ou’ve selected your insurance plan for the year. Now, it’s time to start using your benefits, beginning with an annual wellness exam.
An annual wellness exam with a health care provider is important for everyone, but especially for older adults. As we age, we are more likely to develop chronic health conditions, according to Dr. J.B. Sobel, chief medical officer for Cigna Medicare, which serves hundreds of thousands of older adults through its products. An annual wellness exam can help detect potential health issues early so they can be addressed before they worsen, he added
“By meeting with your primary care provider early in the year, you can highlight the things that are important to you, and work together to develop a plan for your care for the year ahead,” Sobel said. “This will ensure you live each day with vitality, happiness and improved health.”
Many providers will reach out to schedule an annual wellness exam. If your provider doesn’t contact you, make sure to call them.
A number of annual check-ups are available at no extra cost to those with Medicare. They include a “Welcome to Medicare” visit for customers who have just reached Medicare eligibility and an “Annual Wellness Exam” for existing customers. Many Medicare Advantage (MA) plans offer more extensive annual visits at no extra cost. Some even offer incentives for completing a visit. Talk with your provider and Medicare insurer about your benefits.
Each annual exam may be a little different. Regardless of the type, Sobel offers the following tips to ensure you get the most from your visit.Prepare. Before you go, write down anything you’d like to discuss with your health care provider, including changes to your health over the past year. Bring your prescription and over-thecounter medications with you. Ask plenty of questions and take notes. You might even want to take along a family member, trusted friend or caregiver to ensure you understand everything your provider has shared.
Annual Wellness Exam Is the Key to a Healthy and Active Life for Elderly Adults
Be open and honest. It’s tempting to make things look rosier than they are when talking to your health care provider but minimizing what you are feeling can lead to an incorrect diagnosis or prescription. Speak openly about unhealthy habits, like smoking or lack of exercise. Your provider won’t judge you. Being honest is the only way your health care provider can help you reach your goals.
Mind mental health. Your emotional health impacts your physical health. Many people think depression is a natural part of aging, but it doesn’t have to be. Talk to your doctor if you are feeling sad, anxious or hopeless. Treatments, such as talk therapy, medication, or both, may be covered by Medicare.
Monitor medications. Adults aged 65 and older tend to take more medications than other age groups, increasing the risk for adverse reactions, such as cognitive impairment and falls. It’s a good idea to take your medications to your annual wellness exam and discuss any potential problems or side effects you’re experiencing. Don’t forget about over-the-counter drugs, vitamins or nutritional supplements you take.
Schedule screenings and get vaccines. There are a number of important health screenings and vaccines that you may need depending on your age and gender, such as colon cancer screening, bone density test, mammogram, flu shot or COVID-19 immunization. Ask your provider about the screenings and vaccines you’ve had already and schedule any you need as soon as possible. You may even be able to do that before you leave the office. Also, don’t forget to visit your eye doctor and dentist. These visits are covered by many MA plans as well. Find out more at www. cignamedicare.com.
“You wouldn’t drive your vehicle without proper preventive maintenance, so please don’t ignore preventive maintenance for your most prized possession – your health,” Sobel said. “An annual wellness exam is a great place to start!”
Source: Statepoint
SAVE A LIFE LOCK UP YOUR GUNS
What Every Newlywed Should Know About Finances
By d-mars.com
ebruary is the month of love and one of the most popular times of year for couples to get engaged. According to a recent study, 36% of respondents said Valentine’s Day is the most romantic day to propose. If you’re about to get married or just walked down the aisle, here are five things to do to ensure your financial health.
1. Determine how you will handle finances. They say money can’t buy love and happiness, but talking about it in a marriage, or even beforehand, goes a long way. You’ll want to discuss whether you’ll have a joint bank account and credit cards, separate accounts, or a combination of the two. It’s a personal decision, so consider the pros and cons. It’s also a good idea to know the roles you will play. For example, will you or your partner pay the day-to-day bills? The other person may want to manage the monthly mortgage and auto expenses, or even the longterm investments and retirement funds. If you need help coming up with a plan, you may want to seek the advice of a financial counselor.
2. Get life insurance. You may not realize that February is also Insure Your Love Month, a time to think about protecting your loved ones if something unfortunate should happen. “If you have people who depend on you – including your new spouse – chances are you
need life insurance,” said Lou Colaizzo, senior vice president, Erie Family Life. “While it’s hard to think about the possibility of not being there for a loved one, it’s so important to plan for.” Colaizzo added that some people may hesitate to seek out life insurance because they don’t want to go through the trouble of getting a medical exam, but that’s not always necessary. For example, Erie Insurance has a policy called ERIExpress Life, which may be able to provide protection with a simple application process and no physical medical exam. Colaizzo recommends people consult with their insurance agent to find the right life insurance policy and coverage amount that’s best for them.
3. Protect your bling. Chances are you spent a lot of time and money picking out rings you’ll love and wear every day. Unfortunately, burglaries are more common than you may think. According to the FBI, there were more than 1.1 million burglaries in 2019. Protect your wedding jewelry, and any other expensive jewelry, by adding these items to your homeowners or renters policy. It is advisable to
have photos and documentation of the value of the ring and other valuable jewelry in the event of a theft or a loss.
4. Update your car insurance. Notify your agent to make sure you’re both covered to drive each other’s cars. You may also be eligible for savings, such as a multi-car discount or bundling your car insurance with homeowners and/or life insurance. Additionally, some insurance companies offer a lower rate for married couples.
Tax Season Tips: 3 Strategies to Streamline Tax Documentation
By d-mars.com
Provider
Taxes can be a daunting task. Some people are so anxious that they put it off until just before the April 15 deadline. According to a survey by IPX1031, 32% of Americans waited until the last minute to file taxes in 2022. Of those who procrastinated on filing, 25% said that they waited because filing taxes is too stressful and complicated.
While you can wait until the deadline to file, you’ll only increase your tax anxiety. If you find tax season intimidating, check out these three tips that can help ease tax time stress.
1. Take a Deep Breath
It may seem trite, but the first thing you need to do to tackle your taxes is to take a deep breath. You likely already have everything you need to start your tax forms. It’s just a matter of finding all your documents and organizing them so you can easily fill out your information and submit your forms.
Start early to help ease your tax season stress, so you have plenty of time to input and review your information. If you wait until the deadline, you’ll only get more anxious about the prospect of being late or making mistakes on your tax forms.
Another way to manage tax time stress is to tackle your tax forms one section at a time. You can do this over the course of a few days or a couple of weeks. You can enlist the help of a partner or friend to keep you accountable and sit with you while you do your taxes.
2. Get Organized
Whether you’re doing personal or business taxes, creating a system with specific categories will help you stay organized throughout the year. That way, when it’s time to tackle taxes, you’ll have everything you need right in front of you.
First, create a deductions and expenses folder. In this folder, you’ll keep cellphone and internet bills, receipts for supplies (like pencils, pens and papers), client dinner receipts and documents of charitable donations.
Next, you’ll set up an income folder where you’ll store your paystubs, bank statements and other records that prove any income you have produced during the year. If needed, you can create another folder for business tax documents like W-2s, property taxes and self-employment forms.
Lastly, make an investments folder. Here, you can save retirement contributions to IRAs or other accounts, tax-deferred investments, nondeductible investments and any other taxable investments. By setting up and using this organizational system throughout the year, you’ll be able to breeze through your tax forms with minimal stress.
3. Go Digital
Now that you’ve got the system in place, it’s time to simplify taxes by going digital. Recreate the organizational system above on your computer. You can also store or sync the folders on the cloud or mobile device so you can access documents on the go. You can also upload invoices, receipts and other documents into digital files as soon as you receive them.
5. Make updates to your records if you change your last name. It’s a big decision and takes a lot of work if one of you decides to change your name after marriage. It’s important to be patient and diligent as the entire process may take several months. Remember to update all the appropriate forms, including a new Social Security card, driver’s license, passport, bank accounts and credit cards, among other considerations. Additionally, notify your employer for payroll and health insurance coverage updates.
Getting married is an exciting, big life event. While you and your partner start your new life together, have an open conversation about financial considerations and double check to make sure you’re covered to protect the life you’re building.
Source: Statepoint
certified without
installing multiple apps, software or drivers for every scanner or printer you use at home or the office.
You’ll also have easy access to scanned pages on your Android device’s cloud storage or other applications. You can even scan your stuff and email it to your professional accountant so they can deal with it! Download the Mopria Print Service or Mopria Scan apps and relieve tax time stress.
Don’t let tax season anxiety get you down. Using these three tips, you’ll be able to complete your tax forms quickly and set yourself up for success for the next tax season.
Source: Brandpoint
The easiest way to convert physical documents into them.
