Morning, Toni:

Recently, you wrote a Medicare column about various life policies available after 65 and I have a retirement insurance question.

In January, I’m retiring when I turn 70 and my wife, Anna, will be 68. Our retirement insurance issue is that recently we applied for a long-term care plan and were both denied due to our health issues. I had my prostate removed due to cancer about 5 years with no current issues and Bonnie has AFIB which is under control. The agent writing the long-term care plan said that those past 60 years old find it difficult being accepted by an LTC plan due to health issues like we have.

My brothers and I are paying an Alzheimer’s assisted living facility over $12,000 a month for our father’s care. Are there long-term care options available for Anna and me with our health issues because paying $12,000 a month will drain our retirement.

Thanks, Paul from Tulsa, Okla.

Hi Paul:

I’m glad that my article about life insurance plans past 65 caught your attention and you took the time to email me about your long-term care situation. New short-term care plans that have extended care benefits have been developed assisting Baby Boomers when there is a need for extra help with unexpected health or accident issues.

The 2026 Medicare & You handbook, under “Paying for long-term care,” discusses how important it is to plan properly to maintain your independence and receive the proper care in the facility you desire. Medicare only pays for medically necessary skilled nursing facility care or for home health care if you meet certain conditions. Skilled nursing has 100 days of benefit with days 1-20 having a $0 copay per day and days 21-100 with a specified copay per day. If you cannot qualify or do not meet Medicare’s qualification for skilled nursing, you will pay 100% of the cost out of your pocket. Medicare doesn’t cover non-medical long-term care. This is why purchasing a policy to help with a long-term need becomes essential.

Let’s discuss options that can help to protect your finances from excessive long-term care costs. Especially for those who have health issues that can keep one from being accepted by a long-term care plan.

• Short-term care insurance plans have a simple health questionnaire with yes/no questions, making it easy to qualify. These policies will assist paying for nursing home, assisted living and personal care home as facility care with benefits for care in your house. Providing various options ranging from $50-$400 per day with benefit periods ranging from 1 or 2 years depending on plans. Allowing one to not drain their retirement dollars due to a serious illness recovery.
• Life and Annuity Policies are insurance policies that have a provision if you need long-term care; you can receive a certain amount of long-term care with your life/annuity policy’s face (Health questions may keep one from qualifying.)
• Aid and Attendance benefits is a VA benefit that can help Veterans with long-term care issues. There is over $20 Billion dollars available for long term care pension money just waiting for America’s Veterans to apply for their Aid and Attendance benefits. The must be a long-term care issue to qualify.

Important note: If you are under 60 and in good health, please take your time to apply for a traditional long-term care policy. It is easier to qualify and receive a lower premium whether annual or monthly. Most Americans retiring are concerned about a chronic illness being their biggest retirement expense if not planned for properly.

If you have long-term care or Medicare questions, please feel free to reach out to the Toni Says Medicare team at 832/519-8664 or send an email to info@tonisays.com. Sign up for the Toni Says newsletter at www.tonisays.com to download Toni’s new Medicare 2026 First Steps guide

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Morning, Toni:

I am retiring in January when I turn 70, and my wife, Sharon, will be 66. I have heart issues with AFib and Sharon is a diabetic. Last month, we applied for a long-term care policy and were both denied due to our health. The agent who helped us search for the insurance plan said that people over 60 find it difficult to be accepted by a long-term care insurance plan.

Our concern is that my two younger brothers and I are paying about $9,000 a month to an Alzheimer’s facility for our father’s care. Can you please explain other long-term care options that we can explore because my father’s rate of $9,000 per month will drain our retirement? We do not have a plan in place should we need extra financial help since we were not approved for a long-term care policy? Thanks, Toni

Jeff from Dallas, TX

Hi Jeff:           

I’m glad you took the time to email me about your situation, because I have good news for you and Sharon. In the past few years, new plans with extended health care benefits have been developed, assisting America with unexpected health or accident issues.

In the 2025 Medicare & You handbook, on page 56 under “Paying for long-term care,” discusses how important it is to plan now and in good health to maintain your independence. You will want to receive proper care in the setting you desire whether at home or in a medical facility such as assisted living, nursing home or a private personal care home.

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. Medicare doesn’t cover non-medical long-term care. This is why purchasing a policy to help with a long-term need becomes essential.

Let’s discuss options that can help to assist with ways to protect your finances from excessive long-term care costs, especially for those with health issues that can keep one from being accepted for a long-term care plan.

• Short-term care insurance plans: These policies have a simple health questionnaire with yes/no questions, making it easy to qualify. They will assist paying for nursing home, assisted living and personal care home as “facility care” with additional benefits for care at home. Providing various facility care options ranging from $50-$400 per day with benefit periods ranging from 1 or 2 years, depending on the plan. A Short-term care plan can help America from draining their savings or 401k for an illness or accident whether recovering in a facility or at home.
• Life or Annuity Policies with long-term care benefits: Many life or annuity insurance policies have a provision for long-term care; one can receive a certain amount of long-term care with your life or annuity policy’s face Health questions may keep one from qualifying.
• Traditional long-term care: If you are under 60 and in good health when you purchase a long-term care policy, it may be easier to qualify with lower premiums. A long-term care plan can help to protect your savings or 401k. One has to answer health questions to be approved.

Remember, even Christopher Reeves (Superman) didn’t think he would fall off a horse, which changed his life forever. Always be prepared by planning properly for a long-term care issue. No one knows what the future holds for your medical care.

Toni King is an author and columnist on Medicare, Social Security and Long-Term Care issues. She has spent nearly 30 years as a top sales leader in the field. If you have a Medicare question, email info@tonisays.com or call 832-519-8664. Sign up for the Toni Says newsletter at www.tonisays.com to keep up to date on Medicare changes.

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Dear Toni,

I need your help regarding my parents who are in their late 80s. My mother has been disabled with Parkinson’s for the past 3 years and my father has been her caretaker, but due to his recent heart attack, he can no longer assist her.

They do not have a long-term care plan, and discussing having live-in help or living in an Assisted Living facility is out of the question. My parents’ big worry is that they will outlive their retirement money and be unable to provide financially for themselves. My concern is that my parents cannot properly take care of themselves and that something serious could happen to them living on their own.

What is the difference between home health care vs at-home care? Will Medicare pay for at-home care? Theresa from San Diego, CA.

Hi Theresa:

Do not feel like you are alone with this problem of aging parents because many baby boomers are experiencing just what you’re facing. Elderly parents do not want to lose their independence by not controlling their finances. This kind of situation is especially difficult when they can no longer care for themselves properly as you, Theresa, are experiencing with your parents.

I had the same stressful issue with my own mother and discussed different options with a home health agency representative, who explained how to maximize my mother’s Medicare dollars with home health care benefits, not at-home care.

Home health care:

To receive home health care services from Original Medicare (not a Medicare Advantage Plan):

• There must be a medical need to receive Medicare-certified home health care
• Primary care or specialists must order the home health care
• The Medicare beneficiary must need intermittent skilled nursing care, physical, speech, or occupational
• The home health agency must be Medicare-certified. (If not, Medicare certified, then you pay 100% of the home health charges.
• The Medicare beneficiary must be (“Homebound” means not leaving home without help from someone or aid from wheelchair, walker, cane, etc. due to illness or injury.)

Once these conditions are met, Original Medicare will cover the types of care listed below:

• Skilled nursing care performed by a licensed caregiver.
• Home health aide care to assist in bathing, dressing and other personal care that must be part of the health care for illness or injury.
• Physical, speech or occupational

With “Original” Medicare, there is not a co-pay or deductible for home health care and Medicare will pay 100% for any medical services provided by a home health care agency that accepts Medicare assignment.

Those with “Original” Medicare, not Medicare Advantage plans, have “Patient’s Rights” with the right to choose which home health care agency to use. Those enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan must use network providers and can limit how much home health care one receives. Be sure which Medicare benefits your elderly family members are receiving their Medicare benefits!

Under Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan, the time spent at home with the patient for home health care is limited to part-time or intermittent.”  Neither will pay for help with daily at-home care of the patient once the medical need is taken care of that day. Page 43 of the 2025 Medicare & You Handbook states: “Part-time or intermittent” means you may be able to get skilled nursing care and home health aide services if they’re provided less than 8 hours each day or less than 28 hours each week (or up to 35 hours a week in some limited situations).

—At-home care:

At-home care is not a Medicare option and is paid for with your personal dollars, not Medicare dollars. “At-home care” is a non-medical, in-home care for the patient in support of aging while at home. Theresa, it would help you and your parents to build a long-term care needs plan with care at home from a few hours a day to 24-hour care.

Email your long-term care or Medicare questions to info@tonisays.com or call 832/519-8664. Happy New Year from the Toni Says Team.

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Dear Readers:  This week I had my own experience with Medicare as my 92-year-old mother has reached her final stage of hospice. I feel it is important for me to explain hospice, so those with a terminally ill loved one learn the value of it. This information was given to me by the hospice provider taking care of my mother.

Dear Toni,

I advise spouses and adult children who are seeking advice for their loved one that is having end-of-life issues. Hospice can help those who are taking care of a family member who has a serious health care issue during end-of-life care.

Can you explain hospice to your readers? I am sure it will help those who are experiencing what you are, Toni. Hospice gives the primary caregiver well-needed rest during a stressful time.

Thanks in Advance…Sharon from Houston, Texas

Dear Sharon:

Thank you for helping with my mother’s transition from living at home to moving to a personal care home since her dementia has progressed. Hospice is a subject that the average caregiver does not understand. Many wait too long to discuss hospice with their loved one’s doctor.

Most Americans believe hospice is only for the last days to help a person die peacefully. I was blessed because the home health company helping with my mother’s care explained she would qualify for hospice and advised me to talk with her primary care physician that she was terminally ill and needed hospice care. Because this process began more than two years ago, it made this transition a less stressful experience.

Here is some helpful information about hospice:

–Health care professionals in the hospice system include physicians, nurses, social workers, spiritual counselors, certified nursing assistants and volunteers. A hospice provider goes where the patient lives to provide the care.

–The 2024 Medicare & You handbook explains on page 26 what hospice is and that Medicare covers hospice under Medicare Part A. The doctor who orders hospice must certify that a patient is terminally ill and has 6 months or less to live. When a patient agrees to hospice care, they agree to comfort care (palliative care) instead of treatment to cure the illness and must sign a statement choosing hospice care instead of other Medicare-covered treatments for the terminal illness.

–Hospice can be recertified every 6 months by a hospice medical director or hospice doctor if the patient is still terminally ill, (as in my mother’s case). Original Medicare will be billed for the hospice care.

–Hospice will cover all medical care for terminal illness and Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan will pay for health problems that are unrelated. (Co-pays will apply.) Medicare-certified hospice care is usually given in the home or other facility, like a nursing or personal care home. Additional details on hospice are explained in chapter 2 of Toni’s Medicare Survival Guide Advanced edition.

Medicare costs under Hospice are:

• You pay nothing for hospice care (Medicare pays)
• You pay a copayment of up to $5 per prescription for outpatient prescription drugs for pain and symptom management.
• You pay nothing for Medicare-approved inpatient respite care, which is a 5-day stay in a Medicare-approved facility so that an at-home caregiver may have a period of rest.

Know that hospice provides comfort, dignity, love, and support. Talk with your loved one’s doctor if you have concerns or need advice with this Medicare journey for your loved one’s terminal health care issue.

Remember, with Medicare it’s what you don’t know that WILL hurt you! If you have a Medicare question, email info@tonisays.com or call 832-519-8664. Toni’s new Confused about Medicare” video series and Toni’s Medicare books are available at www.tonisays.com.

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Hi Toni:

Recently, I had a bad car wreck and ended up with only a minor concussion from hitting the windshield. My wife was not hurt. I am 55 years old and have not thought about long-term care planning due to a life changing event. I work for a large company and the company’s financial advisor has never discussed this with me. What do I need to do? Steve from Las Vegas, NV

Steve:

Great question because Americans do not realize how in as instant your life can be turned upside down in an instant!

My life-changing event was a few years ago when I had an accident while grilling steaks. My life flashed in front of me as an 8-foot flame busted out of the gas propane tank burning my hair, face, and left arm. All I could say was HELP!! I was ambulanced to a Burn Unit at the Houston Medical Center, but I was totally blessed because I only had a first-degree burn. I was released from the ER just needing Neosporin cream.

Steve let’s discuss what financial and legal documents you will want to have in place to protect you, your family and elderly parents.

Financial Plans to protect your family:

1) Life Insurance: Term, Universal or Whole life insurance if you are losing your life        insurance benefit from your employer when you retire. I always advise our Toni Says Medicare clients to have personal life coverage aside from work coverage as extra protection for you and your family.

2) Long-Term Care plan:

• Traditional Long-Term Care Policy: The younger you are when you and your spouse purchase a long-term care policy, the lower the premiums will be. My advice is to search for a long-term care plan while younger and in relatively good health. Make sure that the policy covers care at home and in-facility care.
• Hybrid Life and Annuity Policy: Many life/annuity insurance policies have a provision if you need long term care; you can receive a certain amount of long-term care with your life/annuity policy’s face amount.

3) Short-Term Care Plan: Assists with paying for care at home or in a facility for a maximum of 2 years. Does not cover the same benefits as a long-term care plan. Underwriting may not be a little easier past 65 than a long-term care plan.

Legal documents to protect your family:

(Adult children of elderly parents need to be sure that their parents also have these three legal documents in place.

1) Power of Attorney for you and your spouse is the cornerstone of a financial management plan. It is a written document whereby someone is appointed to manage that person’s financial affairs in the event of illness or incapacity. Signing a power of attorney is critical to ensure a person’s future independence in the event of illness or incapacity. Without it, one risks having his or her affairs managed by a court-appointed guardian, possibly a stranger, under court supervision and often without the ability to have any input.

2) Medical Power of Attorney (known as a Health Care Power of Attorney) gives someone you trust the legal authority to act on your behalf regarding health care decisions if you ever become incapacitated or unable to communicate.

3) Living Will is a written statement that details the type of care you want (or don’t want) if you become incapacitated. A living will bear no relation to the conventional will or living trust used to leave property at death.

Remember, even “Superman” Christopher Reeves didn’t think he would fall off a horse, and it changed his life forever. Always be prepared!

Call the Toni Says® Medicare hotline at 832/519-8664 or email info@tonisays.com with Medicare help. Toni’s Medicare Survival Guide Advanced edition is available at www.tonisays.com. Toni’s Medicare Moments articles have just been released at www.familytalktoday.com/medicare-moments.

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Dear Toni,

Recently in your Medicare column, you discussed services that are not covered by Original Medicare such as dental, vision, long-term care, and other items. I thought Medicare covered long-term care but was wrong, because my mother suffered a severe stroke, and her rehab facility notified me that Medicare is not paying for my mother’s care. Beginning next week, for her to receive care from this facility, it will have to be private pay, or she will have to go home.

I need help understanding this confusing Medicare system. What is the difference between rehab/skilled nursing care and long-term care? I thought they were both the same!! Thanks for your help. Sue from Little Rock, Ark.

Hi Sue:

Trying to understand the rules of Medicare when a loved one has a severe illness and requires both medical and custodial care is very frustrating. People are living longer today and want to control the quality of care, especially when they need assistance as their health begins to change. So I will try to explain what long-term care is in simple terms.

Page 56 of the 2024 Medicare & You handbook, under “Paying for long- term care” discusses how important it is to plan now to maintain your independence and receive the proper care in the setting you desire. Medicare only pays for medically necessary skilled nursing facility care or for home health care if you meet certain conditions. Skilled nursing has 100 days of benefit with days 1-20 having a $0 copay per day and days 21-100 with a specified copay per day. If you cannot qualify or do not meet Medicare’s qualification for skilled nursing, you will pay 100% of the cost out of your pocket. This is when having purchased a long-term care policy becomes essential.

Long-term care includes medical and non-medical care for those who have a chronic illness or disability. They may need help with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, eating, transferring, continence, ability to use the bathroom or have cognitive impairment. At least 70% of people over 65 will need long-term care services at some point. Long-term care can be provided at home, in an assisted living facility, personal care home, or nursing home. Long-term care can be very costly. The average cost ranges from $54,000 a year for a 1 bedroom assisted living facility to $94,900 for an average nursing home. Original Medicare does not pay for these services.

Below are some options to pay for long-term care:

• Purchase a long-term care insurance policy. The younger you are when you purchase a long-term care policy, the lower the premiums will be. Many wait too long and qualifying is not easy because of health issues that keep one from meeting the underwriting requirements. Begin searching for a plan while you are younger and in good health.
• Purchase a life insurance policy with a long-term care provision. Many life policies have such a provision so that you can receive a certain amount of your life policy’s face amount.
• Research what your qualifications are for your specific state’s Medicaid. Verify what must be “spent down” to qualify.
• Aid and Attendance benefits with the VA can help Veterans and spouses with long-term care issues.
• Dedicate personal resources such as savings, IRA, 401K to help pay for long-term care needs.

Americans are concerned about a chronic illness being their biggest retirement expense if not planned for properly. Remember, with Medicare it’s what you don’t know that WILL hurt you!

Email your LTC or Medicare questions to info@tonisays.com or call Toni Says at 832/519-8664 for additional help.

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Toni,
I have a client, Joshua, who just received a bill for his mother’s long-term care paid by Medicaid in the state of Texas, with care provided at her house instead of a nursing home during the last few years of his 80-year-old mother’s life. No one informed him that the state was running a tab of all healthcare expenses that Medicaid paid and wanted to be reimbursed after his mother died.

Medicaid says the $65,000 medical bill that Medicaid must be paid in full. Joshua recently received a document from MERP (Medicaid Estate Recovery Program) saying that Medicaid wants the money used for his mother’s care back and is filing a lien against the house that his mother owned, which Josh now lives in.

Americans needs to be aware of their state-specific Medicaid rules when receiving “extra” health care, especially if you or your family member owns a home. Thanks, Chuck – an elder care attorney and Toni Says reader.

Hello Chuck:

Everyone should know about the MERP (Medicaid Estate Recovery Program) for their specific state by visiting www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/eligibility/estate-recovery/index.html. The website says, “State Medicaid programs are required to recover certain Medicaid benefits on behalf of a Medicaid enrollee. For individuals age 55 or older, states are required to seek recovery of payments from the individual’s estate for nursing facility services, home and community-based services, and related hospital and prescription drug services.”

During a Toni Says consultation, confused adult children are shocked to discover their state has taken a lien on their parents’ house because of long-term care health care costs that the state paid.

Chuck, I am sure your client was astonished to find out that the state of Texas wants the $65,000 that Medicaid spent for his mother’s care returned, even though the care was at home and not in a nursing home.

All claims against an estate, including MERP claims, must be paid before the property can be distributed as specified in a will. The state does not, however, require an heir to sell the deceased recipient’s homestead (house) if the claim can be paid by other funds. But if not, then the heir may have to sell the house or the state will file a lien against the house, such as your client is experiencing.

The letter sent to the enrollee’s estate states that the amount recovered by Medicaid will not exceed the value of the estate’s assets, if any. If there is no money or assets in the estate, then there is nothing to recover.

Readers, now you know how Medicaid’s Long Term Care services operate.

My advice to readers whose loved one is receiving Medicaid benefits would be to explore your options and work out a schedule with family members to take care of your loved one. This way you can protect all that they have worked so hard to accumulate.

Toni’s advice:

• Seek the advice of an Elder Care Attorney that can assist with proper Medicaid planning for the specific state that your parents live in. Keep in mind: No one wants their adult kids or grandchildren to be their caregiver and take care of their activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, bathroom problems, etc.
• Do not rely on advice from well-meaning friends, who are not an expert in the Medicare/Medicaid arena.

Readers, it is important to understand that traditional long-term care insurance plans offer more flexibility and options than Medicaid. Medicaid long-term care is available for those living on a limited income.

Toni King, author of the Medicare Survival Guide Advance edition, which is a simple guide that puts Medicare in “people” terms, is on sale at www.tonisays.com. Email questions or schedule a “Confused about Medicare Workshop” for your organization or company by emailing info@tonisays.com or call 832/519-8664.

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Dear Toni:

My brother recently had to move out of his house into as assisted living facility because he broke his hip and is unable to live on his own. The monthly cost of the facility is about $4500 per month and his adult children are having to help him financially.

Is it too late to buy him a Long-Term Care policy? He is 69 and except for his hip issue, his health is decent. Please advise what his options are. Thank you, Leslie from Tyler, TX

Leslie:

Your brother is in a bad situation. Due to his health issues, he will most likely not qualify for a Long-Term Care policy.  He will have to spend down his retirement and savings to have Medicaid assist him in paying for Assisted Living /Nursing Home care.

We are noticing more Long-Term Care issues at the Toni Says® office because many people are waiting until they are retiring past 65 to apply for a Traditional Long-Term Care policy. By then, the premium is unaffordable for their retirement budget, or they cannot qualify due to health issues.

America needs to be aware that the cost of Long-Term Care is projected to rise from an average Nursing Home yearly cost of $115,000 in 2023 to over $155,000 per year in 10 years and the estimated yearly cost to be $207,000 in 20 years.

Assisted Living costs less with 2023 cost average at $57,000 per year, projected to rise in 10 years to $77,000 per year for 2033. In 20 years, the average Assisted Living cost will be $103,000 per year.

The insurance industry has designed new products for Americans who are concerned about Long-Term Care. Below are various Long-Term Care options:

• Traditional Long-Term Care: The younger you are the lower the premiums will be. Look for a Long-Term Care policy while you are younger and in good health…
• Life and Annuity Policies: Many life/annuity insurance policies have a provision, or rider, for Long-Term Care. You can receive a certain amount of Long-Term Care with your life/annuity policy’s face amount.
• Aid and Attendance benefits: The VA can help Veterans with Long Term Care needs. There are Billions available for long term care pension money just waiting for qualified Veterans to apply for their Aid and Attendance benefits. You need to have a Long-Term Care issue to qualify. (Recently, I had my own mother qualified for this benefit. Currently an At-Home Care aid is assisting in my mother’s daily care. Thank You VA for this great service for our Veterans and spouses)
• Medicaid: Check to see if you can qualify for Medicaid. One must “spend down” one’s assets to qualify. Do not forget the 5-year income/asset look back period and “MERP” the Medicaid Estate Recovery Program. The state can place a lien on the beneficiary’s estate for the amount of money the state paid for nursing home, and medical care.

Over the next 10 years, 10,000 Baby Boomers per day will turn 65. Many of them feel they have enough in their 401(k) to pay for a catastrophic illness and therefore are not concerned with Long-Term Care planning.  They do not realize that in 20 years, when their health is failing, their savings, including 401(k) and other investments, could be wiped out because they failed to plan. Planning for Long-Term Care is best done sooner rather than later.

For a Medicare or Long-Term Care checkup, email info@tonisays.com or call 832-519-8664.You can now visit www.seniorresource.com/medicare-moments to listen to Toni’s Medicare Moments podcasts and get other information for Boomers/Seniors. Toni’s “Medicare Survival Guide Advanced” edition available at www.tonisays.com.

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Hello Toni:

My husband, David, has been laid-off because of what is happening to the economy and rising gas prices. He is 68 and has never enrolled in Medicare. I am turning 65 this September and we both are covered under his employer’s health plan which is ending June 30th.

We have been told that he will get a penalty because he is over 65 and never enrolled in Part B. I really hope NOT! I will have to enroll in COBRA until I turn 65 in September. Please explain what our Medicare enrollment options are since we are different ages and have different enrollment situations. Thanks, Paula from Charlotte, NC

Great Question, Paula:

There are 2 different rules regarding enrolling in Medicare Parts A and B in your household and I will keep how to enroll in Medicare for both you and David SIMPLE!

• David needs to apply for a SEP (Special Enrollment Period) by downloading the form CMS-L564 (Request for Employment Information) from gov or email info@tonisays.com and we will email you a form.

Have David’s HR department sign off on the Request for Employment Information (CMS-L564) form and attach it to CMS- 40B (application for Medicare Part B). File both forms with your local Social Security office when applying for Medicare Parts A and B. Advise the Social Security representative that David is losing his company benefits and need his Medicare Parts A and B to begin July 1^st.

This is an ALERT to the public because local Social Security offices which were closed due to the Pandemic and recently reopened. The wait is extremely long at the local offices. The public should call their local Social Security office direct for help filing forms to apply for Medicare Part B. Most Social Security direct 800# can be located by Googling online for that specific office’s 800#. Generally, the wait while holding is less than calling the main Social Security 800#.

• Paula, your way to enroll in Medicare is simple and quite different from David’s because you are turning 65 in September. Go online to socialsecurity.gov/benefits/medicare at least 90 days prior to turning 65 and apply online for a September 1^st effective date.

Below is a checklist for those enrolling in Medicare the easy way:

• Original Medicare Part A covers: in-patient hospital stay, skilled nursing/rehab stay, blood transfusions, home health, and hospice.
• Original Medicare Part B covers: primary care or specialist, whether in the office or performing surgery, outpatient surgery, durable medical equipment, x-rays, CAT scans, MRIs, chemotherapy, etc.
• Original Medicare/Medicare Advantage: discuss with your healthcare facilities and medical professionals which Medicare plans they accept such as Original/Traditional Medicare with a Medicare Supplement or a Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage plan such as HMO, PPO or PFFS). Research Medicare Advantage plan’s hospital/provider online directory to be sure your physicians and hospitals are in that specific plan’s network. Call to verify they are currently in-network.
• Research Medicare Prescription Drug plans every year to see if your standalone Prescription Drug or Medicare Advantage Plan with prescription formulary covers all your brand name or generic prescription drugs.
• Consider a Long-Term Care (LTC) option such as standalone LTC policies, hybrid annuities or life insurance with LTC riders, VA aid, and attendant benefits, or applying for financial help from your specific state’s Medicaid for LTC.

Remember, always make copies of every document given to the Social Security office or received from the Social Security office.

Sign up for the Toni Says® Medicare newsletter explaining Medicare rules at

www.tonisays.com. For answers to Medicare questions, email info@tonisays.com or call 832/519-8664.

Toni King, author of the 2022 Medicare Survival Guide® Advanced edition is giving a $5 discount on the Medicare Survival Guide® Advanced book at www.tonisays.com.

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Toni:

In August 2017, Hurricane Harvey absolutely devastated my wife. Now, her 84-year-old mother is living in an assisted living facility, and we live over 10 miles away from her.

What can we do to be prepared for another hurricane, an ice storm in 2021, or any emergency that should happen in this area to protect the elderly?

We are concerned the assistant living facility does not have an evacuation plan and I cannot find one online. Thanks, Cindy from the Cypress area.

Cindy:

Hurricane season officially starts on Wednesday, June 1, and will not end until Wednesday, November 30. The deeper the season goes; the storms get stronger.

Everyone should have a family disaster readiness plan for hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and/or all types of natural disasters. For seniors or those that are disabled, this is especially crucial for their survival because many are energy or technologically dependent for life support or ongoing medical treatment.

Here are a few questions, to help you prepare for any disaster or hurricane.

• Do I stay or go? This will depend on where you live either in the city or in the country. When living in the city, leave early because during many storms there have been massive traffic jams which took 36-48 hours of waiting on the highway to get out of that area. Please leave early to avoid serious delays and running out of gas on the highway.

1. a)  Make sure you have a sufficient supply of prescriptions and always bring your list of current prescriptions for yourself or any family member.
2. b)   Have a copy of medical records for those with critical medical conditions such as your mother-in-law’s. Keep the medical records in a safe place that you can get to immediately when evacuating. Also bring all legal documents such as Medical Power of Attorney and Living Will.
3. c) Have a backup plan in case you are not in town for the emergency and other family members must take over for the elderly loved one.

• Do I have access to clean water? If you do not have access to clean water, then any crisis becomes extremely critical in a couple of days. Remember, you may not have access to a grocery store and supplies may be depleted.
• Do I have an adequate food supply? Most households have a few days of food already available, but the best way to stock up on additional food and supplies is to add a little bit extra each week. Remember, during a crisis, the power may be out, so cook your frozen & refrigerated food first.
• Do I have enough cash on hand in case the ATMs are not working? Take your checkbook because ATMs may not be operating
• Does my family know where to meet? It is important that all family members and loved ones know where to meet in a disaster. My family’s initial meeting place if we happen to be separated in the Houston area is Whataburger in Sealy on I-10 and Hwy 36.

Since Hurricane Harvey devastated Texas and the Pandemic “Covid-19” impacted our lives, we do not take storms or any natural disaster for granted. Limited access to grocery supplies such as water and baby formula has affected us all. I remember the news during Tropical Storm Allison in June 2001 when 18-wheelers were floating sideways down I-10 because the water was so high. It is at that time I learned how to get prepared!

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