Hard to believe a month has already passed in the new year. By the time you receive this, Groundhog Day has come and gone. If your Groundhog tree is still up it’s time to take it down and put away the decorations.

Part D for 2022 . . . did you miss out? Are sleeping pills safe? Do all doctors accept Medicare? Still paying too much for your medications? At home COVID tests . . . are they safe, accurate and are they covered by Medicare?

For those who missed their ANOC, newsletters and all the Open Enrollment hoopla, 2022 may be an unpleasant awakening.

If your SS check is lighter, or not as much as expected after the COLA increase, many Part D premiums increased for 2022. Some adjustments were just plain brutal, others not so much.

Drug prices for over 800 drugs increased in January. Sulfasalazine, used to reduce inflammation in patients with colitis or RA, topped the list with a 73% price increase.

Look for another round in July.

Last year’s preferred pharmacy may be standard or out of network this year . . . which can translate into a higher copay. For generic drugs, you should always compare discount plans (such as GoodRx) to your plan copay.

If you missed the December 7th open enrollment deadline mark your calendar for the next enrollment period that starts 10/15/2022.

A new national poll finds that many people 65 and older take prescription sleep aids — even though guidelines warn against it.

Do you have trouble falling asleep? Or you go to sleep quickly then later wake up and can’t go back to sleep?

Some sleeping pills, prescription or OTC, could make things worse. Some may create an adverse reaction when combined with other medication, food or alcohol.

A recent poll indicated 8% of folks over the age of 65 regularly take sleep aid medication.

“Some of these medications can create big concerns for older adults, from falls and memory issues to confusion and constipation,” even if they’re sold without a prescription, she says.

Read more . . . https://labblog.uofmhealth.org/rounds/sleep-aids-arent-safe-for-older-adults-but-1-3-still-take-them

Most do, with a few exceptions.

Polls say 98% of primary care physicians take original Medicare . . . but about half accept Medicare Advantage patients.

For many of us, the cost of medication can be more than our regular healthcare. Some pay $200, $300 or more every month for prescription drugs.

If medication costs are putting a cramp in your budget, you might want to look into a PAP.

NeedyMeds is a PAP I have used and referred clients to for years. There are a lot of great resources here. The folks who work there are friendly and very helpful.

https://www.needymeds.org/

GoodRx is another resource.

If you are taking a certain medication and are unsure if there is a PAP available, you can:

Search your drug on GoodRx, then scroll down and look under “Savings Tips”

Google your medication’s name and “assistance program” or “savings program”

Call your medication’s manufacturer and ask if they have an assistance program

Check this directory of patient assistance programs from Medicare.gov

https://www.goodrx.com/healthcare-access/patient-advocacy/what-are-patient-assistance-programs

One would think that by the time we reach the ripe old age of 65 (why is it called ripe?) we would know better than to do certain things.

Apparently not . . . hence the book titled . . .

When author Steven Petrow was in his 50s and his parents were in their 70s, he began to see them making quite a number of decisions that he thought weren't in their best interests. He started to make notes

https://www.nextavenue.org/steven-petrow-stupid-things/

Safe? Accurate? How much do they cost? Covered by Medicare?

https://www.uhc.com/content/dam/uhcdotcom/en/B2B-Newsletters/b2b-pdf/covid-19/faqs-at-home-testing.pdf

We are now 2+ years into COVID and many are getting weary, wondering if it will ever end.

The short answer appears to be, no, infection and re-infection will never end. The good news is, pandemic viruses usually become endemic (commonly occuring) with each mutation. We develop a natural immunity as the virus weakens, allowing some semblance of a normal lifestyle.

This article defines and gives examples of epidemic, pandemic and endemic. It traces the history and evolution of the (now common) flu pandemic (1889) to the Spanish flu (1918-20) and the Asian flu (1957).

The “original” Asian flu now has 18 different variants.

https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/public-health-now/news/epidemic-endemic-pandemic-what-are-differences

The more you know and understand the better you can learn to overcome the fear.

Stay safe!

Bob