MEDICARE SECTION

HELP PAYING YOUR PART B PREMIUMS – You May Be Eligible (based on income limits)

New York state recently expanded the MSP (Medicare Savings Program) limits to include higher income limits … (from website):  

The MSP (Medicare Savings Program) helps pay out of pocket Medicare costs such as your Part B premium. Reimbursement for Part B premiums will come through your Social Security check. You can pick up an application online or through your local HIICAP program.

What is HIICAP?

The Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP) is federally-funded by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and also receives funding from the New York State Office for the Aging.

How it Works

• The MSP helps pay out-of-pocket Medicare costs, such as your Part B premium.
• To be eligible, you must already be a Medicare beneficiary, meet the income requirements, and apply for this assistance.
• You can print an application online or click here for an application: https://www.health.ny.gov/forms/doh-4328.pdf
• You can also pick up a printed application through your local HIICAP program.

Documentation 

To apply, you’ll need photocopies of:

• Your Medicare Card
• Proof of income
• Documentation about health insurance premiums that you pay other than Medicare
• Proof of your date of birth
• Proof of residence

Income information can include your social security award letter, monthly pension statement, or any other earned income such as paystubs. Please refer to page two of the application form for more detailed information about documentation.

HEALTH SECTION

(From Article): “New research leads to hope for therapies that can rebuild bone at any age, while current recommendations to maintain bone health have changed slightly.”

“A fifth of American women aged 50 and older have osteoporosis, and more than half of them have bone loss visible with a scan. Although they may not realize it, a third of older men have detectable bone loss, too. Given that a third of older women worldwide and a fifth of men will develop a fracture related to bone loss, it’s a subject of much importance among older adults. “

“Many seniors aren’t aware of their bone loss, given that bone density checks are not always a part of routine care. All women should be assessed at menopause, according to physician Nancy Lane, who specializes in rheumatology research, while men should be evaluated at age 70. People with a family history of hip fracture or who have had a fracture as an adult ought to be checked earlier.”

New Hope for Rebuilding Bone  

The common mantra for older adults is that once you lose bone, you can’t restore it. But new research is revealing promising pathways to fill in porous bone. At FIU (Florida International University), scientists have discovered a treatment that can be taken as a pill – a breakthrough for cheaper, effective treatment. “Our experiments in the lab showed small molecule activators delivered orally improve bone density, an exciting discovery that could lead to a new treatment for osteoporosis,” says study author Alexander Agoulnik, FIU professor and interim chair of the Department of Human and Molecular Genetics.

At the UC Davis School of Medicine, rheumatologist Lane has been working with medications to grow bone. “Our group did a lot of work with the parathyroid hormone, which is a bone-growing peptide,” she says, “and the anti-sclerostin antibodies, which grow bone fast. Once you grow bone you can hang onto it. It's just a matter of getting the people diagnosed, treated, and not lost to follow-up. I think that's the biggest area that needs to be addressed.”