The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/374572
The Press-Dispatch Health and wellness wednesday, August 6, 2014 D-9 H e alth & W e lln e ss a SPeCiaL SeCtion for tHe PreSS-DiSPatCH 2 PaGeS Serving PiKe and SUrrOUnding COUnTieS weDneSDay, SePtember 3, 2014 Enhancing Lives Through Innovative Healthcare From recovery care and wellness to management of long-term health conditions, Golden LivingCenter - Petersburg offers a full spectrum of innovative programs and services, provided by compassionate, dedicated staff. These include 24-hour skilled nursing care, short-term rehabilitation, private rehab to "Home Suites" and provides both inpatient and outpatient therapy services. For a tour or more information, please contact us. ™ Golden LivingCenter - Petersburg 309 West Pike Avenue Petersburg, IN 47567 (812) 354-8833 www.GoldenLivingCenters.com/Petersburg This facility welcomes all persons in need of its services and does not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, gender, sexual orientation or source of payment. GLC-09973-12 N293 Ask SHIP: Can I change my prescription plan? Q: I know the Medicare open Enrollments is com- ing up soon, but I'm not sure when. Can I change my prescription drug plan during open Enrollment? A. Yes, you can change your Medicare Part D drug plan during the upcoming Open Enrollment! The Annual Enrollment Period (Open Enrollment) begins October 15. This is the one time of year when ALL people with Medicare can make changes to their Medicare Advantage health and prescription drug plans for the next year. It is important for Medi- care beneficiaries to pay close attention to the mail they receive this Fall. You may receive several impor- tant letters from your cur- rent insurance company, So- cial Security, and Medicare. If your health insurance or prescription plan has made changes to your co- pays or your premiums, you should receive a letter from the company in October stating the changes. Social Security will begin mailing redetermination let- ters about Extra Help in No- vember. These letters alert Extra Help recipients to any changes to their LIS bene- fits. If you don't already have a Medicare Part D plan, this is your chance to purchase one. If you already have a Part D plan, you may switch to a new one for 2015. Medicare offers an on- line plan comparison tool that can help you compare Part D Plans side-by-side at www.medicare.gov. If you purchase a new Medicare dvantage or Part D plan or switch plans dur- ing the Annual Enrollment Period, the changes will be- gin January 1, 2015. The Annual Enrollment Period ends December 7. In most cases, this is the last day you can change your coverage for next year. The plan must get your enroll- ment request (application) by December 7 before mid- night. The Annual Disenroll- ment Period is January 1-February 14 of each year. If you're in a Medicare Ad- vantage Plan, you can leave your plan and go back to Original Medicare during this time. A Medicare sup- plement policy might be available, but you would not be guaranteed a policy. If you switch to Original Medicare during this pe- riod, you'll have until Feb- ruary 14 to also join Medi- care Prescription Drug Plan to add drug coverage. Your coverage will begin the first day of the month after the plan gets your enrollment form. You cannot change coverage again until the next Open Enrollment un- less you qualify for a Spe- cial Election Period (SEP). If you or someone you know needs help during the Annual Enrollment Period or other Medicare related is- sues, call at 1-800 -452-4800, 866 -846 -0139 TDD. The Dispatch Press Pike County's news network CALL JoHN, CINDy oR PAM ToDAy at 812-354-8500 to see how your business can be seen in nearly 5,000 households. Plus, your ad is available online for no additional charge on NetEdition. be SEEN iN thE pd Kidney disease is on the rise (StatePoint) Kidney dis- ease is on the rise, accord- ing to government statis- tics. Even if you haven't been diagnosed, getting informed about it is impor- tant, as more than 26 mil- lion Americans likely have kidney disease and over 430,000 Americans are currently receiving dial- ysis treatment for kidney failure, according to the Na- tional Kidney Foundation. Now is a great time to get the facts. ask your doctor Those with Chronic Kid- ney Disease (CKD) don't exhibit symptoms until the disease is advanced, ac- cording to the National Kid- ney Foundation. As a result, you could have the disease long before you're aware. Left untreated, it can lead to other serious health com- plications. While standard annu- al physicals don't include tests that detect kidney disease, you can be proac- tive and ask your doctor to test you. Age, obesity, high blood pressure and ethnic- ity can all play a role in your risk of developing the dis- ease. Talk to your physician about what diagnostics are right for you. treatment oPtions When CKD progresses to the point of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), di- alysis therapy or a kidney transplant is necessary to sustain life. Whereas tradi- tionally patients with ESRD visit a dialysis center three times a week for treatments lasting about four hours, a new movement to improve renal care is giving patients access to home hemodial- Portable, home hemodialysis is giving patients like Henning Sonder- gaard independence. Continued on page D-10