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Medicare information meetings: Why you’ll be glad you went

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Find out what you can expect at these local informational meetings and a few surprising things you might get out of them. I love hosting Medicare plan informational meetings. As a Health Partners medicare providers in pennsylvania , these events give me a chance to hear what people in my community are concerned about as they prepare for Medicare.  And, I get to help clear up any confusion around their health plan options. What’s in it for you? Medicare informational meetings are a great way to learn about different Medicare health plans before you sign up for one.  Many health insurance companies hold their own meetings in different locations around the areas they serve. The meetings are usually run by licensed sales representatives who know all the ins and outs of their company’s Medicare plans.  Since each company offers different plans with different provider networks and prescription drug coverage, you should plan on attending more than one meeting.
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Health Data Privacy: Why Eroding Public Trust Harms Medical Research

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Using Data Privacy to Empower Health Research The importance of data security and data privacy policies have recently come under scrutiny due to revelations around Google’s Project Nightingale. The initiative with Ascension, the nation’s largest nonprofit health system, granted Google access to medical records of more than 50 million individuals in 21 states and may hinder the trajectory of health discovery by eroding “consumer” trust.  While historically it might have been a safe harbor to stay within the letter of the law, consumer sentiment around health data privacy, control, and opportunity has shifted dramatically in the last year. The biggest challenge affecting the sharing of individual data is the establishment of trust between the individual and the researcher. Mistrust has developed as a result of the unethical and/or unconsented use of data for research purposes – like the cases of HeLa cell line creation, and the Tuskegee and Havasupai studies – and
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Hospital mergers and acquisitions not linked to better care, study finds

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When a merger or acquisition occurs in healthcare, the conjoining providers often say that patient experience will benefit as a result. But new findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that may not be the case. In fact, the study found just the opposite: Acquired hospitals actually actually saw a patient experience that was moderately worse, on average. What's more, 30-day mortality and readmission rates stayed largely the same at such facilities. The only real improvement that was found among the majority of acquired entities was in the realm of clinical process, which improved modestly. But the improvement was so incremental that it couldn't be linked to the actual acquisition, and prices for commercially insured patients tended to be higher. WHAT'S THE IMPACT   The research looked at 250 hospitals acquired in deals between 2009 and 2013. In addition to patient satisfaction and 30-day mortality and readmission rates, the
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12 Simple Tips to Live a Healthier Life

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As a way to support all those great options, here are 12 simple things you can do to feel better from head to toe. 1. Add some steps to your day. If you drive to work, don’t look for the closest parking space when you get there. By parking a little farther away, you can get in extra steps. Try to use the stairs when you head to the mall or any building with multiple floors. If the steps are difficult for you, split up the trip with a combination of the steps and the elevator. 2. Think differently. Instead of looking at exercise as a chore or something you have to do, think of it as a way to take care of yourself and improve your life. 3. Make it fun! Yes, you can have fun while getting fit. From running around with your kids, to playing a casual game of ping pong, get moving with the activities you enjoy. 4. Don’t fear the beginning. You may hesitate to get started because you don’t know where to begin. Try taking a fitness class, or
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New Programs Seek to Address Social Barriers to Care

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As we increasingly understand the impact of social factors on people’s health, health insurance providers are seeking – and finding – new ways to have a positive impact on the health of their members from this broader perspective. A lack of access to transportation and stable housing are both tangible barriers to care, making it difficult or impossible for patients to prioritize their health or visit their care providers. If a lift is the problem, perhaps a Lyft is an answer. Transportation challenges prevent 3.6 million people from accessing medical care each year. It is estimated that patients who don’t (or can’t) attend their appointments cost the U.S health care system approximately $150 billion each year. Missed appointments also impact providers, who lose the chance to care for their patients. Rideshare benefits are one way that some health insurance providers are working to help their members overcome a lack of access to reliable transportation. In fact, in O
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Mental Health and the Holidays: Tips to Keep You Healthy

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The holidays are supposed to be a time for joy, but for some people, they can introduce feelings of stress – about work, family, finances, and about how to balance it all. Feelings of anxiety or depression can also develop during the holidays, and that’s why it’s important to recognize the difference between temporary melancholy and something more serious. Temporary feelings of anxiety or depression can occur during the holidays due to factors like added stress, unrealistic expectations, or memories that you associate with the holidays. The National Alliance on Mental Illness says about 64% of people feel these so-called Holiday Blues, while nearly one in four people surveyed said the holidays had a significant impact on them. Around the holidays, you may feel: Fatigue Tension Frustration Loneliness or isolation Sadness A sense of loss Stressful feelings around the holidays can also be brought on by major life events that occur
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Medicare Advantage Premium Changes for 2020

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In a statement released last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has reported that Medicare Advantage (MA) plan premiums for the year 2020 are expected to decrease 23% from plan year 2018, while plan choices, benefits and enrollment continue to climb. The Medicare Advantage average monthly premium will be the lowest it has been in in thirteen years for the roughly 24 million people with Medicare who are calculated to enroll in an MA plan for 2020.  This news comes as the agency releases the benefit and cost-sharing information for Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans for the 2020 calendar year. Specific highlights include: The Medicare Advantage average monthly plan premium is expected to decrease 14 percent to $23.00 (estimate) in 2020 from an average of $26.87 in 2019. Since 2017, the average monthly Medicare Advantage premium has decreased by an estimated 27.9 percent. This is the lowest that the average monthly premium for
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