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Do our bodies simply wear out after too much usage? Or is the schedule of our aging programmed into our DNA? The research on these questions is active and ongoing. Whether the answer is wear ‘n tear, or DNA, or probably a little of both, the reality is that the aging process may be prolonged, but is inexorable. Sooner or later, we all must face it.

Aging is a normal process, and we can observe the effects of aging as its progression impacts all of our various bodily systems. Specifically -

• The Nervous System - The synapses fire at a slower rate which results in reduced balance and coordination. In the brain itself, memory and quick decision-making become less efficient.
• The Musculoskeletal System - These effects are typically noticed first, i.e.
  • Loss of muscle tone and mass throughout your body, including the heart muscle and those affecting the bladder,
  • Loss of bone density, which often is viewed as a woman’s issue, but does affect older men as well, and
  • Reduced flexibility and range of movement as joints wear and tendons loose elasticity.
• The Gastrointestinal System - With aging, metabolism slows down and the digestive process becomes less efficient. Although fewer calories are needed, the system’s ability to extract nutritional value out of the calories that are ingested is diminished.
• The Cardiovascular System - Plaque builds up in the blood vessels, requiring the weakening heart muscle to pump harder. The blood pressure rises while the ability of the blood to absorb oxygen diminishes.
• The Respiratory System - The reduced efficiency of the lungs to supply oxygen starts being felt while climbing stairs or being involved in any energetic activity.
• The Immune System - With the changes to our biochemistry, hormone production diminishes and the immune system begins to atrophy.

However, there are a number of actions that can be taken to delay these changes and diminish their impact on our lives. They are further specified in -

• wikiSenior Basics and
• wikiSenior Medical Information.

Also, for an interesting diversion and a lot more facts, look at 50 Fascinating Aging Facts for a number of helpful links.

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If you’ve ever had an itch to be creative, painting with oils is one of the most forgiving and fun activities to try. Unlike acrylics, oils don’t dry as quickly so they are more flexible and easier to correct. To give you a sense of what is involved, a brief outline of the process follows.

1. Start with a still life, and pick your subject carefully. You want it to be relatively simple, but something that you feel is appealing. It is more difficult to stick with the painting if you’d don’t find the subject enjoyable.
2. Sketch the subject in pencil first.

¨ it may be helpful to focus upon the background rather than the subject, and sketch how the outline of the subject interfaces with the background.

¨ measure the relationships of the key dimensions – not only with your eye, but with a stick or ruler as well.

¨ for a portrait, some key relationships are – 1/3^rd chin to nose, 1/3^rd nose to line of eyebrows, and 1/3^rd eyebrow line to hairline. Eyes are about halfway from top to bottom of head. Distance between the pupils of eyes is about the same as the width of the mouth.

3. Before moving to the canvas, prepare it by priming with a background color rather than leaving it white. You can even use latex house paint.
4. Then prepare your palette – cover it with wax paper, and then dab the colors you will use that session at specific spots around the edge. For example, a counterclockwise arrangement is – white, black, lite yellow, dark yellow, lite red, dark red, red-brown, green, violet blue, green blue.
5. Once prepared, and comfortable with the spatial relationships you have discovered doing the pencil sketch, lightly paint the outlines of the subject onto the canvas using a thin brush (filbert #2) and a light shade like raw sienna. Any mistakes can be washed away with a bit of Gamsol. Sketch in not only the subject, but the main features of the background as well.
6. When painting, hold your arm out and use the brush as an extension of your arm. A knobbed support stick can be used to steady your hand for detail work.
7. Once you’ve established your lines, it is time to analyze the coloration.

¨ hot colors (yellow) will predominate and come forward to the eye.

¨ cool colors (blue) will regress and fade away from the eye.

¨ to define a shape, e.g. an egg, use hotter colors at the center and cooler colors toward the edge.

¨ for a shadow, you swap from warm to cool.

8. All colors are combinations of yellow, red, and blue – but their differences are extremely varied, e.g.

¨ cadmium red is warm – alizarin crimson is cool

¨ cadmium yellow is warm – naples yellow is cool

¨ sap green is warm – viridian green is cool

¨ ultramarine blue is warm – cerulean blue is cool

¨ burnt umber is warm – raw umber is cool

9. Make sure you use enough paint when you are mixing colors so that you don’t lose the right shade before you finish. In addition,

¨ be certain that the light is good when you are mixing and applying colors because they will change in different light.

¨ some combinations can be predicted, e.g. flesh tones are composed of red+yellow+green+white

¨ phthalo blue and phthalo green can be combined to yield turquoise.

10. When applying your paints, the general rule is to start –

¨ from the center out, and

¨ from the dark to the light

11. Observation is the key to all painting. You must observe your subject and determine what color values are present. Once you have determined the color value of a given portion, create a mix of that value on the palette. Then use part of that mix to create a lightened mix and a darkened mix that you use to accent the core value. Apply the paint, using generous strokes at first to spread the color around. This is an initial application, not final. You are trying to lay out the major values, not the details. While the paint is wet, it is easy to blend these values. But in the process, you will continually have to go back and reinforce the initial darks as the lights are laid down.
12. Laying down the paint is an iterative process. The details become a bit more defined with each iteration. To help your observation, look at your work upside down or with a mirror. The change enables you to see aspects you would otherwise miss.
13. When cleaning up –

¨ you can preserve your palette oils for awhile by placing the wax paper containing them in a Tupperware container or a Ziploc envelope.

¨ brushes always must be carefully cleaned - first with Gamsol, then with Dawn.

¨ to assure you can open the caps on the tubes in the future, don’t tighten them all the way. If they are stuck when opening, you can free them up most easily by first tightening them more.

14. Be patient with yourself and enjoy it. This is an activity whose pace you can control and go back to again and again. You, and your friends, may be amazed by what you create.

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Personal Financial Planners offer one answer to the nagging question, “What do I do with my money?” Like any group of service providers, they come in a variety of flavors. They segment themselves by –

• The amount of money per account they accept under their management,
• The range of services they provide to those accounts,
• Whether they are independent or company/franchise operators,
• How they charge for their services, and
• The professional organizations in which they participate (are certified).

As in any services sector, planners also segment themselves into poor, average, good, better, and best. As you might expect, that classification can be quite difficult to discern.

By and large, Personal Financial Planning was a spin off of the insurance industry. Good insurance brokers have always needed to understand their client’s financial picture, and adding financial products to their product portfolio was a natural. Then some stock brokers saw the opportunity and jumped aboard. Today, it has become an established, self-regulated sector.

1.  To begin your search for a planner, start with the organizations, i.e.

• Financial Planning Association (FPA),
• The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA),
• Certified Financial Planner (CFP), and
• National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA).

2.  Visit the web sites of a few planners listed in your area. You will find –

• Nearly all listings will specify the financial tiers, e.g. from $100,000 to $5million, for which they will accept clients.
• Many planners will specify certain financial sectors in which they specialize as well as the range of services they provide.
• Whether the planner is part of an independent firm or a larger company/franchise is often not highlighted, but the information can be researched or requested.
• The NAPFA members have fee-based services while the FPA members typically offer free initial consultations with a combination of fee and commission-based services thereafter.
• CFA members have passed certain tests to become certified. They will appear throughout the listings of the other organization.
• NAIFA members are closely wedded to the insurance industry and often stress annuities as their primary financial offering.

3.  Ask your friends and neighbors. Although people often don’t discuss it, most will readily give you the name of their planner if they have one. Whether they will give you an accurate evaluation of their performance is another question entirely. If you target your inquiries toward people whose judgment you trust, however, you might find a name that keeps popping up.

4.  In any case, interview a few planners to discover how comfortable you are with them. Ideally, this relationship should last for a few years. You have no need to pay for a personality clash no matter what rate of return they profess to achieve.

Once you have taken all of these steps, you should have discovered someone with a few more tools, interest, and motivation to achieve better financial results than you could effect on your own. In this crazy market, that can’t hurt.

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As a country, America’s self image has always tried to stake out the high ground. We are there to “Do Good”. We are for “Freedom” and against the “Oppressors”. We are quick to condemn “Injustice”. We consider ourselves to be a nation built upon moral principles.

Are we?

At the end of 2010, our Congress struggled with, and finally passed, healthcare reform, i.e. the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Those against these changes kept to the theme that “socialized medicine is bad”. Apparently, they would prefer their medical treatment to be asocial, and that is exactly what a twelve-minute exam gets you.

Last year, a very interesting book was published named The Healing of America. It is a delightfully readable description of this very complex subject. Its author, T. R. Reid, is a Washington Post correspondent with a problematic shoulder. To get his shoulder fixed, and to discover the realities of medical practices in today’s world, he traveled to France, Germany, Japan, Great Britain, Canada, and India. In each country, he sought out the finest doctors and medical practitioners and asked for their advice. He also assessed the cost and the timeliness of the various remedies that were proposed. From this first-hand medical marathon, he developed an assessment of the national medical experiences from a patient’s point of view.

Then, he compared these systems to the medical practices found in America. He discovers that the myth we have the best healthcare in the world is challenged by the statistics. America ranks – 24^th for healthy life expectancy, 37^th in healthcare system performance, and 47^th for average life expectancy at birth. The only measure in which we can claim that we are number one is cost.

Rather than be negative, however, Mr. Reid presents a very clear and concise description of the various types of health systems in the world and compares them to what America is doing. The comparisons are both instructive and revealing. In addition, he adds the systems that Taiwan and Switzerland have recently enacted. He argues that America should be able to study these systems, pick the best elements from each, and change to these more effective practices.

But the book ends where it begins, i.e. with the sobering message that more than 20,000 Americans in the prime of life die each year because they cannot afford healthcare. At the beginning and end, the question is a moral one. How moral a nation are we if we allow this to happen?

For more information go to -

• The author’s website
• The wikipedia summary
• Business Week’s review
• Amazon listing

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Human beings, as social creatures, are bound to live in community. But living in community brings with it two intrinsic elements - regulations and taxes.

In the history of mankind, you have to assume that regulations came before taxes. The first regulations likely involved the proper sharing of the food from the hunt. Time and work contributions to the community didn’t get replaced by taxes until some sort of currency was established. However, the lapse of time between the two couldn’t have been more than a few moments. No one with any power would skip an opportunity like that.

Eons later, we are still involved with community and still arguing about regulations and taxes. Conservatives want less sharing and stress the rights of the individual. Liberals stress the good of the community, and are more willing to accept regulations and taxes to enhance it. Obviously, both viewpoints have some validity. It is a question of balance.

Right now, the issue of Social Security is moving into the crosshairs of our Federal Government. Where is the proper balance?

When Social Security started out, it was an insurance plan. Our payroll deductions that were made for Social Security were insurance premiums. Like any insurance program, the money was to be invested and the benefits paid out of from the fruits of those investments. Those funds grew, performed, and began to look to tempting to ignore. Before long, Congress decided to “utilize” these funds and ignore the insurance concept. As a consequence, the program is under-funded today.

Now, what do we do? How about we allow senior citizens to work? Give them the choice.

• Possibly it is wrong to ask this question at this time when so many younger people are out of work, but many senior citizens would love the opportunity. But we live in a youth-oriented society, and in the workplace, senior citizens are more often tolerated than valued.
• Provide sliding scale tax incentives to companies that hire senior citizens. For example, one credit/hire for jobs that pay in the 20’s, two for jobs that pay in the 30’s, three for jobs that pay in the 40’s, etc. This would counter the earnings barrier that seniors face. As a professional who works to find jobs for seniors recently said, “The best opportunities that I can find for seniors in major cities pay $12/hour. I have people with PhD’s working for that.”
• Our current tax code already returns Social Security payments for anyone with some earnings. Working seniors not only recognize, but willingly accept that. Effectively, because of the opportunity to work, they are paying their own way.
• Promote job sharing so that those that didn’t want or need to work fulltime could share their responsibilities flexibly with another person. This arrangement could be very beneficial to organizations that have variable business demands.

Congress seems afraid to reduce Social Security, and the way things stand now, they should. However, if given an incentive, some of the younger members of our society might be courageous enough to stop calling us “Honey” or “Dear” and start treating us more as equals. They might be surprised that we have contributions to make and that experience really does have some value.

Today, Social Security is nothing more than guilt money. It allows Congress to assume the posture that the “senior issue” has not only been dealt with, but generously. However, if you ask anyone that has to live on it, they will laugh in your face. For many of these people, the opportunity for a job would be a gift.

Some sites for further thoughts are -

• There are a few opportunities, e.g. Experience Works
• A Canadian perspective, Senior Years
• Volunteering is the current option, e.g. Senior Corps

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Once you are called “elderly”, there is only one form of dependence that you care for, IN. Independence is treasured by the elderly because it validates their worth as a person. You despise the thought of moving to the “Home.”

Once you become a burden to others, especially family members, the chore of living escalates. You are delighted whenever family members come to visit until you realize that the main purpose of the visit is to check up on you. This threat to your independence can become terrifying.

But today, technology can provide facilities to extend independent living. There is a small, but growing, technology sector aimed at this need, and any savvy senior should become aware of it. Taking the time to learn about it, and implement a solution while you are still in control, is as common sense as installing a grab bar in the shower. It is important to think ahead. This NYTimes article is a good place to start.

Technology moves fast enough that these words are likely obsolete as they are being written. But they should give you a sense of what is happening. At this point, Caregiving Technology can be broken down into three sectors – measure, monitor, and manage.

Measure – This involves devices that quantify aspects of health status. For example, they can dispense medications or actually take blood pressure readings. These results can be automatically sent to family members or health professionals if desired. To get an idea, look at -

• Phillips Medication Dispensing
• Ideal Life

Monitor – Essentially, these are home security systems in reverse. Motion sensors are installed throughout the residence, and alerts can be sent if a door is left open or if too much or too little activity is observed at certain hours of the day.

• Phillips Lifeline
• Grandcare Systems

Manage – Once in a while, everyone needs a helping hand at any age. However, older people can be more reticent to ask for it. This technology establishes a network of local friends and neighbors that permit members to ask for help, e.g. a trip to the doctor on Thursday at 3:00 PM.

• Lotsa Helping Hands
• Beacon Hill Village

There really is an amazing number of choices. Some can be expensive, and others quite modest. The point is to learn about them now and become aware of new developments as they occur. Check the UCLA’s Wireless Healthcare Projects that will undoubtedly revolutionize Caregiving Technology within the next ten years.

Now, maybe it is time to get that grab bar mounted in the shower.

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Just like real estate and insurance, the rules for Assisted Living and Nursing Homes vary by state. The comments and concerns mentioned here pertain to the State of Washington. Your state may be different. But the issues raised are real and are a concern to everyone. If someone you love is in a care facility, you need to be aware of the issues.

These comments are merely reactions to a series of investigative articles that appeared in the Seattle Times under the name of “Seniors for Sale”. Just the title can scare you, but the details are even more arresting.

For example –

• Because of the Baby Boomers, Senior Care is seen as a growth industry.
• Referral services now exist that can route candidates for nursing care to homes that are enrolled but never monitored.
• Homes pay about one-month of their caregiving charge (c. $3,500) for each successful referral.
• Homes can be established by nearly anyone.
• There is very little oversight. No specific staffing levels are required.
• Homeowners are not required to have adequate training.
• Although abuses can be, and are, reported by the Department of Social and Health Services, these are after-the-fact.

It must be extremely frustrating for the careful, loving, well-established homes to be accused by implication in this scandal. These are the homes that don’t want or need referral services. These are the ones whose relationship with their clients is as personal as it is financial.

The question is, “How do you find these good places?”

The obvious answer is, “It takes effort.”

• Research, research, research. – Start early before the need is immediate.
• Learn about and observe – cleanliness, staffing levels, training certifications, scheduled activities, and references.
• Visit and observe at both scheduled and unscheduled times.
• Perform internet and local inquiries about any report of abuses.
• Talk to the employees. Are they happy?

Although the best home is absolutely your own, any of us could become candidates for another “Home.” The natural inclination is to ignore or delay the thought of it. But our own network of friends and acquaintances may be the best place to start our research. People talk, and it is wise to listen. If you do some of the legwork now, it will give your family a place to start if that day actually arrives.

Don’t wind up “For Sale.”

As we wind down 2010, the facet of our culture that seems most disturbing to any US citizen is the point that politics has reached in this country. And whether you consider yourself to be a Democrat, Independent, or Republican, it certainly doesn’t seem that 2010 will provide any improvement.

The latest poll by Gallup, taken on December 10 – 12, 2010 shows that 83% of Americans disapprove of the job that our US Congress is doing. This is the worst rating Congress has received in the 30 years that Gallup has been conducting the poll. Rather than being surprised by this result, one really has to wonder what those other thirteen-percenters that approve the job are thinking.

What is particularly upsetting is to hear leaders in Congress instructing party members to “do nothing”. Apparently, they can still draw a paycheck if they follow that advice. Did they ever hear that legislation involves listening, negotiation, and compromise? Aren’t they there to create legislation that will help this county perform better? Isn’t that their job?

Perchance it is time to for Congress to implement performance pay. They could create a commission plan based upon number of bills passed, with special incentives for high priority items, e.g. tax reform. If the recent threat of working during the Holidays was enough to expedite passage of so much legislation, think of what incentive pay could accomplish? Perhaps our Congressional Members in Washington would spend more time having a sandwich with members from the other party rather than having another fancy lunch with lobbyists.

This site has deliberately tried to avoid any political comment because civility seems to have been forgotten in our current discussions of opinion. Do you remember when talking politics was fun? Unfortunately, our current culture seems to be locked into “positions of principal”. What were once considered to be opinions that could become refined through further discussion now have transformed themselves into immutable principals.

Would that they would focus upon the principals of –

• Education, since America is ranked 17^th per Wikipedia
• Democracy, since America also ranks 17^th in that measure per Ranking America
• Healthcare, since America ranks 37^th per World Health Organization

Negotiation and compromise often lead to results that are less than ideal. Great deals are characterized by the result that everyone involved is a little disappointed. But as G. K Chesterton once said, “If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing poorly.”

Maybe, with a bit of listening, we can accomplish worthwhile things once again, even if they are done “poorly”.

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Is there is a rowing machine in your storage covered with dust? Or a jump rope? Or weights? Or any number of other items meant to get you to move? We all seem to have them. We all know we should move our muscles. We all know we would sleep better if we did. We know a lot . . . but it is so easy to say, “Tomorrow, when we have time.”

But there are some basics to maintaining our health, at whatever age, that we should not put off until tomorrow. No doctor can do it for us. We have to do it for ourselves. It simply requires commitment and a positive attitude.

1. Move - How you do it doesn’t matter. Walk, swim, dance, or jog. It all moves the muscles, lubes the joints, and stirs the blood. Exercise lets our body know that we appreciate and need it. It circulates all those biochemicals that keep things in balance. Thirty minutes is good. An hour is better. Ten minutes is better than nothing. When the weather is ugly, a steady walk through the mall, without rest stops, is quite effective. As the Nike ad says, “Just do it!”
2. Sleep - For some reason, gray hair and sleep don’t seem to mix. Whether it is the urge to make a run to the bathroom, some memories that just won’t quit, or concerns about a relative or friend, there always seems to be some obstacle to a solid night’s sleep. But those obstacles invariably fade after a day of vigorous movement. And if those thoughts just won’t quit, get up and read something boring for 30 – 45 minutes to tire your eyes. Keep trying things until you find a routine that works for you. Sleep has too many health benefits to ignore.
3. Eat – We seem to have become a nation of poor eating habits. With all the quick-fix food items out there, it is easy to simply “grab something.” The excuses are legion . . . ”One little bite won’t hurt. Just a taste.” ”It’s not like you do it everyday.” ”Oh, I just need this now.”

   But the reality is that we do need to read the labels and balance our meals. Fruits and vegetables, fish and fowl, fiber and vitamins – all need to be a part of our regular diet. But it can be difficult to make the effort when you are eating alone. Without a social component, there is a strong temptation at dinner to just get it over with.

   Everyone’s situation is unique. But we all have the obligation to find a solution that works for us. Some eat their main meal at lunch. Others join a group that meets regularly and includes a meal. Still others may arrange to have meals delivered (e.g. Meals-On-Wheels). Whatever your solution, it is imperative that you take the effort to find one and make it happen.

4. Wash – If you are not going out each day, you may be tempted to “take a pass” on the daily regimen of ablutions. But our skin, teeth, and feet need the respect of daily care. Don’t use a harsh soap that will dry your skin. Flossing is not an option; it must be done at least once a day. Your feet need special care since your mobility and balance depends on them; keep your toenails properly trimmed.
5. Monitor and Medicate – In 2011, Medicare will expand its coverage for preventative care. We should all know our numbers, i.e. blood pressure, waist size, HDL, LDL, TSH, and blood sugar. We should all have a stress test, an annual flu shot, and a colonoscopy every ten years. Most of us should take a daily multivitamin and baby aspirin. No one should smoke.
6. Smile – This is the key to making everything else work. Without a smile and a positive attitude, no one will make the effort to do all of the other things properly. We all can become experts for excuses and delays. But with a positive attitude, people create a purpose to their days, enjoy the surprises they encounter, cope with the difficulties, and aggressively engage life. You owe it to yourself, and to everyone around you, to smile.

Just doing these basic things each day will go a long way toward preserving our health. Aging still advances, but we improve our ability to handle those advances. “Just do it!”

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It is almost “Medicare review time” (November 15th – December 31st), that time of year when it is possible to adjust your enrollments in either Part C or Part D plans. You may be asking, “Is this the year I should choose Medicare Advantage (Part C), or should I enroll (or continue) in traditional Medicare (Parts A and B)?”

Medicare Advantage is the name given to the private insurance programs that were started with the idea of privatizing all of Medicare. There are some similarities and some bold differences between traditional Medicare and the Advantage plans. Do these differences make an Advantage plan the right choice for you?

Only you can decide, but here are some things for you to consider.

*Location – As private insurance plans, Advantage plans are controlled at the state level. What holds true in Connecticut doesn’t necessarily apply in Colorado. You have to look at the details for your individual state. In addition, you have to consider your distance to the physical locations where the services are provided. Go to the Medicare site to learn about the plans where you live.

*Structure – Traditional Medicare is a fee-for-service plan run by the government and accepted nearly everywhere. There is no “gatekeeper” aspect to traditional Medicare. You can go to any doctor that is accepting new Medicare patients.

Medicare Advantage private plans can take many forms, e.g. – HMO’s where you choose from a specific list of doctors and hospitals, PPO’s which allow use of some out-of-network providers at a higher cost, PFFS’s which will allow any doctor or hospital that will accept their terms, and SNP’s which limit membership to people with special needs. Typically, all care requires pre-approval by a physician in the plan who acts as its gatekeeper.

*Coverage – Traditional Medicare covers most specific “medically necessary” treatments. In addition, the 2010 health legislation finally added a number of preventative health measures as well.

The Medicare Advantage plans must provide coverage for the same treatments provided by traditional Medicare. However, they do not have to cover every treatment in the same way. For example, they may pay less for skilled nursing care but offer more coverage for preventative care, prescription drug coverage, and vision and dental as well.

*Costs – Here is where it gets interesting. That same tag line form the Watergate era applies here, “Follow the Money.”

For traditional Medicare, most people have already earned the Part A coverage (hospitals) and there is no additional charge. There is an additional monthly charge for Part B (doctors). Although this official charge for 2011 will be $115.40, most enrolled seniors will only pay the 2008 rate of $96.40 since the rate is locked whenever there is no cost-of-living increase for Social Security. You should also look at the costs of Medigap policies and the Medicare Drug plan (Part D) when comparing traditional Medicare to an Advantage plan that includes these benefits.

For Medicare Advantage, the rates (and their coverages) vary by plan. Because they are private programs, these plans can charge what they want. They can set their own rates, deductibles, and co-pays. They can also change these fees each year. If the plan becomes unprofitable, these plans can simply go out of business.

In addition to the premiums you will pay for an Advantage plan, traditional Medicare also pays these private firms a set amount each month per person enrolled to compensate for the coverage they provide. To help launch these programs, this amount paid has exceeded the amount paid for a person enrolled in the traditional Medicare. It was about $1,100 last year. That discrepancy is scheduled to be phased out over the next few years, so there is some concern that these plans will either raise their rates or drop extra coverages. Reading this article will provide you with some interesting insights on these developments.

*Performance – As you would expect, the performance level of these various plans can vary by location. Ask people you trust around your neighborhood to discover if there are any organizations that it may be wise to avoid. The Wikipedia article on Medicare gives a good description of the big picture and some links that may help your search for performance information. Its section on Medicare Advantage plans is especially helpful.

*Conclusions – Generally, the few rules of thumb you can follow are -

• If you live in a rural area, stick with Traditional Medicare Parts A & B. It is likely that Part C will cost you too much time and gas money.
• If you are in reasonably good health and live in an urban area, you may be able to save some money with a Medicare Advantage plan, especially one with an HMO structure that is well managed.
• If you health is deteriorating and you are facing major costs, you are probably safer with Traditional Medicare.

If you want to learn more details on what happens during this annual change period, visit this site for more details.

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