Crown Care Patient Advocacy

Medical Services Navigation, Medicare Navigation and Social Security Optimization

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Insomnia - Alcohol, Melatonin or Herbal Products?

Insomnia – Alcohol, Melatonin or Herbal Products?

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ALCOHOL  Does alcohol help with sleep?  Not really.  At first it causes central nervous depression but  is usually followed by a rebound excitation.  This causes disrupted sleep.

MELATONIN  If taken 3-5 hours before bedtime, melatonin may help with sleep onset.  It does not seem to work if taken at bedtime.

HERBAL PRODUCTS AND CANNABIS  Valerian Root, Kava and…

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Inspector General findings: Medicare Advantage Plans Improperly Deny Claims to Increase Profits

Inspector General findings: Medicare Advantage Plans Improperly Deny Claims to Increase Profits

From a NYTIMES article By Robert Pear

  WASHINGTON — Medicare Advantage plans, the popular private-insurance alternative to the traditional Medicare program, have been improperly denying many medical claims to patients and physicians alike, federal investigators say in a new report.

The private plans, which now cover more than 20 million people — more than one-third of all Medicare…

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SEPTEMBER 2018 NEWSLETTER

Childhood chicken pox can come back to haunt you as shingles, a painful blistering rash. There are now 2 vaccines to protect against shingles, the original Zostavax and the new one Shingrix.

Who should get Shingrix?

Healthy adults 50 years and older even if you had the original vaccine in the past.

How many injections?

Two doses of Shingrix is more than 90% effective at preventing shingles.…

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Where is my new Medicare card?

Where is my new Medicare card?

  HAVE YOU RECEIVED YOUR NEW MEDICARE CARD?

If not, check the Medicare website https://www.medicare.gov/newcard/

This site will indicate the status of the new cards:

Finished mailing

Mailing now

Mailing soon

(Hawaii cards are finished mailing)

  Medicare uses the name and address you have on file with Social Security.  To change your name and/or address, visit your online my Social Security…

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Traveling with Medicare - Can you use your drug plan on the trip?

Traveling with Medicare – Can you use your drug plan on the trip?

Many of our Hawaii travelers take trips to the mainland that last more than 3 weeks.  Travelers should always check that they have enough medication to last through the duration of their trip.

But what if you run out?  Can you get refills on the road?  Will they cost the same?  Can you get extra pills in advance?  What about foreign travel?

You can get prescriptions refilled at pharmacies across…

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Why is the nursing billing us when mom has Medicare?

Why is the nursing billing us when mom has Medicare?

Answer:  Medicare covers some eligible nursing home costs – not all.  Maybe she has been there over 20 days or no longer qualifies for “skilled” care.

Recently I received an email requesting assistance for a client’s mother who had just had a stroke. She lived alone and could not return to her home. The family, like many others in similar situations, did not realize what the potential cost of…

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Flying and Infection- a new study

Flying and Infection- a new study

Flying soon?  Worried about contagious diseases?  This is an interesting article posted on Medscape Localized Risk for Infection Transmission on Planes, Study Finds The likelihood of airline passengers transmitting infectious diseases to one another is low, new data suggest. Although passengers seated within one row or two seats on either side of an infected individual have an 80% or higher…

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March 2018 Newsletter

Our latest newsletter includes a travel alert, yellow fever vaccine info and the impending arrival of new Medicare Cards.  Click here to view the March 2018 letter

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FILING TIPS - LONG TERM CARE CLAIMS

FILING TIPS – LONG TERM CARE CLAIMS

Have a Long Term Care claim?  Think it’s going to be a slam dunk? THINK AGAIN! Unless you know exactly how to word your claim, approval could be a long journey and even denied.  So what can you do to help prepare for receiving these benefits?  Here are some suggestions: Review your policy to assess the criteria and requirements used for approval of claims.  Share this criteria with your…

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MEDICARE COST ALERT

URGENT MESSAGE FOR  MEDICARE PATIENTS This year your Medicare drug plan is a moving target!  It is recommended Medicare enrollees review their current plan annually. This is even more crucial for 2018 as we have noticed a remarkable increase in some drug plan copay costs.  For example, a comparison of Medicare drug plans for a client on the same drugs as last year showed a $5000 + difference…

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CROWN CARE HPR INTERVIEW

CROWN CARE HPR INTERVIEW

CROWN CARE ON HPR “THE BODY SHOW”  OCTOBER 16, 2017  Patient Advocacy and Medicare Navigation hear our interview 

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MY MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN - THE GOOD OLD DAYS

MY MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN – THE GOOD OLD DAYS

When I was first eligible for Medicare I signed up for a Medicare Advantage Plan……what a great deal! The coverage was comparable to private insurance plans and it even had wonderful drug coverage. We at Crown Care recommend annual review of Medicare plans to see if coverage is the same or better.  This recommendation is even more important for 2018, as there will be notable changes in Advantage…

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MY MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN - THE GOOD OLD DAYS

MY MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN – THE GOOD OLD DAYS

When I was first eligible for Medicare I signed up for a Medicare Advantage Plan……what a great deal! The coverage was comparable to private insurance plans and it even had wonderful drug coverage. We at Crown Care recommend annual review of Medicare plans to see if coverage is the same or better.  This recommendation is even more important for 2018, as there will be notable changes in Advantage…

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WHAT DO YOU DO IF A LOVED ONE PASSES AWAY WHILE TRAVELING?

WHAT DO YOU DO IF A LOVED ONE PASSES AWAY WHILE TRAVELING?

A few years back I attended a funeral for my aunt who had passed away in Texas but was brought back to Hawaii to be buried.  Knowing how expensive it is to transport a body from place to place, especially over the ocean, I was curious to find out how my cousin was able to afford such an expensive feat.  “We purchased an insurance plan for $500 when mom moved in with us,” she explained, “and when…

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Crown Care's Second Quarter Newsletter

Crown Care’s Second Quarter Newsletter

Click here to see our second quarter newsletter! with information on Retirement and upcoming changes in Medicare Supplement Plan F.

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The New Trend - Hospitalists

The New Trend – Hospitalists

When was the last time you were admitted to the hospital?  Did you notice your primary care physician did not visit you in the hospital?  You did, however, have another physician called a “Hospitalist” who monitored and cared for you while you were an inpatient.  Hospitalists belong to a growing community of physicians whose clinical practice is limited to the medical care of hospital inpatients.…

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Retiring Abroad With Medicare

Retiring Abroad With Medicare

LIVING ABROAD WITH MEDICARE? Living in a foreign country is appealing to many retirees.   But, hold on, before doing that make sure you have medical coverage wherever you are going, especially if you are going to be covered with Medicare.  Why?  Medicare usually does not cover medical services abroad except for some emergencies.  In spite of that, those who qualify for Medicare are expected to…

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