Breaking News

Life

Fall Is Best Time To Look For Plans

Senior News

Question: I turned 65 earlier this year and enrolled in Medicare and an additional Medicare Advantage Plan. When do I change my coverage again, when I turn 66 or is there another time? Answer: Congratulations on making it through your Initial Open Enrollment Period (IEP) when you turned 65. That process can be overwhelming. Getting Medicare Part A & B started, and then reviewing all the possible plans in addition to that… It can be quite a process!! Now you are in the same calendar year timeframe of all 67 million Americans with Medicare! That window includes ...

Bugs Are Sure To light Up Night

Nature

It’s the last day of June and I’m standing under the overhang on my back deck protected from the last drips of a rainstorm. It’s past nine o’clock but not quite dark yet. But the yard is starting to light up, one or two flashes at a time. It’s lightning bug season. These flashing, ...

Chagnons celebrate 50th wedding anniversary

Anniversaries

Roger G. Chagnon, Jr. and Deborah (Bowen) Chagnon of Westfield joyfully celebrate 50 years of marriage on June 28, 2025. The couple were married at the First Presbyterian Church of Westfield on June 28, 1975. They are the parents of a daughter, Heather Chagnon Gruenbaum, with her husband, ...

Rain, Rain, Go Away! Or Not?

Nature

Something seems a little different with the weather we’ve been having here in Western New York. This spring has been a lot wetter than the previous springs I’ve experienced. Most people I talk about the weather with, or even just causally mention rain to, agree that this amount of rain is ...

Will Medicare Pay For Pre-Existing Medical Problems?

Senior News

Question: I am turning 65 later this year, how will Medicare handle the coverage of my already existing medical problems? Answer: Congratulations on reaching Medicare eligibility! Your coverage with Medicare is very comprehensive. When you become Medicare eligible, Medicare covers all your pre-existing medical conditions with very few exceptions. If you have Diabetes, Cancer, High Blood Pressure any medical conditions, Medicare will cover you starting your first day of eligibility. Medicare always starts the first of the month, usually the month of your 65th birthday. There are ...

Insurance Options When You Work Longer Than Planned

Senior News

Question: I was planning on retiring, so I signed up for Medicare Part A & B. Now I have decided to keep working. Since I don’t need Medicare anymore, can I cancel it? What about the premiums I’ve already paid? Answer: We all look forward to retirement, and then when it gets close, we sometimes have a difficult time deciding on the right time to retire. Changing your mind about the timing is common. The answer is different when we talk about the different parts of Medicare: Parts A, B, and D. For Medicare Part A, if you choose to end your coverage you must repay any benefits ...