Ohio Celtic Fest is this weekend

If you're looking for something fun to do this weekend, visit 
The Ohio Celtic Fest at the Lake County Fairgrounds, on Mentor Avenue in Painesville Township.  There'll be six stages of non-stop musical entertainment - from Celtic rock to ballads and everything in between. Bagpipe band. Irish dancers from four local schools of dance. Lots of food. Shopping. And a kid's area with magicians, storytellers, petting zoo and bouncy things.

Stop by the Coffee House, sponsored by Mutsko Insurance Services, if you get a chance.

For more information, go to ohiocelticfest.com

Four ways to save big on prescription costs

1. Shop Around.
Prices at different pharmacies can vary dramatically, as much as from $4 to $250 or more within your neighborhood for the same prescription. Visit www.goodrx.com to compare prices and find coupons.  It pays to check.

Be sure to ask for the pharmacy’s lowest price because additional discounts may be available when you’re a member of a store’s loyalty plan. And don’t overlook your insurer’s “preferred” retail or mail order pharmacy when comparing costs. Some insurers and Medicare Part D Plans have negotiated deep-discounts to help you save.

2. Be wary of coupons.
Makers of brand-name drugs often flood the market with discount coupons in order to keep you as a customer. Even if a coupon cuts the cost you pay at the counter, your employer and insurance company are often paying the full price which will cost you in higher premiums down the road.

3. Cut the quantity 
Ask for a 14-day supply to get you started and see whether it help you without side effects. Once you're sure it works for you, you can refill a larger quantity.

4. Ask about OTC drugs, samples or a two week supply
Your physician may write prescriptions for drugs even after they are available over-the-counter. But, over the counter drugs are often cheaper so be sure to ask your doctor if your drug is available over the counter. 

What your doctor calls your visit can cost you.

Annual Wellness or Preventive Care Visit?

How your visit is coded by your physician’s office may mean the difference between your claim being covered or denied.

 

If you have Medicare Part B for longer than 12 months, you can get an annual wellness visit or update a personalized prevention plan on your current health and risk factors. 

This visit is covered once every 12 months.

 

Be sure your doctor codes it as an Annual Wellness Visit not a preventive visit to avoid any mix-ups or your claim being denied.

 

Getting Started with Medicare

Get the facts on Medicare. Attend one of our upcoming Getting Started with Medicare seminars. 

This class covers all the basics and is especially helpful for people turning 65, those going on Medicare for the first time or anyone who want to brush up on the most current Medicare information.

Preregistration is required. Please register by calling the phone number listed for the class you wish to attend. These events are only for educational purposes and no plan specific benefits or details will be shared. Some venues charge a nominal fee.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Lakeland Community College
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
7700 Clock Tower Drive, Kirtland, OH 44094
440-525-7116

Thursday, August 7, 2014
Mentor Library
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
8215 Mentor Ave., Mentor, OH 44060
440-255-8811

Monday, August 18, 2014
Morley Library
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
184 Phelps St., Painesville, OH 44077,  Meeting Room B
440-255-5700

Still Need Health Coverage?

Did you recently graduated from college?  

Have you aged off of your parent’s health plan? 

Are there events that left you without health insurance? 

Even though open enrollment is over, you may still have options to get health coverage this year. You may be qualified to sign up for private health insurance in the Marketplace right now, outside the Annual Open Enrollment Period.  

Anyone who experiences a qualifying life event is eligible to purchase private insurance in the Marketplace. Here are some examples of qualifying life events:

·         No longer covered by your parents’ plan

·         Get married

·         Get divorced

·         Death of a spouse

·         Have a baby or adopt a child

·         Move to a new area

·         Lost other health insurance including student health plans

Employment-Related Qualifying Events

You may also qualify for the Special Enrollment Period if your employment is terminated, your hours are cut back or your COBRA benefits expire. You will need to provide a letter from your employer on company stationary that verifies your termination or reduction in hours in order to qualify. For expiration of COBRA benefits, you will need a letter of documentation with your termination date.

Time Limits

You have sixty days from the date of any qualifying event to apply for health insurance coverage. In all cases you will be asked to provide documentation of the qualifying life event in the form of a birth or adoption certificate, marriage license, divorce decree or other legal documents.

Medicaid or CHIP coverage                                                                                 Enrollment to Medicaid or CHIP is open all year round. If you qualify, you (or a family member) can enroll immediately.

Call me to discuss your options.

If you or someone you know has questions on whether their circumstances qualify as an eligible life changing event, please contact me. I’ll do the checking and provide the best insurance choices for you and your budget.

There’s never a charge for my services.

Allergy Strategies

How to keep your spring allergies in check.

Suffering from springtime allergies?  Your first impulse may be to reach for allergy medicines. Instead, think about taking some practical steps to help reduce the pollen, dust mites and other allergens inside your home. 

1.  Windows: Wash curtain and wipe down blinds. Keep windows closed to keep pollen outside.

2.  Bedding: Wash pillowcases, sheets and blankets regularly - at least once a week or more. Cover your pillows, mattress and box springs with covers that are dust-mite-proof.  

3.  Stuffed Animals:  If you cannot wash your kids' stuffed animals, run them through an air fluff cycle in the dryer. Store stuffed animals in a plastic bin to keep dust to a minimum.

4.  Clothing:  Leave your shoes at the door, change your clothes and take a quick shower after being outside to reduce pollen inside your home.

5.  Flooring:  Replace carpeting with hardwood floors, tile and linoleum.  All of these harbor  fewer allergens than carpeting and rugs. If you cannot replace your carpeting, wash your rugs regularly and deep clean your carpeting.

6.  Smoking:  Allergies are simply one more reason to ask smokers not to light up inside your home.

Don't Automatically Use Your Insurance for Prescriptions

Can that be right??? That you shouldn't automatically use your prescription insurance for every prescription? 

There are hundreds of commonly used generic medications that can be purchased for as little as $10 for a three-month supply at grocery stores, major drugstores and club stores like Costco and Sam’s Club. You may find some drugs usually covered by your insurance might be less expensive if you pay cash instead using your insurance.

Even if your cost at the counter is the same when you use your insurance card, your insurance company or your employer are often paying the full price which will cost you in higher premiums down the road.