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New Medicare Model Offers Savings On Insulin Prescription

Question: How may insulin be less expensive in 2021? Answer: Insulin has been very expensive for a number of years. I have seen many Medicare eligible people spend thousands of dollars each year to pay for their insulin. This year the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has developed a new Model, the Part D Senior Savings Model, so 2021 will be different. This model provides an opportunity for insurance companies to offer a significant savings to their enrollees on the types of insulin the insurance company includes on their formulary. The participating plans will offer ...

New Benefit Offered For Diabetic Medicare Enrollees

Do you have a Medicare Advantage Plan? Are you a diabetic who takes insulin? If you answered YES to both questions, you may be able to apply for a Medicare Part D plan choice that offers insulin co-payments of no more that $35 for a 30-day supply. These choices apply to Medicare Part D and a Medicare Advantage Plan that covers insulin by mail or locally. The plan must cover vial and pen dosages for rapid, short, intermediary, and long acting insulin. This new benefit is voluntary for drug manufacture plans and beneficiaries are limited to a drug classified as insulin. ...

Try To Be Prepared For The Coming Flu Season

The best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu vaccine. Everyone over 6 months of age should get a flu vaccine every year according to the New York state Health department. The campaign slogan says, “Stop the Flu It’s Up to You”. And it really is! Get your flu shot now in the autumn-time and follow all the safety precautions you know so well. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, or clean them with alcohol-based hand rub Use a mask when around others and use distance between you and others Cover your mouth/nose when coughing or sneezing Stay at home if you ...

An Icon In Senior Nutrition Retiring After 31 Years Of Service

I have been fortunate to work side-by-side with someone I consider a mentor with a gentle strength. Don’t let her calm, soft-spoken demeanor fool you; she is a force and has been integral to the Chautauqua County Office for Aging Services Senior Nutrition Program for the past 31 years. We want to use this article to share with you a little about the Dietitian who helped make Chautauqua County’s Senior Nutrition Program well-known and respected throughout the state. Cheryl Wahlstrom had initially wanted to be a veterinarian, but a chance encounter with the former Dietitian for ...

This Year Has Been All About Changes For Everyone

2020 has been all about change for all of you as well as our office. Late last year before the pandemic hit, our advisory council voted to change our name to the Office for Aging Services. A small change that we hoped would better emphasize the services we provide rather than “aging” which no one seems to want to do. We had hoped to have a big celebration to accompany this change but like everything else this year, it was sidelined by COVID-19. Since then our office has been consumed by making sure that people have the information and services they need to get through the pandemic ...

Prescription Drug Plans May Change In New Year

Question: What happens now that my prescription drug plan will not be offered in 2021? Answer: This year there are only three plans that will not be offered in 2021. The three monthly plans are Magellan Rx Medicare Basic, $35.80, Journey Rx Standard, $32.80, and Journey Rx Value, $26.10. These plans haven’t been the most popular plans. It sounds like you have Original Medicare, a Medicare Supplement Plan (Medigap) and a standalone drug plan. The plan that changes the most year to year is your prescription drug plan (PDP). This PDP change each year in the monthly premiums, the ...