Empty Nest - May 2024

Your Local Broker for Medicare Insurance Needs

Jay Looft Owner/Agent

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Your Medicare supplement premiums

It pays to shop the market!

may be time to take another look at it.

Now might be a great time to change your Medicare Supplement Plan. Rates are getting lower for those willing to make a change. Unlike Medicare Advantage Plans, you can change your Medicare Supplement anytime!

Right now is a “perfect storm” of new carriers getting into the market, along with existing insurance carriers deciding to put more emphasis on their Medicare insurance products.

Competition is great for the consumer! Medicare Supplement Plans are named after letters of the alphabet. Currently there are Plans A - Plan N with Plan G, and Plan N being two very popular plans. To use Plan G for example, every insurance company’s Plan G is identical in benefit to any other Plan G. With this being the case, one of few differences is price and how that price increases overtime. If you have left your Medicare Supplement plan on “auto pilot” for several years, it

Do Medicare Supplements include a gym membership?

There are a couple of carriers that include a basic gym membership; some even include high-end gyms in their gym network. The high-end gyms can get expensive if you are paying out of pocket, so plans including this benefit might be worth thinking about if you are an avid gym user.

Have you “shopped” your Medicare Supplement Plan in a while?

Work with a Medicare Insurance Broker, like us, to shop the market. We price out over 20 of the leading Medicare Supplement insurance carriers, so it could be worth a 5-minute phone conversation.

There is $0 cost to you to use our services. To receive a Medicare Supplement quote or if you have any questions, please call us at (770) 9136464 or check us out online at www. SeniorSourceMedicare.com.

Brought to you by – Jay Looft, Senior Source Medicare

Benzoyl Peroxide danger – fact or fiction?

Benzoyl peroxide or “BPO” is a dermatologist’s old standby. It is a triedand-true effective ingredient to treat acne including pimples and clogged pores and is found in both over the counter acne washes as well as prescription acne products. Given its extensive use and presence in so many over-the-counter products, it came as a shock to the world and the medical community when a company named Valisure recently argued that BPO too easily breaks down into benzene, a cancer-causing chemical known to cause leukemia and other types of cancer. Valisure advocated for the recall of over-the-counter acne products containing BPO.

Is Valisure right? What is the truth? The answer is complicated and interesting.

BPO’s potential to cause cancer was suggested in the 1980s when animal studies suggested that it might make skin tumors grow. BPO is a very reactive molecule and works at least in part by reacting with proteins of skin bacteria and killing the bacteria that cause acne. BPO has long been known to be destructive. The question is whether it is only destructive to bacteria or also to humans.

In 1991 new concerning animal data caused the FDA to formally declare that additional studies were necessary on BPO safety, but the data was weak, and sales of BPO products continued to be permitted. During the ensuing years, a concerted effort was made through multiple studies to verify BPO’s safety. In 2010, the FDA reviewed available data and voted to label BPO as GRASE (Generally Recognized as Safe and Effective). Recent data had been reassuring.

Fast forward to the present day and we have a curveball. A company named Valisure studied the potential of BPO to form benzene at elevated temperatures. Valisure tested benzene levels after exposing BPO products to 98.6, 122, and 158-degrees Fahrenheit for two weeks or more. As the temperature went up, so did the level of benzene. These are temperatures that BPO may be exposed to in real life situations such as being left in a hot car or during shipment from manufacturing sites.

Valisure appears to have proven that BPO has the potential to form benzene, particularly if exposed to high temperatures. How often this happens and how frequently this has caused

cancer remains unknown. Even if someone could guarantee that their BPO had never been exposed to heat, BPO left on someone’s shelf for long periods might eventually form significant levels of benzene over time.

Is Valisure a white knight rescuing the public from a serious threat?

One concerning conflict of interest is that Valisure’s president, David Light, filed a patent in 2023 for a method to prevent BPO from breaking down into benzene.

Timelines matter. Did Valisure know of BPO’s potential risks but wait to disclose them and request a recall until after they had filed for a patent for the fix? Valisure’s homepage states that they are a company focused on “transparency,” but Valisure’s mention of its patent application was buried on page 26 of a 34 page “Citizen Petition.” Acknowledgment of this patent application as a conflict of interest was nowhere to be found in that Citizen Petition. Valisure states that their goal is to provide “independent certification” of product safety, but when they stand to profit from finding dangers, then they are not as independent as they should be.

No recall has been issued. At least one manufacturer, Clearasil™, has responded by claiming that its products are safe when stored correctly and stated “The findings presented by an independent lab reflect unrealistic scenarios rather than real-world conditions” according to an article in Chemistry World.

And of course, class action lawsuits have already arisen.

One can argue about whether Valisure’s citizen petition for a recall was premature or whether it is motivated by its patent and a desire to force companies to use Valisure’s BPO stabilizer in BPO products to Valisure’s financial gain. The only thing that is certain is that with the filing of a patent, Valisure ceased to be the independent company that we wish it were.

What are doctors and patients to do? At the least, throw away expired BPO. Throw away BPO that has been exposed to high temperatures. Talk with your doctor about alternatives to BPO. We are in the fortunate position of having many alternatives to BPO available while the true safety of BPO and potential for benzene formation gets sorted out. Two over the counter alternatives to consider are adapalene or salicylic acid. For more stubborn acne including acne that is causing scarring, see a specialist in dermatology. And stay tuned for future updates on BPO.

Insist

Dr. Brent Taylor is a Board-Certified Dermatologist, a Fellowship-Trained Mohs Surgeon, and is certified by the Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine in the field of Vein Care.

He is an expert in skin cancer and melanoma treatment, endovenous laser ablation, minimally invasive vein procedures and cosmetics procedures such as Botox and injectables.

Kathryn is a certified physician assistant with over 18 years experience as a Dermatology PA. We are excited to welcome her, as she brings with her experience in general dermatology and cosmetic dermatology.

Her specialties include general dermatology such as acne, eczema, rashes, hair loss, full body skin exams, abnormal growths etc. Kathryn also specializes in cosmetic dermatology including lasers, injectables, micro-needling, PRP, facial peels, sclerotherapy for spider veins and at home skin care.

Kathryn Filipek, PA-C

Brought to you by – Dr. Brent Taylor, Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta

Comprehensive Internal Medicine

Serving as the Medical Home for Roswell, Alpharetta, Milton, & Johns Creek, for over 20 years

Brought to you by – Comprehensive Internal Medicine

What is a medical home?

A medical home is an approach to providing comprehensive and high-quality primary care, in a coordinated fashion with specialists and consultants.

A medical home is patientcentered with many aspects that contribute to improved healthcare outcomes

• Accessibility: Care is easy for the patient to obtain, including geographic access and insurance accommodation.

• Family-centered: The patient and family are recognized and acknowledged, ensuring that all medical decisions are made in true partnership.

• Continuous: The same primary care clinician cares for patient, aiding and support through young adulthood through elder years.

• Comprehensive: Preventive, primary and specialty care are provided.

• Coordinated: A care plan is created in partnership with the patient and communicated with all health care clinicians.

• Compassionate: Genuine concern for the well-being of the patient is emphasized and addressed.

At Comprehensive Internal Medicine, we involve many team members at various levels to coordinate and provide patient care. Our doctors lead all clinical decision-making in a team approach, collaborating with the patient to tailor care in an individualized manner.

Understanding the intricacies of our patient’s care brings a deeper knowledge of the long-term care plan. Our team of administrative professionals strives to answer each call quickly, avoiding voice mail or a phone tree.

Our scheduling department quickly accommodates each patient’s scheduling needs.

We save appointment times for same-day appointments and are

always welcoming new patients. Whereas it may be convenient to see Urgent Care, we believe seeing your regular doctor brings your healthcare to a higher level, being seen quickly when needs arise prevents worsening medical symptoms. Call today to establish with one of our many doctors. We have physicians who focus on young adult care, and others who have special training in the care of geriatric patients.

Alpharetta: (678) 205-9004

3180 North Point Pkwy | Suite 303 | Alpharetta, GA - 30005

Providing Medical Care Including the Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Diseases

Comprehensive Internal Medicine has been serving the Alpharetta community for 20 years, celebrating this milestone anniversary in 2023.

The medical practice offers a very comfortable environment and serves a medical home where patients are seen for their wellness examinations (checkups) and for the management of multiple medical problems. Same-day appointments are always available.

We welcome new patients, take most insurance plans and discounts for self-pay patients.

Dr. Obiora has a special interest in managing medical issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. He also specializes in diabetes prevention and weight loss.

In addition, he brings expertise in allergy treatment and managing allergic rhinitis, sinusitis and asthma, and can schedule allergy testing to determine the best way to treat allergy symptoms.

Dr. Nandi is fellowship trained in geriatrics and looking to add elders to her patient base.

She also has a special interest in the management of women’s health, diabetes, and the management of obesity.

• High Blood Pressure

• Diabetes

• Women’s Health

• Thyroid Disease

• Obesity/Weight Loss

• Arthritis

• High Cholesterol

• Seasonal Allergies

Dr Pervaiz is specifically trained as a family physician with specialty in young adults and sports physicals.

She manages many college students in the Atlanta area as well as remotely through telemedicine.

• Asthma

• Heart Disease

• Acute Illnesses such as: sore throat, flu, cough, common cold, etc.

in

and elevated cholesterol.

Jeffrey Obiora, M.D.

Sudeshna Nandi M.D.

Sumera Pervaiz, M.D.

Dr Bozof specializes in men’s health as well as asthma and allergy patients.

He has expertise

cardiovascular risk reduction and management of high blood pressure

Ryan Bozof, M.D.

Anju Bhushan, M.D. • Alexis Buelow , MSN,APRN,FNP-C. • Laurae Carpenetti, M.D.

Arezou Fatemi, M.D. • Petula Gunn, APRN

Carol Hector, M.D.

Raphael Lopez, M.D.

Shima Mansouri, P.A.-C

• Jacqueline T. Pearson, M.D., M.S.

Facts about annual skin screenings

Q&A with Dr.Kehinde Olumesi of Epiphany Dermatology - Brookhaven

Why is an annual skin cancer screening important?

Annual skin cancer screen-ings are crucial for early detection and treatment of skin cancer. Skin cancer, when caught early, is highly treatable. Regular screenings help identify suspicious moles or lesions that may indicate skin cancer, allowing for timely intervention and im-proved outcomes. Additionally, screenings promote awareness of sun protection and skin health, empowering individuals to take proactive steps in preventing skin cancer.

Does insurance cover annual skin screenings?

In many cases, health insurance plans cover annual skin cancer screenings, especially for individuals with a family history of skin cancer or other risk factors. However, coverage may vary depend-ing on your insurance provider and specific plan. It's advisable to check with your insurance company to understand the details of your coverage for preventive ser-vices like skin cancer screenings. Additionally, some dermatologists offer affordable screening options for those without insurance coverage. Regular screenings are essential for early detection and are often worth the investment in your health and well-being.

Your Medicare supplement premiums: It pays to shop the market!

Brought to you by –

Jay Looft, Senior Source Medicare

Now might be a great time to change your Medicare Supplement Plan. Rates are getting lower for those willing to make a change. Unlike Medicare Advantage Plans, you can change your Medicare Supplement anytime!

Right now is a “perfect storm” of new carriers getting into the market, along with existing insurance carriers deciding to put more emphasis on their Medicare insurance products.

Competition is great for the consumer!

Medicare Supplement Plans are named after letters of the alphabet. Currently there are Plans A - Plan N with Plan G, and Plan N being two very popular plans. To use Plan G for example, every insurance company’s Plan G is identical in benefit to any other Plan G. With this being the case, one of few differences is price and how that price increases overtime. If you have left your Medicare Supplement plan on “auto pilot” for several years, it may be time to take another look at it.

Do Medicare Supplements include a gym membership?

There are a couple of carriers that include a basic gym membership; some even include high-end gyms in their gym network. The high-end gyms can get expensive if you are paying out of pocket, so plans including this benefit might be worth thinking about if you are an avid gym user.

Have you “shopped” your Medicare Supplement Plan in a while?

Work with a Medicare Insurance Broker, like us, to shop the market. We price out over 20 of the leading Medicare Supplement insurance carriers, so it could be worth a 5-minute phone conversation.

There is $0 cost to you to use our services. To receive a Medicare Supplement quote or if you have any questions, please call us at (770) 315-8145 or check us out online at www.SeniorSourceMedicare.com.

Your Local Broker for Medicare Insurance Needs

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