Wiley Long's Medigap Blog

Eating for Optimum Health

2011-06-02T16:59:00.000-07:00

Having been in the health insurance industry for 25 years, I’ve had a front row view of the state of healthcare, and health, here in the U.S. And what I’ve seen has not been pretty.

As health costs have absolutely exploded, so have health insurance rates. At the same time, our nation’s health as gotten progressively worse. The entire country has gotten fat. The average 65 year old now takes 3 prescription drugs daily, and 20% take 5 or more.

What Can I Do About It?

Well, not that much, really. Because it is each individual’s responsibility to make his or her own choices. And I strongly believe in giving people choice.

But with choice also comes responsibility. And if I can encourage people to take greater responsibility – for their health, and for their health care choices – I’ve made a difference.

The Diet of our Ancient Ancestors

I’ve always been interested in health, and what factors lead to optimum health. In 2000 I shut down my insurance business, spent some time traveling with my wife (documented at www.longsstrangetrip.com), and then moved to Fort Collins, Colorado to pursue a master’s in nutrition and exercise science.

It was there that I became familiar with what is now commonly known as the “paleo” diet. The basic concept is that humans evolved over millions of years as hunter-gatherers, and that thus our genes are best adapted to the diet that we would have eaten, up until about 10,000 years ago when agriculture began. The basic diet is fresh meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, and maybe some nuts and eggs.

Getting the Word Out

I decided to join forces with a professor who had studied and written extensively on the topic, to spread the word and make more people aware of this idea. We put out the first issue of The Paleo Diet Newsletter on February 15, 2005.

At the time hardly anyone had ever heard of this way of eating (and most still haven’t, but that’s changing). Publication was erratic for the first couple years or so, but we were putting out some really high quality science based information. Eventually we were publishing our free newsletter on a weekly basis. I had an incredible team helping me, including Pedro Bastos, Maelan Fontes, and Nell Stephenson.

In 2007 we formed a business to promote this way of eating, and I continued to put out our free newsletter. For many people this was a brand new way of eating, and for some it was challenging to make the change. So, with dedicated help from Chris LaLanne (nephew of the early TV exercise guru Jack LaLanne), we started offering Paleo Diet Implementation Programs, in which we coached people how to eat this way over a 6-week period.

People were losing weight, their digestive problems were disappearing, autoimmune symptoms were subsiding, people were reporting better sleep, less pain, and the list goes on. It was an amazing, highly gratifying experience. And the number of people adopting this kind of diet was exploding.

Due to reasons I can’t get into at this time (but will soon), I shut down my activities in this area about a year ago. But the good news is that in the mean time, interest and information on this topic has continued to skyrocket.

Books by Robb Wolf (The Paleo Solution) and Art Devany (The New Evolution Diet) have spread this meme, numerous blogs and brilliant websites have sprung up (such as PaleoHacks.com) and there are even Facebook groups, Meetups, and more.

I’ve seen so many people benefit from a Paleolithic-type diet, that it really excites me to see it getting some mainstream popularity.

The Ancestral Health Symposium

In August there is an event going on called the Ancestral Health Symposium, where some of the leading scientists and thinkers in this field will be speaking. I’ve been planning on going, but just learned that the event is sold out.

Going to this event will enable me to connect with a lot of old friends, and meet new friends, and will no doubt lead to further opportunities. So I need to find a way to go.

Fortunately, Patrik at PaleolithicDiet.com has two extra tickets he’s giving away. Patrik, hopefully you can help me out, and I’ll look forward to meeting you in person. :-)

Oh by the way, Patrik has also just started a free weekly email. If this topic interests you, check it out.

Medicare Advantage open enrollment ends this week

2010-12-27T21:39:00.000-08:00

Medicare Advantage Plans can offer HMO and PPO plans, and they often include more benefits than Original Medicare. For example, some pay for dental care, eyeglasses or hearing aids along with standard doctor and hospital services. Some plans even include health club memberships to help you maintain your health.

While the premiums can be low, and even $0 in some cases, Medicare Advantage Plans do have some restrictions. You may be restricted to certain doctors and hospitals unless you require emergency or urgent care. This may be important if you need a specific specialist.

Most importantly, Medicare Advantage Plans have different rules and cover different prescription drugs. It’s important to be sure you understand each plan’s rules so you get the right fit for your needs.

Like a Christmas present, until the end of the year, Medicare Advantage Plans have open enrollment. That allows you to enroll in a plan even with pre-existing health problems, but open enrollment will end on December 31. Find out more with our free Medicare Advantage quote and consultation. Just call us, Medigap Advisors, at 1-866-323-1441, but make that call today before time runs out.

Medicare Advantage Plans, Medicare Supplement Insurance And Open Enrollment

2010-11-19T15:02:00.000-08:00

If you have Medicare Supplemental Insurance, you probably remember that magic open enrollment period when you could apply for a Medigap plan without answering any questions about your health. No matter what health problems you may have had, you didn’t have to worry about your application being denied or even being charged higher than normal rates. Well, another one of those special open enrollment periods is now here

If your situation has changed, your premiums have gone up or you just want to be sure you have the best coverage you can get, now is the time to see what Medicare Advantage plans can do for you. From November 15 through December 31, you can switch your Medigap insurance for one of the Medicare Advantage plans available in your area.

Like Medicare Supplement insurance, Medicare Advantage plans are provided by private insurers. Here’s a secret - Medicare Advantage plans may have no premium unless you add Part D prescription coverage. Want to find out more?

At MediGap Advisors, we specialize in helping people just like you unravel the complexity of Medicare so they can get the right protection to fit their needs and their budget. We offer lots of information to help you see what your best choices are at our website - www.MediGapAdvisors.com, but that’s not all! You can also call us at 866 323-1441 to arrange to speak with one of our expert advisors for free. Get the answers to your questions, help comparing your situation to the plans available and a professional opinion on how you can get the best Medicare supplement at the lowest price. Could it be any easier? Just remember you only have a few weeks to make the change so call us today!

Medicare Advantage Plans Can Help You Get More From Medicare

2010-11-12T15:24:00.000-08:00

There’s a big difference between Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare Supplement plans, and now is the perfect time to see whether you could get more for your money by switching to a Medicare Advantage plan. Open enrollment lasts from November 15 through December 31, but that doesn’t mean you have time to spare. Medicare Advantage plans are available from a variety of insurers so you’ll want to take the time to get a good idea of all the options available to you.

Unlike Medigap insurance, Medicare Advantage plans replace Original Medicare rather than supplement it. If you join one of these plans, you’ll receive your Original Medicare coverage through private insurers, which typically offer additional benefits over Original Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans may have no premiums unless you add Part D prescription coverage.

To join a Medicare Advantage plan, you must have Medicare Part A and Part B. That means you will have to pay your monthly Medicare Part B premium to Medicare, but remember you won’t have a monthly premium for your Medigap plan after you switch.

As the nation’s leading online specialist in how to get the most from Medicare, we are MediGap Advisors. You can visit us online at www.MediGapAdvisors.com or call our friendly receptionist at 866 323-1441. There’s never a charge for our confidential consultation to help you get the answers you need and the health care you deserve.

Medicare Supplement Insurance Helps When You’re Under 65

2010-11-08T14:37:00.000-08:00

Medicare has a lot of out-of-pocket costs, but you may have other options to pay for medical bills that are not covered by Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare supplement plans are available in most states to help when you’re under 65 and eligible for Medicare.

If you’ve looked into your Medicare coverage, you’ve seen that it leaves you to pay for co-insurance, co-pay and deductible charges. Should you need hospital care, Medicare has a whopping big deductible of over $1,000. That deductible isn’t an annual expense either.

It’s tied to benefit periods that extend for 60 days after you no longer need inpatient care at a hospital or skilled nursing facility. Since that’s just a couple of months, you could need additional hospital care again in a few months. If you do, that would mean you’d enter another benefit period and have to come up with another $1,000+ deductible.

Fortunately, if you have Medicare and you are under 65, most states offer at least one type of Medicare supplement insurance to cover medical bills that Medicare doesn’t pay. In certain areas, Medicare Advantage plans help, too, and may cost you little or nothing at all for the extra protection.

An annual open enrollment period for Medicare Advantage plans starts on November 15th, but only lasts through January 1. So anyone interested in one of these plans should contact us asap, as we are always *extremely* busy this time of year.

Just visit us online at www.MediGapAdvisors.com or call us today at 866 323-1441 to see how we can save you money.

Medigap Insurance: Two Tips Make It Simpler to Get the Best Deal

2010-10-24T21:15:00.000-07:00

When it comes to Medigap Insurance, Medicare Supplement Insurance or Medigap plans, you get the same 10 plans no matter what you call them. These plans must comply with government laws that standardize your benefits and coverage. You can be sure that you’re getting the same basic coverage with a Medigap Plan A, for instance, regardless of which insurance company offers it. That means you can shop for the lowest price on any of the 10 plans without worrying that you’re giving up any coverage at all.

Next, you don’t have to worry about customer service either. All 10 Medigap plans automatically work with Original Medicare and service is consistently high because there’s little room for error. When Medicare pays for 80 percent of a doctor’s fee, Medigap pays for the remaining 20 percent. The Medicare Rights Center reports few problems with Medigap payments. If your Medigap plan reimburses you for Medicare’s Part A or Part B deductibles, you don’t have to worry about meeting any criteria to get your reimbursement.

You can even find Medigap plans that cover expenses that Medicare never covers, such as emergency medical care when you’re on vacation outside of the country. If you’re worried about needing a specialist who won’t accept Medicare’s standard payment rate, Medigap plans can even pay for the difference between doctors’ charges and Medicare’s payments.

You can take a look at what all 10 Medigap plans cover and learn from the nation's leading independent agency specializing in Medigap Plans. You’ll find everything you need to compare, choose and enroll in a plan at www.MediGapAdvisors.com/, but we offer more…just click here to reserve your space for the free, live How to Get the Most from Medicare teleseminar. Could it get any easier than that?

Medicare Supplement Insurance: How to Win the Pricing Game

2010-10-17T21:39:00.000-07:00

When you’re looking for the best way to protect yourself from the gaps in your Medicare coverage, there are four things you need to know.

First, there’s a big difference between Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare Supplement plans. Even though both are provided by private insurance companies, Medicare Advantage plans replace Original Medicare while Medicare Supplement plans expand Original Medicare. Here’s an even more important difference. Because Medicare Advantage plans cost the government more than Original Medicare, poorly performing Advantage plans will see cuts to their government subsidies. To make up for that loss, many are expected to raise premiums. That’s not true for Medicare Supplements, which are also called Medigap plans.

Second, every Medigap plan with the same name, such as Plan A, has the same benefits and coverage. You won’t get anything more from a more expensive Plan A than you’ll get from a lower priced Plan A.

The third thing you need to know is that Medigap plans are priced by what is known as “attained age,” “issue age” and “community rated” strategies. Attained age policies may start out offering the lowest prices (especially when you’re 65), but their premiums rise steadily so they can turn out to be the most expensive plans over time. Issue age policies (based on your age when you apply) don’t automatically charge more as you age. Their rates are based on health care inflation.

Community rated policies don’t reflect your age at all. Everyone in the same location (community) gets the same price and your premiums won’t go up simple because your age does. While issue age and community rated policies may cost more initially, their premiums won’t rise as aggressively over time.

Fourth, you can get the best price of a lifetime on Medigap plans during your open enrollment period. That’s because insurers cannot use medical underwriting to evaluate your health during that special six-month period. They cannot exclude any pre-existing problem, cannot charge you more than normal, and cannot refuse to insure you regardless of your health.

Find out when you can take advantage of that special six-month deal and other ways you can win the Medicare supplement pricing game. Visit MediGap Advisors online at www.MediGapAdvisors.com/ or call their friendly receptionist at 866 323-1441. You can get the answers you need – including professional assistance to compare plans to your situation - all at no charge and with no obligation. MediGap Advisors believes that the best customers are educated customers so you get all the help you need with none of the sales hype.

Medigap Plans: What You Need To Know If You Have A Medicare Advantage Plan

2010-10-08T10:58:00.000-07:00

Wow, are things getting busy around here. There is a "Special Election Period" going on now for people who's Medicare Advantage plans are not renewing next year. This gives these people the oportunity to sign up for a new Medicare Advantage plan, or for Original Medicare along with a prescription drug program.

Even if you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, expect to see your benefits reduced and your premiums go up in the coming years. Some insurers will probably stop offering Medicare Advantage plans completely. Why are these plans in jeopardy?

Medicare Advantage plans have been known for providing more than Original Medicare, but Medicare is expanding benefits next year. If you’re enrolled in Original Medicare, you will no longer have to pay for an annual check-up and recommended preventive services. You won’t have to pay for co-insurance charges or have to meet a deductible for that care.

The federal government has been giving private insurance companies subsidies to manage Medicare Advantage plans. Since it now costs on average 14 percent more to cover people through Advantage plans than it does through Original Medicare, the government is freezing payment rates for Advantage plans next year. For two years, “higher quality” Advantage plans will get a bonus, while other Advantage plans will get rate reductions. Rate reductions will probably drive premiums higher.

Along with other reforms, such payment reductions are expected to save more than $177 billion over 10 years and even lower the Medicare Part B premiums. Payments to doctors who accept Medicare are not being cut, and primary care physicians and general surgeons in areas with a shortage of such providers will get a 10 percent bonus.

If you switch to Original Medicare, you may qualify for a Medicare supplement plan. In June 2010, two new Medigap plans with low premiums became available. With a selection of 10 Medigap insurance plans, you can find everything from minimal benefits in Plan A to comprehensive coverage in Plan F. For expert assistance to compare Medigap to your needs, visit MediGap Advisors online at www.MediGapAdvisors.com/ or call our friendly receptionist Janice at 1 866 323-1441. She’ll assign you a Personal Advisor, a licensed agent, to search for plans from A-rated insurance companies that meet your specifications – all at no charge or obligation.

Medicare Supplement Insurance Isn’t Immune To Health Care Reform

2010-09-26T16:33:00.000-07:00

About 80 years ago my great grandfather bought property on the bay in Orange Beach, Alabama. My father spent time their growing up, as did I, and as is my son Wiley IV. We usually go down for a week every summer, but the oil spill and busy work schedules made it impossible.

So now, in late September, we’re taking Wiley out of school for a week and going to hang out and relax. I’ve been working hard on not working too much while I’m there, but with all the health care reform changes that are now happening, that may be challenging.

If you’re already enrolled in Medicare and you have a Medicare supplement plan you’re happy with, why should you be concerned about health care reform? Behind the scene, changes could affect what you’ll pay for your Medigap insurance in the years to come.

Health insurance, in general, depends on a balance among the people who buy insurance. Some of the insured will need more health care and insurers will spend more on their medical care, but those expenses will be offset by premiums from other members who have fewer medical bills for insurers to pay. Medicare supplement insurance is no different.

What would happen if a Medigap plan were closed to new members? As the insured age, they’ll most likely need additional health care, which will drive up expenses for the insurance company. What do insurers do when they must spend more on the insured? They typically raise their rates. Medigap plans purchased prior to June 1, 2010 are now closed to new members so the rates for these plans are likely to increase faster than normal in coming years.

You can rely on the specialists at MediGap Advisors to keep you informed of changes like this that can increase your health care costs. At www.MediGapAdvisors.com, you’ll find advice from one the national leaders in helping people make knowledgeable decisions to improve their health care coverage. MediGap Advisors offers direct professional assistance from their personal advisors who have extensive knowledge about the best way to supplement your Medicare coverage. You may reach us at 866-323-1441 and there’s no charge for our assistance.

Who can you count on?

2010-09-17T15:50:00.000-07:00

Over the years I've talked to a lot of customers. I've asked them what they like and dislike about doing business with our competitors, and with us. We get a lot of great feedback, which we publish on our websites and other places.

But I want to let you know what else we hear, (but thankfully not very often about us!). People tell me how fed up they are with empty promises, lousy service, fine print, and crooks in both high and low places.

In this day and age of so many modern conveniences, the biggest frustration is often in finding someone you can count on. Someone who will do what they say they are going to do, and do it with a sense of urgency and accountability.

I get the frustration, which is why we work so hard on doing the opposite. We are a small team, and we pride ourselves on being someone you can count on.

Is Medicare and Medigap "clear as mud" to you?

2010-09-14T19:21:00.000-07:00

If you’re confused by Medicare Part A and Part B, Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare Supplement plans and Part D prescription plans, you’re not alone. The one thing most people say about Medicare is that it’s complicated! If you don’t take some time to see what Original Medicare actually pays for, you could be blindsided by doctor and hospital bills that you’re not prepared to pay.

Here’s some help so you don’t feel like you’re wandering through an endless maze of Medicare jargon. Medicare’s Part A is basically for hospital coverage and Part B is for doctors. Part A deals with home health care, hospice, hospital and skilled nursing facility care. Part B handles services and supplies from doctors and other non-hospital providers.

You can rely on Original Medicare – that’s Part A and B – or you can get your Part A and B coverage through a Medicare Advantage plan from a private insurer. Advantage plans typically add coverage for dental, hearing and vision not available with Original Medicare. If you choose Original Medicare, you can use any one of 10 Medicare Supplement plans, also called Medigap plans, to pay for Medicare’s deductibles for doctor and hospital care, as well as co-pays to see doctors and co-insurance (the part of your bill you pay even with Medicare coverage). Like Advantage plans, Medigap plans offer benefits not found in Original Medicare.

To get prescription drug coverage with an Advantage plan, you must have Medicare Part A and B. You can get drug coverage with a Medicare Prescription Drug plan if you have either Part A or B. It’s just a matter of choosing a plan that will cover your medications (not all plans pay for all medicines) for the lowest monthly premium.

At MediGap Advisors, we realize there’s a lot to learn about Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans and Medigap plans. We’ve spent years building our comprehensive resources so we can answer your questions in simple, easy-to-understand terms. You can learn more about Medicare and how you can improve your Medicare coverage by visiting us online at www.MediGapAdvisors.com, or just call us at 866 323-1441. We can provide quick answers to simple questions, or assign your own Personal Advisor to help you compare plans that can improve your coverage under Medicare. There’s never a fee for our services and we can arrange for an “off-hours” telephone appointment time so you can have a relative join us. With professional help from the experts at MediGap Advisors, you don’t have to “guess” about your Medicare coverage any more.

Do You Dread Having to Make Sense of Medicare?

2010-09-06T18:27:00.000-07:00

Just finished a wonderful Labor Day.. For the weekend we went down to Grand Junction for a wedding, and had a great time. My seven year-old son Wiley IV wowed everyone on the dance floor with his break-dancing moves (didn't learn that from me!), and Sunday night we helped friends harvest basil and make pesto.

Father and son

At the wedding, I got in a conversation with a guy who just turned 64, and is wondering about what to do when he goes on Medicare.

Most people are so put off by Medicare’s confusing explanations that they don’t understand what Medicare will really cover. Some people don’t even realize that Medicare won’t pay for their health care expenses until they reach age 65. That leaves many people unprepared for how much health care may cost them during retirement. Don’t fall into that trap.

Here’s some clarification that can help you get started decoding Medicare’s mysteries. If you get Social Security, you’ll be automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A and B when you turn 65. If you don’t get Social Security, you can apply for Medicare and Social Security at the same time three months before you turn 65. It’s important to enroll three months early to ensure your Part B start date is not delayed.

If you or your spouse paid FICA withholdings through employment, Part A will probably be free. If it’s not, you may be able to buy Part A if you are at least 65, enrolling in or entitled to Part B and you meet U.S. citizenship or residency requirements. You may also be able to buy Part A when you’re under 65, disabled and your free Part A coverage ended because you went back to work. Part A helps with hospitalization, but don’t expect it to pay for all of your hospital bills.

Part B helps to cover doctor services, home health services, lab tests, outpatient care, services at hospitals when you’re not admitted and services from other medical non-hospital providers. Everyone has to pay a monthly premium for Part B, so you’re not required to accept Part B coverage. If you don’t sign up for Part B when first eligible, you may have a penalty for late enrollment if you change your mind.

You don’t have to be afraid of Medicare. It can certainly be confusing, as it was for my new wedding acquaintance. But our team is really good at making things clear and simple; we've learned how to explain Medicare in “plain English” so you can be sure you’re protected from health care costs, and know the best way to do that. You can learn more at www.MedigapAdvisors.com.

Who Needs Medicare Supplement Insurance?

2010-08-26T21:25:00.000-07:00

Most people who go on Medicare get a Medicare Supplement Plan, which is very smart because of the potential high out of pocket if you have a large medical expense while covered with Medicare.

If you’re 65 and relying on Medicare to cover your healthcare bills, you could have to pay $1,100 per illness out of your own pocket. When you’re admitted to a hospital, Medicare requires you to meet that high deductible before it picks up any of your bills. That’s called the Medicare Part A deductible.

That’s not the only expense you could have to cover for hospitalization if you count on Medicare’s coverage, either. Medicare Part A covers hospitalization for 60 days, but it drops your coverage down to only a part of your daily hospitalization costs for days 61 through 150. Daily hospital charges frequently exceed $1,100 per day.

Instead of just hoping you never need hospital care, you can be sure you’re covered with Medicare Supplement Insurance. Medicare Supplement Plans offer ten strategies for filling the gaps in Medicare’s coverage. Nine of these plans (Medigap Plans B through N) will reimburse you for the Part A deductible. What about the portion you have to pay after the first 60 days of hospital care? All of the ten Medigap Plans (A through N) cover that expense.

And, that’s just the start of what a Medicare Supplement can save you. You can see what all the plans cover and decide which benefits will save you money at www.MediGapAdvisors.com. As the nation's leading independent agency specializing in Medigap Plans, these experts give you a search engine to run instant quotes, but the friendly advisors offer a more personal touch. Just call us at 866 323-1441 to arrange for a free consultation with your own Personal Advisor. He or she can compare plans to your needs and let you know which will save you the most money and explain how that works. You can apply online in minutes, or have your Personal Advisor walk you through applying to make the whole process easy and hassle free.

What are Part B Excess Charges (And How to Avoid Paying Them)

2010-08-26T21:22:00.001-07:00

If you’re like most people, you probably hadn’t even heard of Part B Excess Charges, much less understood how much they can cost you. Like most Americans (according to surveys), I didn’t know much about Medicare. It turns out that there really are a lot of holes in Medicare’s coverage. That’s why almost everyone who has Original Medicare signs up for a Medicare Supplement Plan.

Medicare Part B coverage is full of very costly gaps. The $155 dollar annual deductible doesn’t sound so bad, and, of course, you have to pay a monthly premium for Part B. The penalty for late enrollment does sound a bit unnecessary – after all, this is supposed to help seniors get the medical care they need, right? After the deductible has been met, Part B handles physician services and supplies, clinical laboratory services and outpatient hospital treatment. Here’s the catch – it only pays for 80% of those bills at the Medicare-approved amount. Fortunately, every Medigap Plan pays the remaining 20 percent that Medicare does not cover, but they pay 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount.

The Medicare-approved amount could actually be the biggest hole in Part B coverage. So, what happens when a provider charges more than the Medicare-approved amount? Here’s an example: Let’s start with a $1,000 doctor bill. The Medicare-approved amount for that procedure is $800 and Medicare pays 80% of $800 or $640. Then your Medigap Plan pays 20% of the $800 Medicare-approved amount or $160. Your doctor, however, billed $1,000, so you still owe $200 ever after both Medicare and Medigap have paid. That’s called Part B Excess Charges.

There are a couple of Medigap Plans that can protect you from Part B Excess Charges. Plan F pays 100% of Part B Excess Charges, and Plan G pays 80% in exchange for premiums that are slightly lower than those of Plan F. How to find out more? At www.MediGapAdvisors.com we have a lot of information and ideas to help seniors save money on Medicare gaps, prescription costs and lab tests.

Welcome

2010-08-17T14:57:00.000-07:00

Having been in the health insurance industry for over 25 years, I've developed a specialty in helping simplify confusing concepts, decipher industry jargon, and basically make the process of choosing and buying a plan EASY.

Yet leave it to the government to make my job even more challenging with the numerous options, confusing rules, and marketing restrictions that surround Medicare, Medicare Supplement plans, Medicare Advantage plans, and Part D Prescription coverage.

At this site, I'll be taking on that challenge, helping explain how this programs work, how to compare plans, and how to choose the one that's best for you. I'll also be sharing other money-saving tips, and will even occasionally chime in on the politics of it all.

I welcome your questions and comments, and look forward to interacting.

Wiley Long