Kristen R. Matthews, Esq

What Is a Medicare Flex Card?

Some Medicare Advantage beneficiaries receive Medicare flex cards, pre-paid debit cards for qualifying expenses, as part of their benefits. The U.S. government does not issue Medicare flex cards. This benefit is only available on select Medicare Advantage plans, a private alternative to Medicare. Traditional Medicare does not offer flex cards. Certain Medicare Advantage plans provide beneficiaries […]

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Home Health Services Underutilized by Seniors, Study Shows

Health Affairs estimates that 4 million older adults can only leave their homes with assistance, making accessing care challenging. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 1.3 million Americans receive care in nursing homes. According to A Place For Mom, more than 810,000 reside in assisted living. Home health care presents an alternative to nursing homes

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RSV Vaccine Options for U.S. Seniors to Become Available

Pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) have each developed a vaccine to protect older adults from a virus known as RSV. People over 60 are at significant risk of serious complications if they contract RSV. Fortunately, with the recent FDA approval of Pfizer’s Abrysvo vaccine and GSK’s Arexvy vaccine, along with practical safety measures, seniors

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How No Surprises Act May Help With Unexpected Medical Bills

Help for Seniors The No Surprises Act is a federal law enacted to protect patients from unexpected medical bills incurred on or after January 1, 2022. It aims to address the issue of surprise medical billing, which can occur when patients receive unexpected charges for their medical care. The Act applies to out-of-network emergency services,

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What Is Memory Care and What Are Its Benefits?

Memory care is specialized care for patients living with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or other conditions that cause memory loss. Hospitals and nursing homes may have memory care units or a separate entity dedicated to this service. Memory care provides seniors with meals, opportunities to socialize, mentally stimulating activities, and support for their caregivers.  Benefits of Memory

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What Is a Medicare Summary Notice?

Every three months, those with original Medicare receive a claims statement called a Medicare Summary Notice. As Medicare.gov explains, this notification describes all the services or supplies that providers or suppliers attributed to Medicare during the preceding three months. The document shows how much of each payment Medicare covered and the maximum amount the recipient could owe the

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