Breaking News

Life

What To Do When Medicare Isn’t Needed Anymore

Senior News

Question: I have a Medicare Advantage plan with Part D. My spouse got a new job and it will provide us both with health insurance. Can I drop my Medicare Advantage Plan and my Medicare Parts A & B? Answer: I have come across this scenario a couple of times recently. Your decision to enroll into a Medicare Advantage Plan was an appropriate decision to make, but now things have changed with your newly available employer coverage. The answer to your question could be yes or no, depending on a few different variables. Each part of Medicare has a slightly different answer as well, so I ...

The Importance Of Getting Outside

Nature

As winter comes into its bloom and temperatures drop, it’s tempting to retreat indoors into the warm and cozy depths of our sofas and blankets. Believe me friends, no one loves a good power lounge more than I. However, maintaining an active connection to the natural world, even in the ...

Explaining The Process If No Changes Are Made In Open Enrollment

Senior News

Question: I changed my plan during the Annual Open Enrollment Period and I still haven’t heard from my new plan, what do I do? Answer; This year I feel like everyone changed their coverage. But I realize that some of you do not. For those that didn’t change your coverage, you are all set. You don’t have to do anything but celebrate the holidays and enjoy winter in WNY. For those of you that did change your coverage for 2025 you are now waiting for your new plan information. The first item that will arrive will be a confirmation letter of your enrollment. This confirmation has ...

Fighting Plants With Plants – On Land And Under Water

Nature

The phrase “fight fire with fire” is not just an idiom – it actually works in practice. For example, when combating forest fires, crews will carry out controlled burns in the path of an approaching inferno to remove any burnable materials from the area, thus depriving the blaze of fuel. ...

Conserving Lands To Maximize Public Benefits

Nature

The Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy’s mission is to preserve and enhance the quality, scenic beauty, and ecological health of the lands and waters of the Chautauqua region for the benefit of the community. Conserving and enhancing lands for water quality protection and habitat enhancement ...

Making The Normal, Special

Nature

I am often grateful for living where I do, specifically having such easy access to nature and a job that allows me to explore it to a degree few people are regularly able to. This leads me to see lots of neat things. I get to see exciting birds like swans, ducks of all sorts, and my first ...