MEDICARE SECTION

Review of Medicare Formulary (drug list):

A formulary is a list of medications that each Medicare insurance company covers on their health plan. The drug list covers generic drugs, brand name, and specialty drugs. Then most carriers have pharmacies that they work with and are called their Preferred Pharmacies. When using a Preferred Pharmacy the drug cost can be lower (and are most of the time) than using a non-preferred or standard pharmacy. Then each year prior to going into AEP (Annual Enrollment Period) the plans (carriers) announce the formulary changes for the next year. Then there are the drug Tiers. All Medicare drug plans have 5 tiers, unless an insulin tier is added then there would be 6 tiers. The copays can differ on each tier. “Formularies are developed based on drug cost, effectiveness and safety, and usually by doctors and pharmacists working with the drug plans.”

To find out what the 5 drug tiers mean and how to shop for a plan, see the full article on page 28:

The drug tool discussed in this article is just a tool. I find that the “tool” is not 100% exact but will help you get an overview of the prescription plans and a good idea of what the drug costs or copays will cost you. If you use this online tool to narrow down your drug cost options and need to discuss what the results mean – PLEASE CALL ME to review. 

You will need to create an account on www.Medicare.gov so I can go in and look at the results with you. ALSO, if I ENROLL YOU in the new plan (therefore, help you to make your changes for the following year) then I can stay YOUR “AGENT OF RECORD.” I will earn a commission from the insurance company for your changes, stay your Agent of Record, and therefore can help you with your Medicare questions, changes, and concerns moving forward. I earn a living and you have a concierge helper! Win/Win !!

HEALTH SECTION

If you are having health issues, it may be time to consider other indicators that might be causing some of your health issues, like endocrine disruptors. Thyroid is a huge part of how our bodies function and then throw in endocrine disruptors that alter how our hormones function… not a good combination. Here’s what to look out for…

What are endocrine disruptors?

“According to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) definition, an endocrine disruptor is “an exogenous substance or mixture that alters function(s) of the endocrine system and consequently causes adverse health effects.”

“Our body secretes hormones which work as chemical messengers. These hormones support organ development and control long term processes of growth, reproduction, and development. They are also key players in our physiology because they regulate our appetite, temperature, sleep, and even our mood. The problem with endocrine disruptors is that they interfere with our natural hormonal functions”

What can these disruptors alter:

• Impact male and female reproduction 
• Obesity and diabetes
• Developmental disorders
• Cancer
• The Environmental impact