Three Common Medicare Enrollment Mistakes

Messy desk, with a calendar at the center
Transitioning to Medicare can be intimidating, whether you’re changing insurance plans for the first time in decades or a savvy shopper who peruses the Marketplace for coverage every November. The good news is that enrolling in Medicare is easier than you think. Watch out for these three common Medicare enrollment mistakes, and you’ll find that signing up for Medicare coverage can be smooth sailing....
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Estimate Health Care Costs BEFORE Your Appointment

Photo of a woman looking at a laptop computer in her kitchen
When you find out that you need a health service, such as an X-ray, lab work, or surgery, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? If it’s, “How much is THAT gonna cost me?” you’re not alone. It’s an important consideration that, until now, hasn’t always been easy to calculate. And the difference between providers can amount to hundreds of dollars....
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Helping Members Get on a Path to Wellness: A Day in the Life of an Independence Nurse Health Coach

Independence nurse Health Coach George Barrett
Independence Blue Cross (Independence) is recognizing nurses who carry on the proud tradition of providing compassionate care, comfort, and security to all of us. As part of the Celebrate Caring campaign, we’re highlighting some of our nurses and how they help enhance the health and well-being of our members and communities — beyond the beside — in their roles at Independence....
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Fighting Back Against Opioid Addiction

The current opioid epidemic in the United States is growing. Each day, thousands of people begin to misuse opioids and many of them will join the millions of Americans already suffering from addiction. In 2017, the number of opioid-related deaths exceeded 47,000 people — more than 130 deaths each day.1 Opioid addiction often starts because of prescription medication abuse,...
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How an Independence Blue Cross Health Coach Can Help You

Health Coach taking a call on a phone headset
I recently interviewed Lisa Lokuta, RN, BSN, a Health Coach in the Independence Blue Cross Case and Condition Management department to get some insight into health coaching. IBX: What is a Health Coach? Lisa: Independence Health Coaches are specially-trained, registered nurses with an average of 8 to 11 years of clinical service. Independence has more than 90 Health Coaches on staff to help our members navigate their health....
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Preventing Health Care Fraud: How to Stop Scammers

An older woman examines a card as she talks on the phone.
We’ve all gotten a phone call like this one: “Congratulations, you won an all-expenses-paid vacation! All we need is some information about you.” You may think you won’t be fooled by this type of too-good-to-be-true offer, but scammers have practice in the art of “phishing,” a technique used to trick you into sharing personal information. In the case of medical identity theft,...
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My Personal Experience with Telemedicine (and Why You Should Give it a Try)

A mother sits on her daughter's bed, examining a thermometer while using the phone.
This past November, I had a sore throat and a cough that I just could not kick. I first went to an urgent care center, but a few days later, my symptoms were still persistent and I needed relief. Since it was 11 p.m. and my primary care physician (PCP) was not available, I decided to give my telemedicine benefit through MDLIVE a shot....
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Important Changes to Medigap Plans in 2020

An older couple examines a bill and their laptop while seated at the kitchen table
Medicare Supplement plans (sometimes called Medigap plans) are insurance plans that offer additional coverage to supplement the coverage provided by Original Medicare (Part A and Part B). A Medicare Supplement plan can help with some of the roughly 20 percent of out-of-pocket costs beneficiaries are responsible for after Medicare pays its share. So, many beneficiaries are glad to have the peace of mind that comes from the extra financial protection Medigap plans provide....
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Health Plans, Networks, and Provider Relationships Work Together for You

A diverse team of medical professionals smiles at the camera
Health plans often reference their provider networks, describing providers as either in-network or out-of-network. Provider networks include a range of professionals, from nurse practitioners to physical and occupational therapists, in addition to both primary care physicians (PCPs) and specialists. When a provider is in a plan’s network, it means that the plan and the provider have a contractual relationship....
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Medication Reviews: Talking to Your Doctor About Your Prescriptions

An older man examines a medication bottle, as woman uses a laptop
If you’re like the average American over 65, you take about three prescriptions each month (prescribed by more than one doctor) in addition to some over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and supplements. But what do you really know about these medications? Are they safe to take together? Could they cause unwanted side effects? Is it time to stop taking some of them?...
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