Senior Living

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If you go 63 days or more in a row without Medicare drug coverage or other

Toni Says: Why am I receiving a Part D penalty?

Senior Living / Toni Says /

Hello Toni:

When I turned 65 in May 2024, I continued to work full-time with a health savings account (HSA) as my employer benefits and use GoodRX to cover prescriptions. My employer’s human resources manager advised me to enroll in Medicare Part A when I turned 65, which was not ...Read more

Social Security and You: Little Green Spacemen and Social Security

Well, if I listen to news reports or review the emails I get from many readers, I guess I'd have to conclude that Social Security is doomed. So that means it's time to once again trot out my "little green men and Social Security" story. This story has to do with an intriguing newspaper headline I read about 20 years ago that went like this: "...Read more

Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Steve Lopez: With recent advances, it's 'a very exciting time' for dementia researchers

Like a lot of people my age, there are times when I can't find my keys, or my sunglasses, or my phone.

Now and again, I'll get an idea to look something up, reach for my computer, and forget what it was.

Normal aging?

Signs of cognitive impairment?

I'm not sure, but if you have similar questions about yourself or a loved one, and you'd like ...Read more

Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Steve Lopez: With recent advances, it's 'a very exciting time' for dementia researchers

Like a lot of people my age, there are times when I can't find my keys, or my sunglasses, or my phone.

Now and again, I'll get an idea to look something up, reach for my computer, and forget what it was.

Normal aging?

Signs of cognitive impairment?

I'm not sure, but if you have similar questions about yourself or a loved one, and you'd like ...Read more

Mario Tama/Getty Images North America/TNS

Vaccine chaos: Even some vulnerable seniors can't get COVID-19 shots amid spiking cases

Seniors in some parts of the country say they are being denied COVID-19 vaccinations amid an ongoing spike in cases, leading to rising frustration over new Trump administration policies that are making it harder to get the shots.

Matthew D’Amico, 67, of New York City, said a Walgreens declined to administer COVID-19 vaccines to him and his 75...Read more

If you want Medicare Prescription Drug coverage to go along with Original Medicare, then you must enroll in a stand-alone Medicare Part D plan, and there may be a monthly premium. (Dreamstime/TNS)

Toni Says: Your 2026 Medicare & You Handbook is mailed in September

Senior Living / Toni Says /

Toni,

I’m enrolled in Medicare but have not received my Medicare & You Handbook. I need to make some changes, and I’m concerned about what I should do during the fall Medicare season. I need to know which options are right for me. I have some health problems, and I’m concerned that I might make the wrong change to my Medicare and Part D ...Read more

Social Security and You: SSI Is Not Social Security

I can tell it's time for me to once again explain to people that SSI and Social Security are two entirely different programs.

Every single day, I get emails from readers who say something like this: "I am getting SSI, and I want to know if my wife might be due some of my SSI." Or they will say, "I'm getting close to retirement. How do I file ...Read more

DREAMSTIME/TNS

How older people are reaping brain benefits from new tech

It started with a high school typing course.

Wanda Woods enrolled because her father advised that typing proficiency would lead to jobs. Sure enough, the federal Environmental Protection Agency hired her as an after-school worker while she was still a junior.

Her supervisor “sat me down and put me on a machine called a word processor,” ...Read more

DREAMSTIME/TNS

How older people are reaping brain benefits from new tech

It started with a high school typing course.

Wanda Woods enrolled because her father advised that typing proficiency would lead to jobs. Sure enough, the federal Environmental Protection Agency hired her as an after-school worker while she was still a junior.

Her supervisor “sat me down and put me on a machine called a word processor,” ...Read more

With retirement comes Medicare — and Medicare questions. (Valentin M Armianu/Dreamstime/TNS)

Toni Says: Your “What if” Medicare questions answered

Senior Living / Toni Says /

This week’s Medicare column consists of “What if” Medicare questions from Toni Says readers around the United States.

1. What if I did not enroll in Medicare Parts A and B when I should have, because I do not want to pay that extra Part B premium each month? I do not go to the doctor or take any prescriptions. Can I enroll later?

Toni ...Read more

Kathy Witt/Kathy Witt/TNS

Travel Trending with Kathy Witt: More fun, fewer crowds with Windstar Cruises’ Winter Riviera sailings

Imagine having an entire gallery of Picasso paintings to enjoy, practically all to yourself. Wandering from one gallery to another, losing yourself along the timeline of an artist’s emerging genius through 5,000 of his works. This is a reward of traveling during the offseason in January to Barcelona, Spain, and the Winter Riviera.

The Winter ...Read more

Social Security and You: What Was I Doing in Poland for the Social Security Administration?

I was chatting with a new neighbor who recently moved into a house down the street from us. It turns out he was born in Warsaw, Poland, but moved to the United States with his family way back in the 1960s. He was surprised to learn that I had a small connection to his home country. It involved a trip I took to Poland for the Social Security ...Read more

Medical facilities, doctors, and providers who accept Medicare are available nationwide. There is no network for Original Medicare. (Dreamstime/TNS)

Toni Says: Is Original Medicare part of a health network?

Senior Living / Toni Says /

Hi Toni,

I need your guidance. In September I turn 65, and I am unemployed. I’m on COBRA since retiring in May after I had a heart attack, and I don’t know what to do about enrolling in Medicare. The cardiologist informed me last week that the only thing that will improve my health is having heart surgery.

What health network does Medicare...Read more

Social Security and You: Happy (Belated) Birthday to Social Security

Doesn't it just bug you when you miss the birthday of a close friend? That happened to me when I recently missed the 90th birthday of someone who (well, actually something that) has been a big part of my life for the last half century. I'm talking about the Social Security program that turned 90 a week or so ago. Former President Franklin Delano...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

5 ways financial advisers make estate planning easier

Estate planning often sits at the bottom of people’s to-do lists, but it plays a crucial role in securing your family’s financial future. It ensures your loved ones are provided for after you pass away, and outlines how your belongings are distributed.

“Estate planning is for everyone, not just wealthy people,” says Stephen Kates, a ...Read more

DREAMSTIME/TNS

These decisions can make or break your retirement

For those nearing retirement, there is no shortage of advice about whether to save more, spend less or somewhere in between.

And while those general principles certainly help increase the probability that you will enjoy a more comfortable retirement, there are three specific choices that a person will make as they approach their golden years ...Read more

America needs to be aware that Medicare only pays for medically necessary skilled nursing facility care or for home health care if you meet certain conditions. (Dreamstime/TNS)

Toni Says: Know your options for a long-term care plan when there are health issues

Senior Living / Toni Says /

Morning, Toni:

I am retiring in January, when I turn 70 and my wife, Sharon, will be 66. I have heart issues, with atrial fibrillation (AFib), and Sharon is a diabetic. Last month, we each applied for a long-term care policy and were both denied due to our health. The agent who helped us search for long-term care insurance plans said that ...Read more

Social Security and You: Not So Common Questions

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a column about some of the most common questions I receive. This week, I thought it would be interesting to write a column answering some of the more unusual questions I get. Or to clarify, they may be unusual to you. But not to me. In the 50-plus years I've been dealing with Social Security issues, I don't think ...Read more

Anthony Soufflé/Star Tribune/TNS

Seniors are more likely to die in falls in this state than in almost any other

MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota is on a top 10 list no one wants to be a part of, with the second-highest rate of deadly falls for people age 65 and older, after Wisconsin.

The deadly falls are twice the national average and rising.

Nearly 142 Minnesota seniors per 100,000 died from injuries sustained in a fall in 2021, according to recently released...Read more

Medicare will only pay for skilled nursing or rehab facility care, writes Toni King. If you do not meet Medicare’s qualifications for skilled nursing, you will pay 100% of the cost for it out of your pocket. (Juan Moyano/Dreamstime/Tribune Content Agency)

Toni Says: Is 24/7 home care after a liver transplant covered by Medicare?

Senior Living / Toni Says /

Dear Readers: Recently, I received a text message from a Toni Says Medicare client that I would like to share with you. The text reads Toni: I need to put together a 24/7 home care recovery plan after a liver transplant. The surgery is over a year out, but I would appreciate your advice on how to plan for this medical event. Thanks in ...Read more

 

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