New Alzheimer’s treatment fully restores memory function
Source: New Alzheimer’s treatment fully restores memory function
Excellent article on ALZ research and how close they are to curing it!
Author: Michael Todd Oldfield
St. Elizabeth’s Healthcare to Leave Medicare Select Network in Kentucky
August 20, 2015
We at Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield (Anthem) are committed to providing our members with access and choice for their medical care. One way we do this is by contracting with hospitals and physicians to participate in our provider networks. We have been in negotiations with St. Elizabeth Healthcare in Northern Kentucky, and they have decided to end their participation in our Medicare Select network effective January 1, 2016.
There will no longer be Medicare Select facilities in the Kentucky counties of Boone, Campbell, Grant and Kenton. St. Elizabeth Healthcare has been a part of the extensive network for over 15 years, and we are clearly disappointed that they have made this decision. We will continue to talk with St. Elizabeth Healthcare in hopes of reaching an agreement.
St. Elizabeth Healthcare operates six facilities in Covington and other parts of Northern Kentucky:
| St. Elizabeth Covington 1500 James Simpson Jr Way Covington KY 41011St. Elizabeth Edgewood 1 Medical Village Dr. Edgewood, KY 41017 St. Elizabeth Falmouth |
St. Elizabeth Florence 4900 Houston Road Florence, KY 41042St. Elizabeth Ft. Thomas 85 N. Grand Ave. Fort Thomas, KY 41075 St. Elizabeth Grant |
We will be notifying our members by letter the first of September, which will include several options regarding their health coverage. We will also include in the mailing a listing of other Medicare Select plan facilities in KY and OH.
The health coverage options listed in the letter for the member are:
- Continue with the current Medicare Select coverage. Emergency services may still be provided at a St. Elizabeth Healthcare facility at the highest benefit level, but elective inpatient care should be sought at one of our other Medicare Select network facilities.
- Consider another Anthem Medicare Supplement Plan with equal or lesser benefits.
- Choose an Anthem or other Medicare Advantage plan during the upcoming Annual Election Period (October 15 through December 7).
Anthem has participating facilities in the Metropolitan Cincinnati area that your clients might consider using for elective inpatient admissions. Emergency admissions do not require network use for maximum benefits. See the links above for those providers in close proximity to the Metropolitan Cincinnati area.
At Anthem, we’re committed to helping you succeed. We know you are a huge part of our strength and success, and we value your trust and partnership.
Kentucky Health News: Republican senator suggests expanding Kynect to other states to help pay state’s coming share of Medicaid expansion
Bluegrass ADD – Pathways Resource Guide 2014 – 2015
Source: Bluegrass ADD – Pathways Resource Guide 2014 – 2015
A wonderful guide for seniors. Providers, services, ideas… all in there to assist.
Enrollment Assistance FAQs by The “Medicare NINJA!” – The “Medicare NINJA!” | 859.533.5195
Click and Contact the Medicare NINJA! today for assistance during the Medicare & ACA enrollment seasons.
Source: Enrollment Assistance FAQs by The “Medicare NINJA!” – The “Medicare NINJA!” | 859.533.5195
Enrollment Assistance FAQs by The “Medicare NINJA!”
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You need to call me, email me, SMS me, flag me… whatever and however you choose to reach me… do it soon. Enrollment season is coming.
As most of you know, both Medicare and ACA seasons are fast approaching. What does this mean and why is this so important? And who does it affect?
Well, frequently asked questions are listed below. It’s very important for you to contact me ASAP to schedule your own “Time Well Spent” Medicare or ACA review appointment. Appointments are handled on a first come, first served basis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Who or what is the Medicare NINJA!?
Simply put, I am The Medicare NINJA! It’s just a silly name that stuck. I think it kind of ties to the fact that I “live and breathe” Medicare! I am a licensed health insurance agent, working as a broker in the state of Kentucky (KYDOI#814418). I fight to help my clients “chop” their Medical expenses. A
LOT of clients have dropped me wonderful testimonies.
A few are highlighted at the bottom of this article.
Q. When is Medicare Season and Who is Affected?
When we talk about Medicare Season, we are talking about the Medicare Annual Election Period (AEP) which runs from October 15th – December 7th each year. Pre-enrollment is between October 1st and October 15th.
This is the annual season that most Medicare beneficiaries can review coming Medicare Health Plans and make any needed changes for the coming year. This is a very important time for Medicare beneficiaries as these plans change every year. Premiums, deductibles, copay and coinsurance amounts, covered services, and provider and drug inclusions or exclusions change.
Q. When is ACA Season and Who is Affected?
This is the same period for the “under 65” crowd that have individual insurance plans. This year, ACA Open Enrollment will be from November 1st – December 15th. These would include the millions that participate in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) otherwise known as “Obamacare”. Just like Medicare beneficiaries, it is important for ACA beneficiaries to meet with a professional agent to review the coming plans. These plans change every year and it is important to have this annual review to make sure you are in the plan that will save you the most money.
Q. Why is Medicare Season important to me? Why is ACA Season Important to Me?
Well. It might not be. Do you want to make sure you save the most possible?
Q. What is your role? Does meeting with you cost me anything?
I am a healthcare insurance broker. This means that I am a licensed health insurance agent in the state of Kentucky (KY DOI#814418), but, rather than work directly for a health insurance company as a “captive agent” I choose to remain independent. This allows me to remain objective and I can pick and choose which companies to represent, based upon my valuation of their offerings, service, and products.
There is no charge for my service. I come meet with you, usually at your home, and talk to you about your objectives and concerns, use Medicare.gov or www.healthcare.gov to rank the offerings and then enroll you in the plan that saves you the most money.
I am paid directly by my payors to enroll and serve their members.
Q. What makes you different from every other insurance agent? How are you different than just calling an insurance company from a television commercial?
Excellent questions. I think my differences lie in two areas. One, is tied to my ability to be objective, due to my independent status. I do not work for a specific insurance payor. I represent many of the best names in the industry. Objectiveness is a major advantage. It keeps me out of the “selling you my product” kind of mentality.
Second, is my trusted “Time Well Spent” appointment method that I have perfected. When I meet with a client, my appointments run a little longer than the average insurance agent appointment. This is because I spend a great deal of time researching your prescriptions, providers, facilities… and explaining your summary of benefits. The last thing I care for is surprises when you receive medical care.
Q. Whom do you represent?
I represent many payors including Humana, Anthem BlueCross/BlueShield, Cigna, Mutual of Omaha, Wellcare, SilverScripts and several others in the Medicare Marketplace and Anthem BlueCross/BlueShield in the ACA marketplace.
Q. Do You Cover My Town?
I cover a large geographic territory from Kenton, Boone, and Campbell counties in northern Kentucky, east as far as Boyd and Pike Counties, down all the way to Middlesboro, KY and then west as far as Fulton.
Pretty much anywhere within the state of Kentucky. IF you live in Kentucky, chances are I will come to you.
Q. How do we meet? How do I book an appointment?
Well, there is a variety of ways that we can meet.
First and foremost is Walmart.
During Medicare season, I can be found in the Hamburg Walmart Supercenter in Lexington, KY. If you live around Lexington, this is as good an option as any to meet up with me. Be sure to schedule an appointment if possible, so that I know you are coming, and do not take on a conversation with a store patron.
Second, are face-to-face appointments in your home.
If you are within 4.5 hours of Lexington and live in Kentucky, I will be happy to come see you to discuss your Medicare case.
Third, you are welcome to schedule an appointment with me at my office outside of my Walmart hours.
During AEP season, I work seven days per week to accommodate the need.
Q. What do I Need to Bring to an Appointment?
I have an excellent page that outlines what to bring to an appointment as well as how an appointment works and what we do during a “time well spent” appointment.
Q. Does this help? Do you actually help if I book an Appointment With You?
That, you would have to ask my clients. Below are some personal testimonies from my actual clients that have given me permission to share their comments.
Alzheimer’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s
Below is a link to my Walk for Alzheimer’s page. Each year I do this walk to help raise money and awareness for Alzheimer’s research; truly a worthy cause. Please help if you can by going to this page, and contributing whatever you are able to contribute.
I appreciate it so much.
To visit my walk page, GO HERE!
Medicare Reviews: “Time Well Spent” Appointments
HOW NOT TO WASTE TIME…
With zero doubt, we all want to be smart consumers and on the subject of Medicare, as a beneficiary, you have to know the facts each year to make sure you are saving the most amount of money possible on your healthcare costs. By knowing the facts, you can avoid some “surprises” when you need healthcare; namely unexpected costs.
Every year Medicare health plans change. Their premiums, deductibles, copays, coinsurance; all these things can change… your COSTS can change. Each year providers, facilities, and drugs enter and exit plans. Each year plans themselves enter and exit the marketplace.
Even covered procedures.
DO YOURSELF A FAVOR….
Call a professional; a licensed, experienced healthcare insurance agent or broker, and have them sit down with you and explain your options. A “broker” is the best possible option because they frequently represent multiple companies, rather than just a couple or even one. Brokers can remain unbiased and uninfluenced by individual plans because they remain independent. Sales agents working for one plan and want you to buy their plan. Right? An agent is not going to be paid if you choose their competition. Makes sense, right?
What you need is an unbiased professional that you can trust to sit down with you and help you double check your plans against all those being offered to make sure.
While they are there, you should have them verify your physicians and other providers status; that they are “in-network” for the plan you choose. Not that they accept the plan… because that can be misleading. They need to be “in-network” for your plan. This is especially important in HMOs. Providers are very often moving in and out of network for plans.
They need to also check your facilities. Your hospitals, clinics, practices to make sure they are “in-network” as well. You really do not want to pay “out-of-network” rates if you do not have to. See the chart below.
Checklist for how to save time and money. Make sure your adviser does these things when you meet with them.
IS ALL OF THIS REQUIRED?…
Heavens no.
Any agent; independent or not may be able to enroll you in a healthcare plan of your choosing if they are appointed and have certified with that plan on their product offerings. We do not even need your prescription list, provider list, etc. In fact, most agents don’t want to spend the time necessary to do all this research when they come to see you.
And, it’s important for you to know that, if you share that information with them, that it has NO IMPACT ON WHETHER YOU CAN ENROLL OR NOT… During the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), you cannot be turned down due to poor health conditions. Everyone is accepted. The only purpose for sharing that information with your agent is so that he can evaluate what your possible healthcare costs will be for the coming year. It has nothing to do with ability to enroll.
THIS IS FOR YOU
The fact is our lives would be easier if we did not do all this research. Can you imagine. If I had 1000 clients for instance? Do I really want to look up maybe 10,000 drugs if each had 10?
No. This is not for us. Rather, this research should be our commitment to you. This is what I do for you that most will not. I want you to know all your facts so that you can make an informed educated decision, so that next year, you are not caught with a financial surprise!
THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION…
If you would like my help, then contact me. You can email me at [email protected] or call me at 859.654.0120
To visit my “Contact the NINJA!” page, go HERE!
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2016 Certification Training is COMPLETE! Get your 2015 Medicare.gov Update Form In
Well, I am pleased to report that I have just completed all my annual re-certification exams for this upcoming AEP (Annual Enrollment Period) season.
I am ready to serve my Medicare clients this fall. This year I will be representing at the very least; Humana, Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Cigna, and Silverscripts (new for me). I will also be adding either Aetna or Medico or both.
For ACA, I will be representing Humana and Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
I choose these companies because I believe them to be the best of the lot; experienced, great product offerings, at good prices.
THE PLAN
This year, as in past years, I will first turn my attention towards my valued clients. I plan to see all of you needing to be seen from October 1-14; prior to open enrollment season. I want to get you taken care of first. You are my top priority. With a little bit of lunch, I can have either a telephone call or face-2-face with all of you during time frame.
IMPORTANT: Be sure to send back your 2015 Medicare.gov form completed no later than September 1st.
2015 Client Update Form <<<Download, print, fill out, and mail back to me at;
Michael Todd Oldfield
3408 Crimson King Court
Lexington, KY 40517
I will be scheduling appointments in the order in which i receive the forms back. Get yours back today!!!!!