Dialysis Patients Looking to Quit Smoking May Be Eligible for Free Counseling Sessions

2020-04-27T21:22:59-04:00November 30th, 2018|Categories: Costs for Treatment, Early Intervention, eNews, What Causes Kidney Disease|Tags: |

Smoking cigarettes can damage your kidneys. Quitting smoking may help your blood pressure, which can lower your risk for having heart attack or stroke. Individuals with high blood pressure have a higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease (1 in 5 adults with high blood pressure may have chronic kidney disease). Medicare Part B covers up to eight counseling sessions centered around quitting smoking during a 12-month period. Make sure your healthcare professional is recognized by Medicare and accepts Medicare’s payment. Visit Medicare’s website for more information.

Patient Engagement: Can innovative techniques empower patients to better manage their kidney disease?

2020-04-27T21:33:52-04:00October 23rd, 2014|Categories: eNews, Lifestyle, Physical Health|Tags: |

A new buzzword popular among health care leaders is “patient engagement,” sometimes referred to as “beneficiary engagement” when referring to Medicare beneficiaries.  What does this concept mean for kidney patients?  In general, patient engagement refers to transforming patients from passive recipients of health care to active partners, with their providers, in self-management of their disease.  We often hear from veteran dialysis patients that success in avoiding complications depends on the patient taking on an active role in his or her health care and working with clinicians on a “two-way street.” While this kind of active engagement is certainly typical among the [...]

Medicare by the Letter

2022-07-12T13:07:37-04:00December 17th, 2012|Categories: Costs for Treatment, eNews|Tags: |

Part A Medicare part A is designed to help cover expenses for institutional care. These mean hospitals, skilled nursing facilities after a hospital stay, hospice and home health care. For people who paid Medicare taxes (or their spouse did) while working this coverage does not cost any money. A person might also be able to buy this coverage if they are disabled and meet residency requirements. People who are receiving disability from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board will automatically receive information near the time they will become eligible for Medicare. Those who are not receiving retirement benefits should [...]

The Medicare “Donut Hole”

2020-04-27T21:35:13-04:00December 17th, 2012|Categories: Costs for Treatment, eNews, Medication|Tags: |

The Coverage Gap The way Medicare Part D was designed there was a planned coverage gap, which has become known as "the donut hole". This gap has caused a great deal of confusion and higher than expected out of pocket costs for medications. When do you reach the gap? The gap begins when a person reaches a predetermined amount during the year based on average retail cost of drugs. In 2011, that amount is set at $2840. Since Medicare drug plans negotiate for a lower price the average retail cost is not what you actually paid out of pocket. Every drug [...]

Medicare and the Part D Donut Hole

2020-04-27T21:35:13-04:00December 17th, 2012|Categories: Costs for Treatment, eNews, Medication|Tags: |

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure? This saying, made famous by Benjamin Franklin, is as true today as it was in the 1700's. Preventative care and early treatment can impact the outcome of most diseases. Mammograms and prostate screening are effective tools against cancer Sunscreens and limiting outdoor exposure to direct sunlight are effective methods to lower the risk for skin cancers The proper use of medication can also prevent conditions from forming or stop existing conditions from worsening. A potential growing gap is forming between what the doctor orders and what the patient may or may [...]

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