4 Questions to Ask Yourself When Comparing Medicare Coverage Options

An older couple speaks with a Medicare advocate
Have you ever heard of the Enneagram personality test? The test presents a series of questions to help you find out which of nine personality types you are. Knowing your personality type, or Enneagram, is said to improve your self-awareness and help you understand your approach to the world. And while your Enneagram type won’t help you shop for a Medicare plan,...
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What is Medicare Part A (Hospital Care Insurance)?

The hand of an older person placing a jigsaw puzzle piece
Like a jigsaw puzzle, Medicare is made of different pieces that fit together to provide health coverage for Medicare beneficiaries. The various pieces of Medicare coverage are Medicare Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D, and Supplemental. Each piece covers different types of benefits, and trying to understand all the parts at once can be a daunting task....
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What is Medicare Part B?

Hands on a desk of a doctor and patient
Original Medicare has two parts: Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance). The Part B portion covers two types of medical services — preventive services and medically-necessary services — when provided by doctors and providers who accept Medicare. Preventive services help prevent illness (like the flu) or detect it at an early stage. Medically-necessary services (or supplies) diagnose or treat a medical condition....
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Preventing Health Care Fraud: How to Stop COVID-19 Scammers

Situations like the COVID-19 pandemic can bring out the best in many people, but unfortunately, they can also bring out the worst in others. There has been a recent increase in the number of scammers trying to trick people into sharing personal information through phone calls, emails, text messages, social media, and even door-to-door visits. You may think you won’t be fooled,...
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Medicare Part D Changes in 2020: What You Need to Know

A young pharmacist speaks to two elderly customers
Medicare prescription drug plan coverage and costs can vary from year to year. These changes can impact you financially. Make sure you understand the latest Medicare Part D 2020 so you can plan for any upcoming costs associated with prescription drugs.

What is Medicare Part D?

Medicare Part D is a federal prescription drug coverage program offered by private insurance companies....
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How the COVID-19 Outbreak Made Independence Member Robert Heiler a Believer in Telemedicine

An older man uses telemedicine from his laptop
Technology has made our lives simpler, faster, and better in more ways than we can count. But having grown up in a generation where the most techie thing I owned was a transistor radio, I’ve been admittedly slow to embrace the electronic world in which we live. I finally converted to a smart phone last year,...
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Make Your Voice Heard: Why the 2020 Census is Important for Health Care

A couple fills out their Census form
2020 is an important year for Americans. In addition to voting in a presidential election, they will also participate in the 2020 Census, a count of every person living in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories. Despite the changes in day-to-day life due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it’s critical to complete the census....
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Get Care from Home with Telemedicine

A mother feels her son's forehead while consulting with a doctor via telemedicine
Independence Blue Cross has offered telemedicine benefits to our health plan members for years. It gives members convenient, 24/7 access to a doctor by phone or video chat for non-emergency medical conditions. Without telemedicine, your only care option might have been urgent care or the ER if you were out of town, couldn’t get an appointment,...
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My First Experience with Telemedicine (and Why You Should Give it a Try)

A woman consults with her physician remotely via tablet, whole holding a bottle of pills
Recently, I came down with a sore throat and a cough that I just could not shake. I went to an urgent care center, but a few days later, I still had symptoms and I needed relief. Unfortunately, it was 11 p.m. and my primary care physician (PCP) was not available. So, I decided to try out my telemedicine benefit through MDLIVE....
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