October 21 Mr. Fred Taube visits again. This trip he will not only talk about the latest developments in Medicare and Medicaid, but he’ll have information on how the new healthcare program will affect both our health and our pocketbook.
November 18 Mrs. Betsy Van Markwyk, Parkview Home Health Services, will be bringing physical and occupational therapists and a physical therapy assistant for a discussion and demonstration of the Lee Silverman Voice Training 'Big" Program. (LSVT - Big) Come learn about large movement exercise to help you with balance and coordination,
September Support Group Meeting
Dr. Vargas, Chiropractor, spoke to us about acupuncture and PD.
Acupuncture looks to find blockages of electrical impulses that run along any of twelve meridians. (channels) Each meridian (channel) is related to and named after an organ or function of the body. Ex: lung, kidney, gall bladder, stomach, spleen, heart, small/large intestine, urinary bladder, etc. When electrical impulses run along these meridians, the body is healthy and balanced. If the electrical impulses become blocked or weakened, he result can be ill health.
To restore balance in these electrical impulses, needles are placed at points on the body to redirect/counteract the electrical imbalance.
Acupuncture then releases pain relieving peptides that are naturally produced in the body to combat pain. The acupuncture points are close to the body’s surface where there is greater electrical conductivity. Tissue known as fascia connect various points on the body and allow electrical impulses to travel through the body.
Finding impulse blockages can correct electrical flow and increase the quality of life.
Acupuncture has been around over 5000 years. It doesn’t just treat symptoms. In fact, sometimes needles are placed in the skin in an area connected to, but not necessarily near, the symptoms, and/or the area out of balance.
Acupuncture needles are almost as thin as strands of hair, and you only feel a pinch as they enter the skin.
As a chiropractor, Dr. Vargas incorporates a variety of methods (herbs, supplements, massage, alignment, etc.) to help heal the body.
As a sidebar – Medicare does not cover acupuncture.
Remember, everyone is different and treatment may vary in techniques used, and length of treatment time. Result in patients may differ as well. Treatment early on, after the discovery of an illness, gives a patient a better chance for completely restored heath and balance.
Treatments start with an evaluation ($150) and then up to twelve follow-up appointments, ($65 each) depending upon patient needs. Some patients may return for later follow-up appointments monthly, bi-monthly, or even quarterly to maintain their health.
A NOTE FROM DAN SPANGLER
This is a reminder for many of you who will be changing webmail addresses because of the Verizon sale to Frontier Communications…
When your change has taken place, please email Pati Adams (plathyme@msn.com) or me, Dan Spangler (dspangler16@frontier.com) at the web address listed behind our names. Please inform us of your new web address.
We want you to continue to receive your email copy of our newsletter, and other communiqués in a timely fashion, and without interruption.
Let this reminder also serve to encourage you to inform other important contacts of your webmail address change. (Bank, insurance, family, friends, and others you may have listed in your address books, both hardcopy and/or electronic.
SENIOR INFORMATION FAIR
On Thursday, September 16, we sponsored a booth at the ACPL Senior Information Fair. The day was very productive. We made over fifteen serious contacts sharing about the support group and all we do for Parkinsonians, in the area. We also had the opportunity to network with eight different contacts regarding future program possibilities for the group; speaking engagements to spread the word about Parkinson’s; and many other ways to share FWPSG with people in the area.
A special “Thanks” to Nancy Brown, Tom and Liz Haley, Dick and Barb Hill, Bill and Muriel Hunt, Ruby Spangler, and Bonnie Tarr, for their efforts in staffing the booth. Also to Duane and Pati Adams for constructing, and setting up our booth. Without all of this generous help, we never could have had the success we did.
THANKS, ALL!
PHILHARMONIC RESEARCH PROJECT
The project is well underway and moving forward. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) has given its approval; IPFW is making the Rhinehart Center Recital Hall available; Philharmonic musicians have agreed to participate; and Purdue has signed on with the project as well.
There will be three scheduled ninety minute concerts, each with a different music style. Volunteer Parkinsonians, with a caregiver, will attend all three concerts free of charge. Each Parkinsonian will fill out three, five or six question forms (one, before, one during, and one after each concert) responding to questions about the effects of live musical performance on their Parkinson’s symptoms.
Currently we are looking for participants, and suitable dates probably in late October and early November. If interested, call, or email Dan Spangler. (260-486-4893)(dspangler16@frontier.com)
This makes three research projects we have been involved with in the past year. Let’s stay involved in the pursuit of a cure for our disease.
CAREGIVERS' CORNER
Caregiving, whether it is for a spouse, parent, relative or friend, is never an easy job to do alone, no matter what your age or background. The care of the ill person along with assuming responsibilities for household and family chores can quickly become overwhelming even to the most efficient and organized caregiver.
It is estimated that at any one time there may be over 50 million family caregivers in the United States who regularly provide care for a chronically ill or aging family member. That number is guaranteed to grow as the baby boomers themselves become older and rely on others for the care that many of them are now providing.
Many communities have support group meetings or classes for caregivers. One of the most difficult things to do at times is to arrange to get to those meetings. For those with computers and the ability to use them, there are many new websites which have emerged that enable you to get information, education, and connect via chat or message boards with others who share the same circumstances or problems.
One website that is particularly helpful is www.familycaregiving101.org. This site was developed through the partnership of the National Alliance for Caregiving and the National Family Caregivers Association. The site is designed to provide caregivers with the basic tools, skills, and information they need to protect their own physical and mental health while they provide high quality care. It is also a place for family caregivers to return again and again as new challenges arise and the level of caregiving changes.
Advertising messages, created with the assistance of family caregivers themselves, assure caregivers across the U.S. That they are not alone, and encourage caregivers to take better care of themselves and their loved ones by visiting the site and asking for help. The site contains a message board, news on public policy and media regarding caregiver issues, checklists and a manual for preparing for a caregiving experience, information to prepare you for communicating with the health care industry and insurance companies to secure the needs for your loved one and yourself, and a wealth of other articles about the feelings and experiences of family caregivers and the resources available to them.
Even if your caregiving situation limits your ability to get outside your home, a while world of information is available at your convenience through this and other internet websites. Being better informed and making the connection with others through the forums or simply reading the questions and answers of others will help alleviate the feeling of isolation that often occurs on this journey. by Ed Gatke
TIPS TO MAKE YOUR LIFE BETTER
by Ed Gatke
What you don't know can hurt you. Most people with Parkinson's (PWP) take multiple medications, and they are sometimes prepared by a caregiver or another person. When the PWP takes his 3:00 PM pills he seldom looks at them and says, “one Requip, one Sinemet, one Comtan.” He usually says,”three pills.” After a while things seem to be all the same. Take time to know what it is you are taking, how much of it you are taking, and what is its purpose or what is it good for. It is the safe thing to do, and it is another way that you can be responsible for managing your Parkinson's for as long as you can.
Most PWP take more than one medicine. There are different ideas about how to organize the medicines so that we get the right pills at the right time every time. One idea that works for some is to use one or more colored indelible ink markers to label the containers (Actually, one color will do the trick.) If you get all your meds from one pharmacy the bottles look alike and the print is often small, hard to read. You can use colored markers to “color code” each medication bottle. Use the same color on the bottle and the cap. Then when you get a new supply use the same color as the one before it had. That way when you fill the daily pill organizers for a week or two weeks, it is easier to tell what you have already opened and what still needs to be put into the cases. It simplifies the process. The colors take away that “they all look alike” confusion. The trick is to ALWAYS have the correct pills in each time of day slot. The color coding gives us assurance that we have organized and distributed the pills correctly.
As our progression increases PWP have a greater need for medication both in quantity and frequency. The uniqueness of Parkinson's calls for exacting treatment. Each day when we wake up we have the greatest need for medications and the least ability to obtain it.
We should prepare and lay out our meds and other needs when we are “up” and have some or more control of our actions. Thus the need for getting things prepared carefully the day before while we are “up”. It is helpful for us to find as many aids to help as we can. Examples include ideas like keeping individual packets of crackers in handy places to assist when something (usually a pill) becomes lodged in our throat. Or, keeping water nearby in a plastic container or one with a lid to avoid spills when it is time for our meds. Or making a small cut with scissors in those difficult to open individual pill packets; then, when it is time to take the pills they are more easily opened.
If you have ideas on this subject, won't you share then with the rest of us? We welcome your ideas. Contact Ed Gatke at ektag@comcast.net with your ideas.
Taken from the News-Sentinel at fortwaynenewspapers.com
The number of Medicare plans and their subtle differences make signing up daunting
By Jennifer L. Boen
Mary Rogers is not yet 65, “but it's coming, and you have to be prepared,” she said. Rogers, who turns 65 next year, is referring to signing up for Medicare and choosing a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. On Saturday, the new enrollment period for Part D begins. People already on a plan must re-enroll in a plan for 2009 by Dec. 31.
Rogers has a multifaceted approach to assessing which drug plan will best suit her down the road. She met with Donna Cusick, director of development for the Allen County Council on Aging, who helped Rogers enter the drugs she takes into the Medicare-PartD.com Web site. The site lists all 2009 drug plans for each state and allows consumers to do a comparison based on their needs. She plans to have her son-in-law, a drugstore manager, check the store chain's Part D database for which Indiana option is best for her.
As Medicare enters the third year for prescription drug coverage, new rules on how those plans can be marketed are in effect. One major change: no more door-to-door sales or marketing of Part D and Medicare Advantage plans. The latter are plans in which the beneficiary opts out of traditional Medicare and enrolls in a private Medicare-approved plan that offers medical and drug coverage.
“The regulations give insurers … guidance on what types of marketing activities are acceptable and what types are not acceptable,” said Kerry Weems when the new rules were unveiled. Weems is acting administrator of The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees Medicare.
Since the program began, Medicare has used “secret shoppers,” people who pose as prospective purchasers and who listen to insurance agents' sales pitches, review printed and broadcast ads, and read through forms for clarity and accuracy.
Last year's secret shoppers uncovered three insurance organizations that were not following federal guidelines. This year, CMS has tripled the number of secret shoppers.
“We think it's a good thing they're cracking down on the rather loosey-goosey ways,” of marketing Part D, said Melissa Durr, CEO of the Indiana Association of Area Agencies on Aging (IAAAA). The agency is a resource for people wanting information on Medicare plans and other services for older adults and people with disabilities.
One of the biggest areas of confusion has been with what CMS refers to as MA-PD, or Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plans. Some people purchased the plans because of the great drug coverage, but failed to read or understand the fine print. Some medical benefits covered under traditional Medicare are not covered under MA-PD plans. For example, rehabilitation services after breaking a hip or having a stroke may not be covered in a long-term care facility. Traditional Medicare automatically covers at least the first 20 days, sometimes more, when a person on Medicare goes from hospital to nursing home. That is not necessarily the case for MA-PD.
“You've got to be a smart consumer,” said Rebecca Baker, a projects manager at IAAAA, comparing some plans to buying a cell phone “with all the bells and whistles you may not need.”
On the other hand, for the person who may need hospitalization in the coming year, who takes a lot of medications and has one or more chronic health conditions, some MA-PD plans, despite higher premium cost, are better. They may cover the infamous Medicare “doughnut hole.”
“There's no way to get around the doughnut hole,” Baker said. That term refers to the situation in which the beneficiary has reached a plan's initial out-of-pocket co-pays/deductibles. If expenses continue, the person must reach the next threshold before the plan kicks in again, which is why some consumers would fare better with an MA-PD plan, even if the premium is higher. She cautions that plans vary, and people must do their homework.
Discerning the best plan has been easier as Part D continues, said Fred Taube, a volunteer counselor with the Indiana Senior Health Insurance Information Program, or SHIIP. SHIIP counselors don't sell plans. In fact, Taube said, “We're precluded from recommending them.”
In Indiana, 48 Part D and 46 Medicare Advantage plans are available for 2009, said Taube, who is glad to see the new marketing regulations. He has heard of free meals, gift cards to stores for people who purchase a plan, and aggressive marketing near pharmacy counters or near the front door of a store. None of those tactics is allowed this year.
In the first year for Part D, the program was besieged by complaints on lack of phone access to counselors and inaccurate information disseminated on the 1-800-Medicare line. Improvements have been made and, according to an April announcement by CMS, an independent survey of beneficiaries showed a greater than 85 percent satisfaction with Part D.
Yet the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) earlier this year reported lack of understanding of Part D continues. Researchers also found while non-adherence to taking medications as prescribed because of cost of the drugs decreased after Part D took effect, among beneficiaries who are the sickest, little or no improvement in non-adherence was found.
And while fewer hang-ups at the Medicare Part D help line are being reported, and the new marketing regulations will enable consumers to get less-biased information, signing up “is still a grueling process.
More Information
Enrollment
From Nov. 15 to Dec. 31, Medicare beneficiaries can enroll in the Medicare Prescription Drug, or Part D, plan. Waiting until the last part of December could delay coverage. To access a listing and costs for all the Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans available in Indiana go to this Web site: www.medicare-partd.com
Who can help:
Free access to Part D counselors:
SHIIP (Senior Health Insurance Information Program) - call 373-7952 to set an appointment.
?9 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays and Fridays, St. Joseph Hospital Senior Circle office, 900 Broadway
?9 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesdays at 2120 Carew St. in the Parkview Foundation office building
?9 a.m.- noon, first and third Tuesdays of the month, Parkview Health Corporate Offices, 10501 Corporate Drive, at northeast corner of Interstate 69/Dupont Road.
?9 a.m.-noon first Thursday of the month, Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Community Center, 233 W. Main St.
Aging & In-Home Services of Northeast Indiana - call 745-1200 to set an appointment.
?Call 745-1200 or 1-800-552-3662 to set an appointment; offices are at 2927 Lake Ave.
Allen County Council on Aging
?233 W. Main St.; phone 426-0060; offers referral sources and minimal Part D counseling for uncomplicated cases.
Medicare Part D help line
?Call 1-800-MEDICARE, or 1-800-633-4227, 24/7 for assistance in either English or Spanish.
National Council on Aging
?Go to BenefitsCheckupRx.org to access Part D information and other health care services for older adults, including information on Part D plans for low-income and resources for people who cannot afford their drugs during the “doughnut hole,” non-coverage period of Part D for some people.
Marketing no-nos for Part D
Among new federal rules governing marketing of Medicare drug plans:
?No discounted or free meals to potential buyers.
?Gifts cannot exceed $15; gifts cannot be offered only to those who purchase the marketed plan but also to inquirers who do not buy the plan.
?No cross-selling of non-health care products - life insurance or homeowners' insurance, for example, when marketing Part D or Medicare Advantage plans.
?No marketing at educational events.
?All agents/brokers must be state licensed.
?When information is provided at a venue such as the lobby of a hospital, the sale cannot take place at that time; a future appointment must be set.
Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
5 Ways to Lower Your Costs During the Coverage Gap
Consider Switching to Generics or Other Lower-Cost Drugs
You may wish to talk to your doctor about the drugs you are currently taking to find out if there are generic or less-expensive brand-name drugs that would work just as well as the ones you're taking now.
Cost savings information through the use of mail-order pharmacies, generic or less-expensive brand-name drugs is also available in the Prescription Drug Plan Finder section of www.medicare.gov
Explore National and Community-Based Charitable Programs
National and community-based charitable programs (such as the National Patient Advocate Foundation or the National Organization for Rare Disorders) may have programs that can help with your drug costs. Information on programs in your area is available on the Benefits Checkup website.
Look into Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs
Many of the major drug manufacturers are offering assistance programs for people enrolled in Medicare Part D.
You can find out whether a Patient Assistance Program is offered by the manufacturers of the drugs you take by visiting our Pharmaceutical Assistance Program site.
Look at State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs
There are many states and a territory offering help with the paying of drug plan premiums and/or other drug costs.
You can find out if your State has a program by visiting our State Pharmaceutical Assistance Program site.
Apply for Extra Help
If you have Medicare and have limited income and resources, you may qualify for extra help paying for your prescription drugs. If you qualify, you could pay between $1-$6 for each drug.
Contact Social Security by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov or by calling 1-800-772-1213. TTY users should call 1-800-325-0778
For additional information, you can review the Bridging the Coverage Gap (PDF 132.71 KB)
