JUST ONE MORE TIME

Yesterday I went to the grocery store, now, normally you would think that people do that every day of the week. And, you're right. Now, I had quite a few things on my list, I needed stuff to make chili, and brownies for Saturday. And numerous other things. We're going to Irvington, Va. to celebrate my brother Tom's birthday. And since we're all getting a little older as we speak, I was trying to find things that were as healthy as possible. You know, lean ground beef, brownies that didn't have umpteen thousand calories and fat way off the chart. So, I had to read labels.

Of course, I can't read those labels without my glasses. So as I dig around for those treasured glasses, I remembered a grocery trip long, long ago. I took Mom to the store. Now, I can't exactly remember why we needed to go together, just that we did. Well, low and behold, she had one of those lists that had a little bit of everything on it.

We each had our own cart, and I was a young mother with a limited amount of time and money. I was flying up and down the aisles, grabbing stuff that looked familiar, because, after all, I bought the same thing every week. Macaroni and cheese, hamburger, hotdogs, eggs, milk, you get the picture.

Well, Mom was a little more selective, her meals were tiny compared to mine. A half pound of hamburger, those little cans of corn, coffee and maybe on a good week, white powdered donuts. And, I was so frustrated. What was taking her so long? How many minutes could you look at the same can of coffee? . Didn't she buy the same can last month? Yes, the bread was fresh. I used to roll my eyes, but she'd continue to stroll up and down each aisle, sometimes not putting one thing in her basket at all. Gosh, I wish she'd hurry up! After putting my glasses on, I picked up the box of brownie mix, read the label, and continued to scan the aisle for one with less fat and calories on to the next aisle. No, I don't think I need anything from this one, better check though. Never know what might be down here.

As I finished with the last aisle, on my way to the checkout, I stopped to get the bread. Yes, it seemed fresh. Better take that extra minute to check the freshness date, just to be sure. It wasn't until many years later that I realized that it wasn't the labels it was the price. Times were not easy then and she had to spend wisely to make it until the next time payday rolled around.

My mom is gone now. I'd give anything if she would just call me and ask me to go to the store with her one more time. We could stroll up and down each aisle, even if we didn't put one thing in our baskets. After all, I am my mothers' daughter.

Lyn

MEDICARE - YOUR PREMIUMS FOR 2011

Well for those in the system now, good news. As far as I can find out most people on Traditional Medicare will pay the same part "B" premiums next year as they did this year. Now the Newbies coming into the system in 2011 for the first time, will pay higher monthly amounts. Sadly though this is the second year a freeze is on Social Security payments because of no increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

And if you are coming into the medicare system beginning in 2011 there will be three different "standard" premiums for part "B". Part "B" covers doctors and outpatient care. Also people with incomes over a certain level will pay higher premiums for part "B" and part "D" which is prescription drugs in 2011.

• Here is a little "What if" chart to help you:
  
  In 2011 you will pay $96.50 a month for part "B": If you paid that amount in 2010.
  
• In 2011 you will pay 111.40 a month for part "B": If you paid that amount in 2010 AND it is deducted from your Social Security Checks.
• In 2011 you will pay 115.40 a month for part "B": If your premiums are NOT deducted from Social Security checks OR you are newly enrolled in Part "B".
• In 2011 you will pay between 161.50 and 369.10 a month for part "B" If you're single and your taxable income is more than $85,000, OR You're married and file a joint tax return showing taxable income more than $170,000.
• Finally, you will pay a surcharge of between $12 and $69.10 a month for part "D": if Your taxable income is the same as for the higher-income part "B" premiums above.

Source: AARP bulletins

Cutting through the Fog-Medicare Advantage Plans

According to AARP. Right now, 24 percent of Medicare Beneficiaries receive coverage through one of thousands of Medicare Advantage plans rather than original Medicare. Advantage plans—private Medicare plans sold by insurance companies that are typically available through HMOs and PPOs—have become enormously popular over the past few years because they offer a host of extra benefits that original Medicare doesn’t provide,such as free eyeglasses,dental care, hearing aids and even gym memberships. These extra benefits,however, have come at an extra cost.

Since 2006, Medicare Advantage plans have received government subsidies that have been costing around 13 percent more than traditional Medicare. But that’s about to change. Starting next year, as a result of changes under health care reform, Medicare Advantage payments will be frozen at the current levels. And starting in 2012, Uncle Sam will begin reducing payments over the following two to six years to the insurers that administer these plans until they’re getting the same amount of money on average that original Medicare spends.

What all this means is that many of the 11 million seniors that have a Medicare Advantage plan can expect their premiums to gradually increase or the extra benefits to be reduced, or both,over the coming few years. And some insurance companies may stop offering Medicare Advantage plans altogether. But not all Medicare Advantage plans will be affected. Payment cuts will depend on whether Medicare costs in your county are high or low.

And starting in 2012, high-quality plans that have been around for a while and receive a 3.5 to 5-star government rating will be rewarded with bonus payments from the government that will offset some of the fee cuts. These plans will most likely continue operating with few changes. Newer and low-quality plans are the ones that will change. To check how you plan rates, visit www.medicare.gov. Now, your best course of action is to review your Medicare Advantage plan.

If you find that your insurer is dropping your plan, or if you don’t like how your plan changes for the coming year, you can always switch to a different Advantage plan or move to original Medicare during the Medicare Advantage open enrollment period, which is the first 45 days of 2011, between January 1st and February 15th. If you do decide to go back to the original Medicare, you’ll probably want to purchase a Part D prescription drug plan and a Medigap supplemental policy to help cover deductible and copays.


You can shop and compare all Medicare health plans, prescription drug plans and Medigap policies at www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan or call 800-633-4227. You can also call the Medicare Rights Center helpline at 800-333-4114 or contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which provides free one on-one Medicare counseling. Call 800-677-1116 to find your local SHIP office. In Va. you can get One on One help through VICAP as well which is free and can be reached at 800-552-4402.