red star Coping Skills

A SECOND CHANCE TO SWITCH MEDICARE INSURANCE. As anybody on Medicare knows, every November 15 through December 31 is when you can switch Medicare Advantage insurance plans. But I'm betting you don't know that January 1 through March 30 is another "open enrollment period."

pillbottle1

The short explanation of this Catch 22-ish arrangement is, if you don't like the change you made in November-December, you can fire that insurance company and hire another in January-February-March. Only thing is, you can't start or drop Part D prescription drug coverage. Rules are rules, you know.

I don't know why or when they added this secret do-over privilege, but I strongly suggest you use it. The Medicare Advantage insurance business is a true bucket of snakes. My premium just doubled for the second year in a row, so I switched companies. The new one just refused to cover an effective medicine my wife needed. So, maybe I'll shop again. These companies are dancing as fast as they can, and if you think you've got it figured out, think again.

If you're confused, never mind the tangled Medicare Website, call 1-800-MEDICARE. Believe it or not, it's an excellent information source where you talk to real people who know their business. DN

Comments?


red star Linkage

Earth2Tech — In Israel, an electric vehicle refueling system is charging up. We need to think ahead; it's where the jobs will be.

Ultimi Barbarorum — Pay no attention to the pretentious name, this blogger's got a fix on who'll make the IPad a success: old people. (Thanks to David Pogue via Twitter)

Brand X — In this bloggish, off-beat (I suspect an attempt to produce a youth-appeal newspaper-Web feature) section of LATimes.com, here's sci-fact news of manufactured meat. Yum.

New York Times — There's no shortage of op-ed thinkers mouthing off on what President Obama's doing wrong. I like Frank Rich's analysis.

Techcrunch.com — A professed outsider looks at the suggestions that Conan O'Brien should take his show to the Internet.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — Peter McKay writes another one of those coming-of-age columns. Worth a look.

more linkage



 
Dave The Blog
A short post, to fit your attention span.

I have a TV show for you. Frontline, the hard-news documentary series on PBS...and the last one in existence on American TV...has done a couple of shows now on the revolution in digital communications. The latest Digital Nation program just ran this week, but you can play it again by going to the Website, here. I recommend it.

I have mixed emotions and perceptions about it. Our attention spans and our impulses to "multi-task" have been growing -- or should I say shrinking -- for decades. I'm a victim-beneficiary of both these afflictions-enhancements. I told you I feel mixed. If you weren't conscious of the trend, this show will help-confuse you. Enjoy.

   
— Dave Newton

Poles Apart
    Dave vs Bill: Urban Renewal?

fireworks1

I emailed Bill this article from the New York Times because he's in real estate marketing, and loves technology. It's about the use of geographic info tech to expose and recycle wasted urban space. Turns out I started an argument. Click here and see for yourself.

 
Liz Taylor

Liz

I've got a love-hate relationship with
long-term insurance. I hate it because it's expensive. I love that it's going to protect me.

more →

    Past It.

JaimeJaime O'Neill:
Two men, overheard in a cafe, talking about a third who's left the table —
"He's past it."

Me, too. Proudly.

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Coming of Age
    The Anger Tonic

anger face

A few years ago, in my late 50s, I realized I was walking around ticked off a lot. I used to be a cheery person. Now I was in a fighting mood,
all the time.

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