your state have a PACE program?Medicare.gov - What States Have A PACE program  CMS.gov- Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (P.A.C.E.)    

  It is possible to do, without underwriting, but it takes staying on top of it and making sure that the timing is perfect. And this may also involve managing your health care expenses for the time that one is under the MA plan. Medicare.gov - Learn How Medigap Works  from the link ~  Trial Rights:If you drop a Medigap policy to join a Medicare Advantage Plan for the first time, you’ll have a single 12-month period (your trial right period) to get your Medigap policy back if the same insurance company still sells it once you return to Original Medicare. If it isn't available, you can buy a Medigap policy you qualify for that's sold by an insurance company in your state (except for Plans M and N). You may also have an opportunity to enroll in a Medicare drug plan at this time.

Does Anybody Have Their Medigap Policy with ALLSTATE? If so, have you gotten a letter from them on closing out the plans (closed book) ?You can keep the plan but they will be selling no more to new beneficiaries.  This is gonna cause your premiums to rise down the line.    Pay attention to any communication that comes from them on your Allstate Medigap plan.  

Worth the read:KFF.org Health News - 08/15/2025 - Breaking Down Why Medicare Part D Premiums Are Likely To Go Up  excerpts from the linked article ~Medicare enrollees who buy the optional Part D drug benefit may see substantial premium price hikes — potentially up to $50 a month — when they shop for next year’s coverage. Increases are expected to mainly affect stand-alone Part D plans, not the drug coverage offered as part of Medicare Advantage, the private sector alternative to original Medicare. Policy experts say premiums are likely to go up for several reasons, including increased use of some higher-cost prescription drugs; a law that capped out-of-pocket spending for enrollees; and changes in a program aimed at stabilizing price increases that the Trump administration has continued but made less generous. One thing is surer than ever, say many policy experts: Beneficiaries should not simply roll over their existing stand-alone Medicare drug plans. ===

You want to eat right — of course you do. It’s one of the six pillars of brain health. At AARP® Staying Sharp® we make it easy for you with eight meal plans and videos that remove the guesswork while adding nutrients and plenty of flavor. These meal plans help address your health needs, from high fiber to high blood pressure, and make it easy for you to stay on track. Get more health tips at AARP Staying Sharp today.

Open Enrollment for Part C (Medicare Advantage Plans) and Free Standing Part D Prescription Drug Coverage plans will be coming out later in the fall for everybody to review their plans.  Open Enrollment starts October 15 - December 15 for 2026 plans. There is gonna be some changes again this year - like some PPO plans will go away and there will also be some changes to the rules governing the Prescription Drug Plans. You should get something from your private insurance company by about October 1 and you need to read and take heed of what changes are being made to your plan and then make any necessary changes.   If you need help with deciding this, your state offers some help  and of course, there are LOCAL Medicare Plan brokers that can also help you in deciding which plan maybe the best for your and your needs.   The Medicare insurance marketplace is going thru some changes and it is important for you to make sure that the plan you need is the p