The Health Savings Account Advantage

(click the picture to start the video!)

Childhood Immunization & Well Child Visits

One of the most important things you can do as a parent is care for your children’s health. Staying up to date with appropriate immunizations is one important step towards maintaining your child’s wellness. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following immunization schedule:

• Children 0-6 yrs. old
• Children 7-18 yrs. old

Preventive screenings (also called Well Child Visits) and immunizations may be covered up to 100% with no deductible or copayment. It’s important that both you and your child’s doctor work together to help your child live a healthier life. We’re here to help support that relationship.

It’s Glaucoma Awareness Month. Are you at risk?

About 4 million Americans currently have glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness. Yet, only about half of them realize this. Glaucoma often has no symptoms and you may suddenly develop severe vision loss without knowing why. Although there is no cure for glaucoma, early detection and treatment are critical in the process of preventing blindness.

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a gradual eye disease caused by a rise in fluid pressure inside the eye that damages the optic nerve. Once damaged, the nerve cannot relay images from the eye to the brain, resulting in vision loss and even total blindness.

Although glaucoma symptoms are uncommon, some cases show warning signs such as:

• Loss of peripheral vision
• Headaches
• Eye pain
• Blurred vision
• Frequent red eye

Are you at risk?

Glaucoma can affect anyone, from newborns to seniors. However, it’s more prevalent after age 45. Other risk factors that increase your chances of developing glaucoma include:

• Genetics (it’s hereditary)
• Ethnicity (more common in African Americans, Hispanics and Asians)
• Health risks (glaucoma is linked to certain health conditions)

If at risk…

• Get an eye exam on a regular basis
• Take all medications exactly as prescribed
• Eat a healthy diet
• Exercise on a regular basis (with your doctor’s approval, of course)

Changes in Medicare for 2012

Medicare will cover more preventive services this year and seniors who are on the drug plan can look forward to a price break in the program’s infamous “doughnut hole,” a gap in prescription drug coverage.

Among the major changes for 2012:

For those with “Original” Medicare, i.e. those without a Medicare Advantage Plan, more preventive services now are covered at no cost, said Bob Moos, a public affairs officer for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The changes include screenings for cardiovascular disease and obesity, Moos said, specifically coverage for a doctor’s visit each year to help stave off heart problems and a free screening for obesity.  For those with a body mass index of 30 or higher, the free screening includes regular counseling sessions at a doctor’s office. Patients who lose at least 6 pounds during the first six months qualify for six more months of counseling.   The cardiovascular screening includes a check for hypertension and discussions of diet and how it can lower the risk of heart disease or stroke.  ”In the past, there were a lot of preventive services where Medicare paid 80 percent of the cost, and then the person on Medicare would pick up the remaining 20 percent,” Moos said. “But as a result of the Affordable Care Act, many of these preventive services became free to the senior.”

Other free services include cancer screenings, colonoscopies, mammograms and other, similar screenings that can help find illness “at an early stage when it’s most treatable,” Moos said.  Generic drugs get a bigger price break in the program’s “doughnut hole,” a coverage gap that starts after the Medicare recipient and the drug plan have spent a certain amount for covered drugs.   In 2012, the initial coverage limit is $2,930. The “hole” closes after recipients spend a total of $4,700.   “In the past, typically when someone falls into the doughnut hole, they have been responsible for the full price of their drugs,” Moos said. “But again, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, that is changing.”  Starting last year, Medicare D patients got a 50 percent discount on covered name brand drugs, Moos said.  While that stays the same this year, the discount on generic drugs bumped up to 14 percent in 2012, up from 7 percent last year.  Monthly premiums for the part of Medicare that covers doctor visits and outpatient hospital services will increase for most people by $3.50, Moos said, making them $99.90 in 2012.   “That’s an out-of-pocket people pay attention to on a year-to-year basis,” Moos said, noting that such premiums are typically deducted from Social Security checks.

Other changes for 2012 include:

The ability to assess hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies and other health care providers via Medicare’s new “Quality Care Finder” (www.Medicare.gov/QualityCareFinder).  The improved online tool describes the quality of care at specific facilities, such as how well a hospital protects outpatients from surgical infections and what steps a home health agency takes to manage pain, treat wounds and keep patients safe, according to information from Moos.  Certain doctors and hospitals now are working more closely with Medicare to help people with chronic conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, get the care they need to stay out of the hospital.  Part of that new program’s goal is to stave off unneeded tests and procedures.

(Brian Bethel is a reporter for The Abilene Reporter-News in Texas

Copyright 2012 Scripps Howard, Inc.
All Rights Reserved

8 Ways to Maximize and Spend Down Your FSA Before 2012

Below are 8 ways to maximize and spend down your flexible spending account:

1. Review an expansive list of eligible expenses –  A number of items you need to buy or that you already bought may be eligible for reimbursement.

2. Request prescriptions for purchased OTC medications – If you were directed by your doctor to use over-the-counter medications this year to treat an illness or for wellness purposes, you can be reimbursed through your FSA for these expenses if you request a prescription.

3. Submit any outstanding receipts – If you haven’t yet submitted receipts for health care expenses make sure you find them and get reimbursed.

4. Purchase medical supplies – If you need medical supplies (ex. contact lenses, band aids etc.) on a regular basis, it can be helpful to have a backup supply on hand. However, be careful to consider the expiration dates on some of these products when you purchase them.

5. Schedule routine medical appointments – Make sure everyone in your family has gotten routine check-ups with their physician, dentist and optometrist.  If you see a specialty doctor, such as a chiropractor or acupuncturist, make sure you get needed care before the end of the year or grace period as well.

6. Get a flu shot and vaccinations – Be sure everyone in your household has gotten a flu shot and is up-to-date with vaccinations.

7. Invest in wellness – You’ll save yourself a lot of future medical expenses.  Smoking cessation is eligible, as is weight-loss counseling, as long as receipts are accompanied by a letter of medical necessity.

8. Log your miles – Gas and transportation fees to and from eligible medical, dental and vision appointments are eligible for reimbursement, as are visits to the drug store or pharmacy to pick up your medications.  The mileage rate for 2011 is 23.5 cents per mile.

(article provided by WageWorks, an  independent provider of consumer-directed spending solutions and services)