LifeTimes Medicare Guide 2024

Living well after 50 Tampa Bay Times | Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023

Your guide to

Medicare 2024

Are you 65 or over? Open enrollment is here!

LifeTimes’ Medicare 2024 issue has the answers and advice you’ll need to get things sorted.

CROSSWORD The Hollywood Shuffle #4 by Merl Reagle ACROSS

1 Annoyance 5 Flatten 9 Iraqi missile 13 “Law & Order” first name 16 Broadcast and print, e.g.

17 Aleutian island 18 Super stars?

20 Let it all out, perhaps 21 Bill Gates’s favorite film?

24 It’s found in the ground 25 Rod or ton, e.g.

26 Never-give-up trait 27 Film about Super Dog, based on his famous shout?

29 Champlain, e.g., to Champlain 30 Mixed bag 31 Risk taker 33 Edition 34 Film from Redundancy Pictures?

37 Watering holes 40 Speck of land in the ocean 41 Louis Quatorze, e.g.

42 Van Rensselaer founded one: abbr.

43 Actor Stoltz 47 Murder mystery that takes place in an office?

53 ___ Victor 56 Canola triglyceride 57 Be beaten by 58 On the ___ (at large) 59 Consumes 61 Nauseated 62 Taylor of “The Haunting” 64 Maya Angelou poem, “Still ___” 66 Film about “a football star by day, a vampire by night”?

72 Soft-palate thingy 73 Flaws and all 74 Old boat

75 N.Y.C. PBS station 76 ___-de-lance 77 Bubble-bath features 81 Prospero’s servant 83 With 101 Down, unfaithful ones 84 Film about Tarzan’s bonsai garden?

89 Ump’s call 90 Do in 91 Eggs 92 Joanne in “The Long, Hot Summer” 96 Spud 98 Film featuring the line “I’m gonna (ribbit) give him an offer (ribbit) he can’t refuse (ribbit)”?

102 Light lunch 105 Commercial honors 107 Pal, to Papillon 108 Sesame-seed site 109 Gender-reassignment musical?

112 Composer Khachaturian 113 Marriage, e.g.

114 It’s a free country 115 Working title of “Psycho”?

119 Author Clancy 120 Between, to Berlioz 121 Life saver?

122 Leveled 123 Place to do laps 124 Salon offerings 125 Fight crew 126 Texas symbol

DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6

Flower stalk Times change?

Sloth, for one Mess Ohio city where Warren G. Harding is buried Element abbr.

7 Have snow fun 8 Party attire 9 Trap 10 Faces 11 Eye part 12 Fix, as socks 13 Odorous boats 14 Pianist Claudio 15 “Not a chance!”

16 Talking birds 19 Cantor the singer 21 It means “many” 22 A canal 23 Race loser 28 Plus 30 It means “straight” 31 A Christian name?

32 In the center of 35 Comprehend 36 Dianetics creator, partly 38 North Carolina county 39 “Ignore change” 42 One way to be packed 44 See 49 Down 45 Worried 46 Regains consciousness 48 Italian director Petri 49 With 44 Down, very capable on one’s own 50 Untamed 51 Dict. picture, e.g.

52 Potting ___ 53 Snubs 54 The bandit leader in “The Magnificent Seven” (played

by Eli Wallach) 55 Take ___ (see, in a way) 60 Aero ending 62 Rope 63 Palindromic adverb 65 Recorder abbr.

67 Hyphen’s cousin 68 Snarled 69 Give it ___ 70 Legal action

The crossword puzzle solution is on Page 30

71 Truck-to-truck talker 78 “___ la vie” 79 Mystery first name?

80 Area “closer” to the viewer, in tennis telecasts 81 Place ___ (buy space) 82 Café con ___ 85 Iron, e.g.

86 “Godzilla” studio, 1956 87 Concord Sonata composer 88 Little guy 93 Mediator 94 Defeated handily

95 Cecil B.’s niece 97 Sun-dried brick 98 Neat 99 Lusty 100 Asian nursemaid 101 See 83 Across 102 Closes 103 Guy with morals 104 Pack animal 106 Electro or hydro ending 110 Camera part 111 Like a literary rabbit 112 West of Hollywood

113 Lineage, to Luis 116 A California Santa 117 “... ___ a lender be” 118 Be up 108 Interest rate, for example: abbr.

113 Whodunit game 114 Europe’s high points 116 Had ham 117 Impressed exclamation 118 “You’ve got mail” co.

LifeTimes is produced and designed by the Marketing Department of the Tampa Bay Times.

EDITOR: Andrea Daly, adaly@tampabay.com ATTENTION BUSINESSES: Reach more than 429,100 LifeTimes readers*.

To advertise, call 1-880-333-7505, ext. 8725 or email sales@tampabay.com To submit story ideas, email lifetimes@tampabay.com *Source: 2023 Nielsen Scarborough Report (r 1)

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LIFETIMES

Medicare 2024

This special section is online at tampabay.com/medicare

How to use the Times Medicare charts project costs is to use Medicare’s Plan Finder.

Out-of-pocket cap: The maximum of payments for the year inside the network (Net) and outside the network (Out). The lower the cap, the better.

IMPORTANT: These out-of-pocket limits do not apply to prescription drug costs.

Generics in the gap: Once you and your plan have spent $5,030 on covered drugs in 2024, up from $4,660 in 2023, you are in the coverage gap. Some plans may offer you lower costs in the coverage gap.

The discount will come off the price that your plan has set with the pharmacy for that specific drug.

What’s in the charts Type: This chart shows three types of health plans with drug coverage: HMO, PPO and HMO-POS. They are explained below.

Rating: Medicare rates plans from 1 to 5 stars, based on customer satisfaction and certain health measures.

The top rating is a 5. People with Medicare can switch into a 5-star plan at any time during the year, even if it’s not during an enrollment period.

Counties served: Indicates whether plans are available in Hernando (Her.), Hillsborough (Hills.), Pasco and Pinellas (Pin.) counties.

Premium: Medicare recipients can expect to see an increase in their Medicare Part B premiums for 2024.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is projecting a rise from $164.90 in 2023 to $174.80 in 2024.

Part B reduction: Some plans pay part of the monthly Part B premium. This “premium reduction” — also called a rebate or a “premium give back” — is considered an additional benefit offered by a plan.

It’s usually returned to consumers in their monthly Social Security check. The chart indicates whether a plan offers a premium reduction. Since reductions can differ based on each beneficiary’s situation, please contact the insurer to find out the amount.

Drug deductible: In some plans, a deductible is paid before drug coverage kicks in. A drug deductible may not apply to all medications or tiers.

Doctor copay: This is the cost of every visit to the doctor. The first dollar figure is for primary care physicians; the second is for specialists. Costs are listed for physicians inside the network (Net) and outside the network (Out).

Hospital copay: This is the cost every time a patient is admitted to a hospital — both inside the network (Net) and outside the network (Out). For outpatient hospital coverage, refer to Medicare’s Plan Finder.

Yearly cost (Est.): Medicare’s estimated out-of-pocket costs under this plan, including the Part B premium and drug costs. It is based on an average person in good health but could vary greatly depending on the actual drugs and services needed. The best way to

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has comparable coverage elsewhere, using these plans can result in stiff penalties if that person ever wants Medicare drug coverage in later years.

Health plans: How they differ Medicare allows several types of private health plans, which cover all care. Here is how they differ: HMO (Health Maintenance Organization): Generally requires the use of providers within a network. A personal physician usually coordinates care and may need to approve visits to specialists.

PPO (Preferred Provider Organization): Encourages the use of providers within a network, with low copayments, but also allows the use of providers outside the network at a higher cost. Usually allows the use of specialists within the network without prior approval of a personal physician. Some bigger companies allow the use of their PPOs in other states.

Verify before signing up.

HMO-POS (HMO-Point of Service): A hybrid between an HMO and PPO. Usually requires staying within a network and may require the approval of a personal physician before seeing network specialists. It may cover some care outside the network. Some POS plans approve very little coverage outside the network, so check plans for details.

PFFS (Private Fee for Service): Has network, but allows members to get care outside the network if the provider will accept the plan’s payment, which many do not. Make sure provider will accept payment before incurring bills.

What’s not in the charts Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS) and Special Needs Plans (SNPs): See explanation below and medicare.gov for details.

Medicare supplement plans: Also known as Medigap, this coverage helps pay some health care costs that original Medicare doesn’t cover.

Copayments for other services: Plans usually charge copayments for drugs, skilled nursing homes, ambulances, emergency rooms and many other services.

Check individual plans for these details.

Goodies: Some plans offer some dental, hearing and vision coverage, exercise classes, transportation to the doctor and other extra benefits. Check plans for details.

Health plans without drugs: A few plans are cheaper because they do not offer drug coverage. Unless one

SNPs (Special Needs Plans): People with certain chronic conditions like diabetes and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) can sometimes qualify for a Special Needs Plan, which may include extra services for managing their disease. The consumer should make sure they qualify before purchasing. People living in nursing homes may also qualify for special plans, as can those on Medicaid.

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LIFETIMES

Medicare 2024

This special section is online at tampabay.com/medicare

Toni Says: Applying for a Medicare supplement at the right time is essential

BY TONI KING

Dear Toni, I retired last June when my employer offered a great retirement package with COBRA at no cost for me and my husband for 18 months, which ends this Dec. 31. I am 62 and will not be enrolling in Medicare for a while. My husband, John, is 72, and he enrolled in Medicare Part B in June 2022 when our COBRA began, because he was having heart surgery due to a heart attack.

He enrolled in Medicare Part A in 2018.

John needs help with applying for a Medicare supplement, but he is being denied for health issues because he must answer underwriting questions.

Why is it so complicated to apply for a Medicare supplement? What did we do wrong when I retired?

Please explain what John’s Medicare options are. ~ Sarah from Pearland, Texas

Hello Sarah: I have good news for you and John because there is a Medicare supplement rule that can keep him from answering underwriting questions despite his heart issues.

Since John is losing his COBRA “company” benefits, he qualifies for the 63-day guaranteed issue period to apply for a Medicare supplement/ Medigap plan without medical underwriting. He will need your company benefits termination letter to prove to the Medicare supplement plan that he is in a guaranteed issue period. Isn’t it amazing how complicated Medicare rules can be?

The Medicare & You handbook explains Medigap Guaranteed issue rights, and because John has “original Medicare and an employer group health plan (including retiree or COBRA coverage) that pays after Medi-

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care pays and that the plan is ending,” John is eligible for a Medicare supplement without medical underwriting.

With guaranteed issue, an insurance company: • Must sell you a Medigap/Medicare supplement policy. “You have the right to buy Medigap/Medicare supplement plan A, B, C, F, G, K or L that’s sold in your state by any insurance company.” John is not eligible for Plan G but is eligible for Medicare plans F or C with guaranteed issue rights since his Medicare Part A began in 2018. (Plans F and C are only available to those who were eligible for Part A prior to Jan. 1, 2020.) Those whose Medicare Part A began after Jan. 1, 2020 are eligible for Plan G (and not plans F or C) for a guaranteed issue plan. Additionally, there are only 63 days to apply for a Medicare supplement/Medigap

from the date the coverage ends. Include a copy of the termination letter to attach to the application to be approved. Do not delay enrolling on time.

• Must cover all your preexisting health conditions.

• Cannot charge you more for a Medicare supplement/Medigap policy, regardless of past or present health problems.

brand-name medications that he now has an affordable co-pay for.

You have to wait three years to enroll in Medicare, Sarah, and will need an under-65 health insurance plan to meet your needs until then.

America does not realize that enrolling in Medicare Part B is as valuable as gold and should be treated with kid gloves. With Medicare, it’s what you don’t know that will hurt you!

Sarah, when you and John attended the Zoom Toni Says personalized Medicare consultation, I could see the relief on both of your faces when I was able to design a plan to meet your financial needs. John’s prescriptions for his heart issues were expensive and he could wait to enroll in a Medicare Part D plan to begin Jan. 1, 2024, since his COBRA would end Dec. 31. John has time to discover if there are any generics that can be substituted for the

Toni King is an author and columnist on Medicare and health insurance issues.

She has spent nearly 30 years as a top sales leader in the field. If you have a Medicare question, email info@tonisays. com or call (832) 519-8664. Toni’s new book, “Maze of Medicare,” is now available on www.tonisays.com. “Maze of Medicare” is the first explanatory book that includes Scripture and positive quotes to help relieve the stress and anxiety over transitioning to Medicare.

LIFETIMES

Medicare 2024

Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage PLAN

TYPE

COUNTIES SERVED Hills., Pasco, Pin.

PREM.

PART B REDUCT.

$0

No

DRUG DOCTOR COPAY DEDUCT. (PER VISIT) $0

Net: $0**, $0-$20 Out: N/A

HOSPITAL COPAY

OUT-OFPOCKET CAP

GENERICS IN GAP?

RATING OUT OF 5 STARS

Net: $150 daily for 4 days

Net: $2,900

Yes

1/2

Out: N/A

Out: N/A

AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC FL-003P H1045-045 Contact: 800-555-5757

HMO-POS

AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC FL-0006 H1045-028 Contact: 800-555-5757

HMO-POS

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$0

Net: $0**, $0-$35 Out: N/A

Net: $200 daily for 6 days Out: N/A

Net: $3,800 Out: N/A

Yes

1/2

AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC FL-0013 H1035-043 Contact: 800-555-5757

HMO-POS

Her.

$0

No

$0

Net: $0**, $0-$15 Out: N/A

Net: $100 daily for 5 days Out: N/A

Net: $2,900 Out: N/A

Yes

1/2

AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC FL-0019 H2406-011 Contact: 800-555-5757

PPO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$0

Net: $0**, $0-$35 Out: $45, $70

Net: $295 daily Net: $4,900 for 5 days In and out of Out: 40% per stay network: $8,950

Yes



AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC FL-0031 R0759-001 Contact: 800-555-5757

PPO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$395*

Net: $0**, $0-$55 Out: $40, $75

Net: $395 daily Net: $7,900 In and out of for 4 days Out: 40% per stay network: $13,300

Yes

 1/2

Aetna Medicare Choice H1609-028 Contact: 833-859-6031; TTY 711

HMO-POS

Hills., Pin.

$0

No

$150

Net: $0, $35 Out: N/A, $50

Net: $295 daily Net: $5,700 In and out of for 4 days Out: 50% per stay network: $10,000

Yes

 1/2

Aetna Medicare Credit H1609-060 Contact: 833-859-6031; TTY 711

HMO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

Yes

$0

Net: $0, $30 Out: N/A

Net: $200 daily for 10 days Out: N/A

Yes

 1/2

Aetna Medicare Explorer Premier H5521-437 Contact: 833-859-6031; TTY 711

PPO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$0

Net: $0, $30 Out: $55, $70

Net: $275 daily Net: $4,700 for 6 days In and out of Out: 50% per stay network: $9,550

Yes



Aetna Medicare Premier H5521-033 Contact: 833-859-6031; TTY 711

PPO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$300

Net: $10, $50 Out: $50, $50

Net: $395 daily Net: $6,700 for 4 days In and out of Out: 50% per stay network: $10,000

Yes



Aetna Medicare Premier H5521-270 Contact: 833-859-6031; TTY 711

PPO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$150

Net: $0, $35 Out: $55, $70

Net: $290 daily Net: $5,500 for 6 days In and out of Out: 50% per stay network: $9,550

Yes



Aetna Medicare Select H1609-034 Contact: 833-859-6031; TTY 711

HMO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$0

Net: $0, $15 Out: N/A

Net: $100 daily for 7 days Out: N/A

Net: $2,200 Out: N/A

Yes

1/2

Aetna Medicare Select Plus H1609-067 Contact: 833-859-6031; TTY 711

HMO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$0

Net: $0, $5 Out: N/A

Net: $85 daily for 5 days Out: N/A

Net: $1,800 Out: N/A

Yes

1/2

Net: $3,850 Out: N/A

. Chart continued on page 12

Notes: Shading on the chart indicates plans offered by the same company. *Drug deductible applies only to tiers 3 through 5. ** $0 is specific to telehealth visits with a specialist.

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STEP BY STEP Sally Anderson

Photos by Dan Canoro

Your Move | Demonstrated by Char Rillings 1. Sit to Stand Strengthens thighs and core muscles, which help with stability.

3. Leg Lift to the Back Strengthens lower back, glutes and hamstrings.

• Sit in a chair with feet hip-width apart.

• Place hands on thighs. With abdominals contracted, press heels against the floor.

• Exhale as you slowly stand up.

Inhale as you sit. Repeat eight to 10 times.

• Rest for 30 seconds then repeat pattern three times.

Tip: To make it harder, cross your arms in front of your chest.

• Stand, facing the back of the chair.

• Place feet hip-width apart and rest hands shoulder-width apart on chair.

• With abdominals contracted, slowly lift left leg back behind your body. Lift leg as high as you comfortably can, hips square with the chair.

• Pause, then slowly return left leg forward to beginning position. Repeat 12-15 times.

• Change leg and repeat pattern.

Tip: Keep your back straight and don’t swing; use momentum to help raise your legs.

2. Elbow to Opposite Knee Targets entire core, particularly the muscles on the sides of the abdomen called the obliques.

• Sit on a chair with feet on floor, hip-width apart.

• Contract abdominals and place hands behind ears.

• Look forward, arms shoulder height. Slowly rotate trunk to the left bringing right elbow toward lifted left knee.

• Pause, then return to beginning and reverse the movement to opposite side.

• Repeat two sets of 10-12 reps on each side.

Tip: Keep back straight; do not rush the movement.

4. Biceps and Overhead Press Biceps target upper arms and overhead press targets shoulders.

• Sit with your back straight on an armless chair and place your feet on the floor with abdominals contracted.

• Hold a weight in each hand with palms facing forward and the sides of your arms glued to your sides.

• Bring lower arms slowly to front of shoulders.

• Turn hands with palms facing inward and raise your arms overhead, keeping arms by ears.

• Bring arms down to shoulder level. Turn hands to face forward and lower arms to original position.

• Repeat two sets of 10-12 repetitions.

Tip: No slouching; keep your back straight.

At-home upper-body workouts

When creating your personal fitness training at home, don’t neglect the upper body muscles. We use pushing, pulling and reaching movements daily. Without strengthening those muscles, the lower back muscles often have to compensate for the arms and shoulders, which can result in straining and overuse injuries. Having upper-body strength makes everyday activities easier to perform by meeting the demands that are placed on the chest, arms, shoulders and back. And strengthening the shoulders and back promotes better balance and posture.

To maximize your workout time, design an upper body workout that targets opposing muscle groups with push-pull movements. This kind of workout is usually spread out over several days of training, with shorter workouts. Day one might be a push upper body day and day two an upper body pull day. However, you could also combine the push-pull exercises in the same workout.

• Always warm up first and begin with light weights.

• A push-pull routine makes it easier to have a balanced workout.

• When ready, repeat two to three sets of each exercise.

Meet Your Push-Pull Movements

The muscles that perform the upper body pushing movements are the chest, shoulders and triceps. Exercises that work muscles for this area extend the elbow joint, pushing the resistance away from your body. An example would be when doing a chest press or a pushup. Upper body pull exercises are the opposite of the push movements. They are strength training moves that focus on bringing the weight or arms in toward you. Pull workouts train the back, biceps and forearms. Examples of pull exercises include bicep curls and lat pull-downs.

During a push-pull workout, perform eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise.

And if you wanted to introduce leg work into your push-pull training, you would include the entire lower body, the quads, hamstrings, calves and abdominals.

Squats, lunges and leg presses belong to the push group, while glutes, bridges, hamstring curls and back extensions are pull training.

Check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.

Sally Anderson is happy to hear from readers but can’t respond to individual inquiries.

Contact her at slafit@tampabay.rr.com.

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LIFETIMES

Medicare 2024

This special section is online at tampabay.com/medicare

What’s the difference between a walk-in clinic, urgent care and the emergency room?

• Treatment for sprains and back pain Though they may take many or most insurances, insurance is not typically required.

Retail walk-in clinic

BY SALLY MOE Times Total Media Correspondent

schedule and receive immediate care. They can handle treatment plans, prescriptions and minor health care concerns.

There are more options for inperson and virtual medical care than ever before, but with all that choice comes confusion. How do they differ, and are they covered by your medical insurance? Or conversely, can you get seen if you don’t have medical insurance? Let’s break it down.

Walk-in clinics offer a variety of health care services, including: • Treatment for ear and sinus infections, colds, flu, strep throat and other minor illnesses • Treatment for minor wounds, such as non-severe cuts, blisters and skin abrasions

Walk-in clinic In the first tier of care, a walkin clinic’s staff typically includes nurse practitioners and physicians’ assistants. They diagnose certain common conditions and illnesses such as ear infections, the flu or strep throat. They can also write prescriptions if medically appropriate. Walk-in clinics are convenient locations where you can

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• Limited chronic condition screenings • Immunizations for the flu, meningitis, shingles and other illnesses • Health screenings for women’s health and sexually transmitted infections (STIs or STDs)

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This type of walk-in clinic is part of a retail location, i.e. Publix, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Costco, Target, a mall, etc. They are inside those locations and typically staff nurse practitioners and physicians’ assistants. They can treat nonemergencies and prescribe medications. Some clinics, like CVS’s MinuteClinic, offer virtual care as well, and include instructions on their site that detail the steps for accessing that care (but are not covered by certain health care plans).

Urgent care clinic Also known as an acute care clinic. Like walk-in clinics, you don’t have to make an appointment to be seen. Urgent care clinics can take care of more serious injuries and illnesses. This can include splinting and casting broken bones. They also treat respiratory conditions that need prompt attention but do not need full-scale emergency room care. Urgent care clinics have higher-level diagnostic equipment, such as X-ray machines. But they’re

not equipped for major surgery or procedures that require anesthesia.

In most cases, if you don’t have insurance, they will allow you to pay affordable cash prices for services.

major insurances, but insurance is not required. According to their website, urgent care appointments are available online within 15 minutes, 24/7.

Urgent care clinics usually have at least one physician on staff.

They work together with nurse practitioners and physicians’ assistants. Urgent care clinics offer such services as:

Hospital emergency room

• Non-life-threatening asthma and bronchitis treatment • Allergy care • Animal bite treatment • Casts and splints • Digestive issue care • X-rays • Infection treatment • Minor burn care • Minor wound care • STD testing

Online urgent care One example of the expanding phenomenon of online urgent care is PlushCare, which identifies as “virtual primary care and mental health treatment when you need it.”

Prescriptions are sent to your local pharmacy; online therapy is also available. PlushCare accepts most

A hospital emergency room is best saved for life-threatening emergencies: heart attack, stroke, appendicitis, severe burns, gunshot wound, anaphylaxis … you get the idea. But if you are truly miserable, and everything else is closed and you can’t wait until tomorrow, the ER is not going to turn you away.

(Enacted in 1986, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act [EMTALA] is a federal law that requires public hospitals to provide stabilizing treatment to anyone who comes to the ER, regardless of their ability to pay.) Bear in mind: The average ER visit can cost a patient at least $750 while the same treatment at an urgent care clinic, without insurance, can cost as little as $150.

Information for this article was gathered from cvs.com, cms.gov, afcurgentcare.com, plushcare.com and excel-medical.com.

Times Total Media is the sales and marketing division of the Tampa Bay Times. Contact timestotalmedia@tampabay.com with questions.

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LIFETIMES

Medicare 2024

Continued from page 7

Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage PREM.

PART B REDUCT.

HOSPITAL COPAY

OUT-OFPOCKET CAP

GENERICS IN GAP?

RATING OUT OF 5 STARS

Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$0

Net: $0, $15 Out: N/A

Net: $200 daily for 5 days Out: N/A

Net: $3,100 Out: N/A

No

1/2

HMO-POS

Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$0

Net: $0, $35 Out: $50, $70

Net: $250 daily Net: $3,850 for 5 days In and out of Out: 45% per stay network: $8,950

No

 1/2

BayCarePlus Premier H2235-003 Contact: 866-947-5820

HMO

Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$42

No

$0

Net: $0, $15 Out: N/A

Net: $175 daily for 5 days Out: N/A

Net: $2,500 Out: N/A

No

 1/2

BayCarePlus Rewards H2235-002 Contact: 866-947-5820

HMO

Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

Yes

$0

Net: $0, $40 Out: N/A

Net: $250 daily for 5 days Out: N/A

Net: $4,500 Out: N/A

No

1/2

BayCarePlus Value H2235-005 Contact: 866-947-5820

HMO

Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

Yes

$0

Net: $0, $40 Out: N/A

Net: $250 daily for 5 days Out: N/A

Net: $4,500 Out: N/A

No

 1/2

BlueMedicare Choice R3332-001 Contact: 855-601-9465

PPO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$67.40

No

$250

Net: $0, $50 Out: 45%, 45%

Net: $345 daily for 5 days Out: $495 daily for 27 days

Net: $6,500 In and out of network: $12,450

Yes

 1/2

BlueMedicare Classic H1035-021 Contact: 855-601-9465

HMO

Her., Hills., Pasco

$0

No

$0

Net: $0, $40 Out: N/A

Net: $205 daily for 8 days Out: N/A

Net: $4,900 Out: N/A

Yes



BlueMedicare Preferred H1035-052 Contact: 855-601-9465

HMO

Hills.

$0

No

$0

Net: $0, $5 Out: N/A

Net: $85 daily for 6 days Out: N/A

Net: $1,800 Out: N/A

Yes



BlueMedicare Premier H1035-023 Contact: 855-601-9465

HMO

Hills.

$0

No

0

Net: $0, $15 Out: N/A

Net: $150 daily for 6 days Out: N/A

Net: $3,100 Out: N/A

Yes



BlueMedicare Premier H1035-034 Contact: 855-601-9465

HMO

Her., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$0

Net: $0, $10 Out: N/A

Net: $85 daily for 6 days Out: N/A

Net: $2,900 Out: N/A

Yes



BlueMedicare Select H5434-002 Contact: 855-601-9465

PPO

Hills., Pin.

$97.70

No

$305

Net: $0, $45 Out: 40%, 40%

Net: $225 daily for 7 days Out: $200 daily for 27 days

Net: $5,900 In and out of network: $8,950

Yes

 1/2

BlueMedicare Value H5434-023 Contact: 855-601-9465

PPO

Pin.

$0

No

$150

Net: $0, $30-$39 Out: 45%, 45%

Net: $295 daily for 5 days Out: 45% per stay

Net: $4,900 In and out of network: $8,950

Yes

 1/2

BlueMedicare Value H5434-034 Contact: 855-601-9465

PPO

Hills.

$0

No

$150

Net: $0, $35-$45 Out: 45%, 45%

Net: $275 daily for 6 days Out: 45% per stay

Net: $4,900 In and out of network: $8,950

Yes

PLAN

TYPE

BayCarePlus Complete H2235-001 Contact: 866-947-5820

HMO

BayCarePlus Freedom H2235-006 Contact: 866-947-5820

COUNTIES SERVED

Note: Shading on the chart indicates plans offered by the same company.

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Sunday, October 22, 2023 |

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LIFETIMES

Medicare 2024

Sleep: The great restorative

BY SALLY MOE Times Total Media Correspondent

When you’re young and full of energy, sleep comes so easily that you don’t question it, and assume it will always be there for you. But things happen as you age, and it feels suspiciously like a bait-andswitch: the effortless sleep you used to take for granted is no longer assured. Some studies suggest that, beginning in middle age, the average person loses 27 minutes of sleep per night for each subsequent decade (sleepfoundation.org).

Internal circadian clocks and sleepwake cycles can also change with age, and these changes affect the length and quality of your sleep.

Whether your issue is falling asleep, staying asleep through the night, or both, the truth for adults is that you have to plan for optimum sleep —

ideally with a stable routine, a cool bedroom temperature, low light and soothing, comfortable surroundings.

Deviations from your routine, no matter how tempting (late-night partying, weekend sleep marathons) can throw a wrench in the quality or “architecture” of your sleep.

What does architecture mean in this scenario? Basically, a normal sleep cycle is divided into four stages: two stages of “light” non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, one stage of “heavy” or “slow-wave” NREM sleep, and a final stage of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep — before the cycle begins again. (On a typical night, you cycle through all four sleep stages in order several times.) If you experience a lower percentage of both slow-wave NREM and REM sleep — which increases in likelihood as you age

This special section is online at tampabay.com/medicare

— you’ll be more apt to wake up during the night, and less likely to feel refreshed in the morning.

Sleep deprivation is associated with far-reaching health and behavioral deficits, including: • Slower reaction times when driving or operating machinery • Worsened decision-making and problem-solving • Reduced productivity • Forgetfulness • Irritability, depression and anxiety (both as a cause and an effect) • Impaired immune system function • Weight gain, or difficulty losing weight • Hormonal abnormalities • Inflammation

• Cardiovascular disease • Diabetes Yikes. That’s quite a list. But there are a number of commonsense steps you can take to ensure better sleep. Chief among them is regular daytime exercise, particularly swimming and yoga, which have a stress-relieving effect. Limit coffee to the morning hours whenever possible, and don’t smoke or drink alcohol before bedtime. (Wine before bed might help you fall asleep, but it interferes with sleep architecture, disturbing the quality of your sleep.)

Avoid large meals late in the evening. Make your bedroom as inviting and calming as possible, with reduced clutter, low lighting, a large cooling fan or white noise machine, a soothing room scent

SSP Tampa Bay Times

like lavender, and the best mattress and linens you can afford. Consider hypoallergenic bedding or an air purifier for optimum air quality.

Put the cellphone and laptop away; their blue light will trick your brain into thinking it’s daytime and suppress the body’s release of sleep-encouraging melatonin.

Keep a regular sleep and wake schedule, even on the weekends.

Practice meditation or a relaxation technique to encourage sleep. Use your bed only for sleeping or sexy times, not for work or watching TV. Because your best sleep is worth the effort ... and your body, and mood, will thank you.

Information for this article was gathered from health.harvard.edu, sleepfoundation.org, kidshealth.org and drweil.com.

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Sunday, October 22, 2023 |

13

LIFETIMES

Medicare 2024

This special section is online at tampabay.com/medicare

Toni Says: Is telehealth available through Medicare?

BY TONI KING

Thanks. ~ Victoria, Lake Charles, Louisiana

Toni, My 86-year-old mother with Alzheimer’s needs 24-hour care and lives in a personal care home. She is enrolled in a Medicare Advantage HMO and taking her to the doctor is quite an ordeal. Friends have suggested that I disenroll my mother from this HMO and return her to Medicare and use “telehealth,” which has become popular since the pandemic.

Financially, it is costing over $4,000 for her personal care home, and she does not qualify for a Medicare supplement due to her Alzheimer’s, because I have tried!

How do I find a doctor who does use telehealth or makes house calls like in the old days? Is this something that Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan will pay for?

Hi Victoria: I have good news for you, because the “Dr. Welby” days are back to stay since the pandemic for those on original Medicare or Medicare Advantage plans. Social distancing has caused telehealth, also known as telemedicine, to remain popular in 2023.

At-home doctor visits via the computer or other devices are reducing the number of emergency room visits for patients who cannot get to the doctor’s office for a face-to-face meeting. A telehealth or house call can help prevent a minor ailment from turning into a major health care issue while keeping a frail senior out of the hospital and healthy.

Medical doctors are not the only ones making telehealth or house

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Sunday, October 22, 2023 |

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call visits. So are dentists and eye doctors; even technicians with mobile X-ray, ultrasound and other medical diagnostic machines will come to homes, assisted living facilities, personal care homes and nursing homes.

My advice to you, Victoria, and to Toni Says readers, is to ask your family member’s primary care doctor or specific health care provider which telehealth provider their office is contracted with, regardless of whether he or she has original Medicare with or without a Medicare supplement, a Medicare Advantage plan or a retiree group medical plan. Original Medicare and original Medicare with a supplement will pay for house calls or telemedicine services. Medicare Advantage plans will also pay for these services, provided the service is in the plan’s network.

House call doctors are generally board-certified and the providers consist of doctors, physician’s assistants and nurse practitioners.

The patient does not have to be homebound to qualify. The house call doctor can schedule regular appointments, especially if the patient has a chronic illness, or you can schedule appointments as needed.

Victoria, you are wise to look at all your mother’s options regarding disenrolling from her Medicare Advantage plan with her serious health situation. Many do not realize that they must qualify medically to be approved for a Medicare supplement, which helps pay for what Medicare will not pay. If one is not approved medically, then they will pay out of their pocket.

It is vitally important to consider all Medicare plan options because no one knows when their health

will begin to deteriorate, and then they discover they can no longer change their Medicare plan. Chapter 2 of Toni’s “Medicare Survival Guide® Advanced” explains Medicare parts A and B, which can help you avoid problems like Victoria is experiencing with her mother.

Toni King is an author and columnist on Medicare and health insurance issues. She has spent nearly 30 years as a top sales leader in the field. If you have a Medicare question, email info@ tonisays.com or call (832) 519-8664. You can visit https://www.seniorresource .com/medicaremoments/ to listen to her “Medicare Moments” podcasts and get other information for boomers/seniors.

The publisher of Toni’s book, “Medicare Survival Guide® Advanced,” is now offering a $10 discount to Toni Says readers and friends at www.tonisays. com and www.seniorresource.com.

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Sunday, October 22, 2023 |

15

Medicare 2024: What you need to know

Through Dec. 7, eligible individuals can update their plans as well as switch from original Medicare to Medicare Advantage, and a number of other options.

Average premiums, benefits and plan choices for Medicare Advantage and the Medicare Part D prescription drug program will remain stable in 2024, which is good news for the estimated 33.8 million Americans projected to participate in the federal health insurance program for those 65 and older.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released 2024 premiums, deductibles and other key information in late September ahead of the annual open enrollment period, which begins Oct. 15.

Through Dec. 7, eligible individuals can update their plans as well as switch from original Medicare to Medicare Advantage; from Medicare Advantage to original Medicare; from one Medicare Part D prescription drug plan to another; and enroll in a Medicare Part D plan if they did not enroll when they first were eligible for Medicare.

Navigating the many options and rules surrounding the programs can be challenging. The Tampa Bay Times’ Medicare Guide breaks down the various parts of Medicare and offers charts for plan comparison to help beneficiaries.

Here are some points to consider at the outset.

Nationally, the average monthly plan premium for all Medicare Advantage plans, which includes Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans, is projected to change from $17.86 in 2023 to $18.50 in 2024, an increase of $0.64. If enrollees choose to stay with their plan, most will experience little or no premium increase for next year.

Nearly 73% of beneficiaries should see no premium increase.

While Medicare Part A, which provides coverage for hospital inpatient care, skilled nursing facilities, hospice and home health care, is free for most people, the

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Sunday, October 22, 2023 |

deductible does change each year.

The Medicare Part A deductible for 2024 should be released in midOctober.

fall between 135% and 150% of the federal poverty line.

Qualifying Medicare enrollees will pay $0 for Part D premiums and deductibles and will pay a reduced amount for generic and brand-name drugs. If you meet the resource limit requirement, you’ll want to sign up for Extra Help when enrolling in a Part D plan.

Premiums for Medicare Part B, which covers both medically necessary services and preventive services, are expected to see an increase in 2024. While the official announcement isn’t likely to come before mid-October, CMS is projecting a rise from $164.90 in 2023 to $174.80 in 2024.

One factor contributing to potential Part B premium hikes is inclusion of Leqembi, a new Alzheimer’s drug. One of the costliest treatments covered by Medicare, Leqembi could cause Part B premiums to rise as high as $179.80 per month.

The average total monthly premium for Medicare Part D coverage is projected to be approximately $55.50 in 2024, a decrease of 1.8% from $56.49 in 2023.

CMS reports that stable premiums for Medicare Part D are accompanied by improvements to the Part D program made by the Inflation Reduction Act, which provides meaningful financial relief for millions of people with Medicare by improving access to affordable treatments.

Projected Medicare Advantage enrollment in 2024 will represent approximately 50% of all people enrolled in Medicare, compared to 48% for 2023. In Florida, the nearly 5 million individuals enrolled in Medicare, a slight increase from last year, will have 613 Medicare Advantage plans to choose from.

Floridians’ average monthly Medicare Advantage plan premium will be $10.38, up from $9.59 in 2023. Every Floridian eligible for Medicare will have access to a Medicare Advantage plan with a $0 monthly premium.

Through the CMS Innovation Center’s Value-Based Insurance Tampa Bay Times

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Also in 2024, Medicare will cover mental health services provided by marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors as well as intensive outpatient program mental health therapists, but the therapists must accept Medicare for you to get this coverage.

Design Model, 199 plans will offer additional options to Medicare Advantage enrollees throughout the state who receive low-income subsidies and those who are chronically ill, such as eliminated Medicare Part D cost sharing; rewards and incentives programs related to healthy behaviors; and customized benefits that address social determinants of health, such as food insecurity and social isolation.

Additionally, Floridians with Medicare can select from among 21 stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plans with monthly premiums ranging from $0 to $181.60. Just over 81% will have access to a plan with a lower premium than what they paid in 2023.

The deductible for Part D coverage will be $545 in 2024, up from $505 in 2023. The initial coverage limit will increase to $5,030, up from $4,660 in 2023, and the out-ofpocket threshold, or “doughnut hole” maximum limit, will increase to $8,000, up from $7,400 in 2023.

Prescription drug provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act that aim to lower out-of-pocket costs apply to all Part D plans, including stand-

alone Part D plans and Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans.

Additional provisions will come into effect in 2024, including phasing in a cap on out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs covered under Medicare Part D by eliminating cost sharing above the catastrophic threshold.

What this means is that once your Part D out-of-pocket spending for prescriptions tops $8,000, you won’t owe a copayment or coinsurance.

The threshold includes out-of-pocket by the consumer, the amount spent by your insurance company, and manufacturer discounts on drugs during the coverage gap phase.

Bottom line: If you had steep prescription drug costs in 2023, you could fare better in 2024, so there may be more reason to compare Part D plans for your medications.

Here are two more reasons to look closely at your options: In 2024, those who have less than $16,600 in resources other than a primary residence, vehicles and personal possessions (below $33,240 for married couples), will qualify for Medicare’s Extra Help program. This is an expansion of the program to benefit individuals who

Last spring, CMS issued a rule that, among other revisions, takes steps to protect people with Medicare from confusing and potentially misleading marketing. Of specific concern: television advertisements generically promoting enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans.

To address these concerns, CMS is prohibiting ads that do not mention a specific plan name as well as ads that use words and imagery that the agency feels may confuse beneficiaries or use language or Medicare logos in a way it interprets as misleading, confusing or misrepresents the plan.

Despite such reform efforts, those shopping for Medicare Advantage plans should employ a “let the buyer beware” mentality, do their research, and ask providers lots of questions.

A good place to gather information is the Medicare Plan Finder, an online searchable tool that allows users to compare Medicare plan options, including Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare Part D plans and Medigap supplemental policies. You can get information about coverage, costs and benefits of different plan options in your area, check star ratings (see more about this on the following page) and enroll in a plan.

How Medicare works

Part A and Part B generally are the most popular programs and tend to offer the most free services for individuals who qualify.

Part A covers inpatient hospital care, nursing home care, hospice care and home health care. These services usually are free, which means there’s no premium to pay.

Part B covers two types of services: those that are medically necessary, such as outpatient hospital care, doctor bills, physical therapy and more; and preventive services and detection of illnesses at an early stage when treatment is likely to work best.

Part B is optional and costs most people a monthly premium, which is projected to increase in 2024 from $164.90 per month to $174.80. The premium is higher for some, depending on income. The premium is a bit lower for those who choose to have the premium deducted from their Social Security check.

Unless you are still on an employer’s health plan, it makes sense to sign up for Part B when you first become eligible for Medicare regardless of how healthy you are.

You will face a penalty if you decide you need this coverage later – up to 10% for each year you could have had Part B but didn’t sign up for it, a penalty that will last for as long as you have Part B. Part C refers to Medicare Advantage plans. These plans, subsidized by taxpayers, are managed by private insurance companies through either an HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) or a PPO (Preferred Provider Organization). Individuals choose medical providers from a predetermined list. The plans offer bundles that include Part A, Part B and usually a prescription drug program (Part D).

Medicare Advantage plans will continue to offer a wide range of supplemental benefits in 2024, including eyewear, hearing aids, both preventive and comprehensive dental benefits, access to meals, over-the-counter items, fitness benefits and worldwide emergency/urgent coverage.

Unless you are still on an employer’s health plan, it makes sense to sign up for Part B when you first become eligible for Medicare.

The Medicare Advantage enrollment process varies slightly by plan, but in all cases, you must be enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B. If you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan during the annual enrollment period and later change your mind, you can drop the plan and go back to original Medicare (parts A and B) during the Medicare Annual Disenrollment Period, which is Jan. 1-March 31. If you don’t disenroll during this period, you must keep your plan for the rest of the year unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment.

to understand which of your drugs are covered. The drugs you take may not be covered in every Medicare Part D formulary.

What is catastrophic coverage, and where is it going?

When Medicare enrollees have spent approximately $3,100, they will enter what’s called the catastrophic phase of their benefit. In this phase, they are required to pay 5% of prescription costs for the rest of the year, without a maximum limit. Beginning in 2024, the 5% prescription cost-sharing obligation for Part D will be removed.

In 2025, there will be a hard cap, or annual limit, of $2,000 for prescription medications. No one with Medicare insurance will spend more than $2,000 a year for prescription medications covered under Part D. In the years that follow, the cap amount will be adjusted based on inflation.

This provision does not relate to drugs covered under the Medicare Part B program. Medicare Part B covers drugs that are administered by a doctor, nurse or other health care provider in an outpatient setting such as a doctor’s office. Some cancer drugs and injectable drugs are in this category.

It’s important to note that Part A and Part B services under original Medicare come with deductibles and copays. These costs can be covered by buying private Medicare supplement policies known as Medigap. Premiums tend to be high, but the extra coverage can be worth it in the event of catastrophic illness.

The star ratings

Medicare Part D plans help pay for prescription drugs and protect you from high prescription drug costs. If you are eligible for Medicare parts A or B, you are generally also eligible for Medicare Part D.

CMS changed its methodology last year, which resulted in far fewer contracts earning 5 stars.

For 2024, additional measures will be added, such as the level of care enrollees receive after returning home from an inpatient stay in a hospital or a skilled nursing facility, and follow-up after emergency room visits for patients with multiple chronic conditions.

While all Part D plans are required to cover certain common types of drugs, the specific prescription drugs covered by a Medicare Part D plan vary by plan type and insurance carrier. Every plan has its own list of covered medications, called a formulary. Before enrolling, you should review each Medicare Part D plan’s formulary

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services uses a star rating system to measure how well Medicare Advantage and Part D plans perform in several categories, including quality of care and customer service. Ratings range from 1 to 5 stars, with five being the highest and 1 being the lowest.

Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage?

Coverage: Original Medicare covers most medically necessary

drug coverage (Part D). Plans have a yearly limit on what you pay out of pocket for services that Medicare Part A and Part B cover. Once you reach your plan’s limit, you’ll pay nothing for services Part A and Part B cover for the rest of the year.

services and supplies in hospitals, doctors’ offices and other health care facilities but does not cover benefits like eye exams, most dental care and routine exams. You can join a separate Medicare drug plan to get Medicare drug coverage (Part D). In most cases, you don’t have to get a service or supply approved ahead of time for original Medicare to cover it.

Extra help In addition to relying on the Medicare Plan Finder, Medicare enrollees can call a toll-free line – 1-800-MEDICARE – 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for help in English and Spanish with language support in more than 200 other languages. They also can contact the State Health Insurance Assistance Program for oneon-one assistance.

Medicare Advantage plans must cover all the medically necessary services that original Medicare covers. Most plans offer extra benefits that original Medicare doesn’t cover, such as some routine exams and vision, hearing and dental services.

Medicare drug coverage (Part D) is included in most plans. In some cases, you must get a service or supply approved ahead of time for the plan to cover it.

To help with their Medicare costs, low-income seniors and adults with disabilities may qualify to receive financial assistance from Medicare Savings Programs. These programs help millions of Americans access high-quality health care at a reduced cost, helping to pay Medicare premiums, and also may pay Medicare deductibles, coinsurance and copayments for those who meet the conditions of eligibility.

Doctor and hospital choice: Original Medicare allows you to see any doctor or hospital that takes Medicare, anywhere in the United States. In most cases, you don’t need a referral to see a specialist.

Medicare Advantage plans in many cases require you to use doctors and other providers who are in the plan’s network, at least for non-emergency care. Some plans offer non-emergency coverage out of network but typically at a higher cost. You may need to get a referral to see a specialist.

The Low-Income Subsidy program is a Medicare program that helps qualifying individuals pay Part D premiums, deductibles, coinsurance and other costs. The program is expanding this year thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, allowing all eligible enrollees to benefit from no deductible, no premium, and fixed lower copayments for certain medications.

Enrollees can save nearly $300 per year, on average, according to estimates. Individuals who enroll in MSPs automatically qualify for help affording their prescription drugs through this program.

Cost: For Part B-covered services, original Medicare usually requires you to pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after you meet your deductible; this is called your coinsurance. You pay a premium (monthly payment) for Part B. If you choose to join a Medicare drug plan, you’ll pay a separate premium for your Medicare drug coverage (Part D). There is no yearly limit to what you pay out of pocket unless you have supplemental coverage such as Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap).

Still confused?

Florida’s SHINE program is a free offering from the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the local Area Agency on Aging. Specially trained volunteers can assist with Medicare, Medicaid and health insurance questions by providing one-on-one counseling and information. SHINE services are free, unbiased and confidential.

Visit the website or call 1-800-9635337 toll-free.

With Medicare Advantage, outof-pocket costs vary; plans have different costs for certain services.

You pay the monthly Part B premium and may also have to pay the plan’s premium. Plans may have a $0 premium and may help pay all or part of your Part B premium. Most plans include Medicare SSP Tampa Bay Times

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Sunday, October 22, 2023

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17

LIFETIMES

Medicare 2024

Continued from page 12

Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage PLAN

TYPE

COUNTIES SERVED

PREM.

PART B REDUCT.

HOSPITAL COPAY

OUT-OFPOCKET CAP

GENERICS IN GAP?

BlueMedicare Value H5434-035 Contact: 855-601-9465

PPO

Her., Pasco

$0

No

$150

Net: $0, $30-$40 Out: 45%, 45%

Net: $295 daily for 5 days Out: 45% per stay

Net: $4,700 In and out of network: $8,950

Yes

CareFree H1019-104-002 Contact: 855-450-1352

HMO

Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

Yes

$0

Net: $0, $20 Out: N/A

Net: $125 daily for 5 days Out: N/A

Net: $2,750 Out: N/A

Yes



CareOne Plus H1019-103-002 Contact: 855-450-1352

HMO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$0

Net: $0, $5 Out: N/A

Net: $50 daily for 5 days Out: N/A

Net: $2,000 Out: N/A

Yes



Cigna Preferred Medicare H5410-029 Contact: 800-313-0973

HMO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$0

Net: $0, $15 Out: N/A

Net: $120 daily for 6 days Out: N/A

Net: $2,700 Out: N/A

No

 ½

Cigna Preferred Savings Medicare H5410-030 Contact: 800-313-0973

HMO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

Yes

$0

Net: $0, $30 Out: N/A

Net: $190 daily for 7 days Out: N/A

Net: $2,700 Out: N/A

No

 ½

Cigna True Choice Medicare H7849-048 Contact: 800-313-0973

PPO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$0

Net: $0, $30 Out: $40, $55

Net: $265 daily for 7 days Out: 50% per stay

Net: $4,700 In and out of network: $8,950

No



Devoted CHOICE GIVEBACK Tampa H9884-005-000 Contact: 800-376-5889

PPO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

Yes

$150*

Net: $0, $30 Out: $0, $30

Net: $295 daily for 5 days Out: $295 daily for 5 days

Net: $5,500 In and out of network: $5,500

Yes

Insufficient data

Devoted CORE Tampa H1290-036-01 Contact: 800-376-5889

HMO

Her., Hills., Pasco

$0

No

$0

Net: $0, $5 Out: N/A

Net: $50 daily for 5 days Out: N/A

Net: $1,900 Out: N/A

Yes



Devoted CORE Tampa H1290-036-002 Contact: 800-376-5889

HMO

Pin.

$0

No

$0

Net: $0, $10 Out: N/A

Net: $150 daily for 5 days Out: N/A

Net: $2,300 Out: N/A

Yes



Devoted PREMIUM Florida H1290-037-005 Contact: 800-376-5889

HMO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$21.90

No

$545*

Net: $0, $0 Out: N/A

Net: $0 Out: N/A

Net: $3,200 Out: N/A

Yes



Devoted ESSENTIALS Tampa H1290-051-001 Contact: 800-376-5889

HMO

Her., Hills., Pasco

$0

Yes

$150*

Net: $0, $20 Out: N/A

Net: $195 daily for 6 days Out: N/A

Net: $4,900 Out: N/A

Yes



Devoted ESSENTIALS Tampa H1290-051-002 Contact: 800-376-5889

HMO

Pin.

$0

Yes

$150*

Net: $0, $35 Out: N/A

Net: $250 daily for 6 days Out: N/A

Net: $4,900 Out: N/A

Yes



HMO-POS

Hills.

$0

Yes

$0

Net: $0, $10 Out: $0, $10

Net: $95 daily for 5 days Out: $95 daily for 5 days

Net: $1,900 In and out of network: $1,900

Yes

 ½

Freedom Maximo H5427-113 Contact: 888-300-9318

Notes: Shading on the chart indicates plans offered by the same company.

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*Drug deductible applies only to tiers 3 through 5.

RATING OUT OF 5 STARS

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LIFETIMES

Medicare 2024

This special section is online at tampabay.com/medicare

Confused by food labels? Join the club.

BY SALLY MOE Times Total Media Correspondent Food labels are intended to inform, but sometimes those labels are more confusing than informative. For example, have you ever thrown out food a day after the best-by date, all while wondering if it might have been good for another two or three days (or even weeks)?

Or misjudged the sugar content of an item? Or consumed gluten when you thought you were safe?

Best by / Sell by / Use by These labels, as necessary as they are to calculate freshness and shelf life, are voluntarily provided by manufacturers and stores.

Understanding the differences between them is important.

Best By indicates how long a product will be of peak flavor or quality.

Sell By is for foods like milk products, meat, poultry and eggs, and is for stores’ inventory management. It’s recommended to buy these products if you will use them soon. Usually, milk can last five to seven days past the sell-by date before turning bad; it’s best to store in the back of your refrigerator where it’s coldest. Use or freeze beef, veal, pork, and lamb products with a sell-by date within three to five days of purchase. Fresh chicken, turkey, ground meat, and ground poultry should be cooked or frozen within one to two days of purchase. RE: eggs, this advice is straight from USDA .gov: “Eggs may be refrigerated

three to five weeks from the day they are placed in the refrigerator.

The sell-by date will usually expire during that length of time, but the eggs will be perfectly safe to use.

Always purchase eggs before the sell-by or EXP (expiration) date on the carton. To keep them safe, take eggs straight home and store them immediately in the refrigerator set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or slightly below. Leave them in their carton and place them in the coldest part of the refrigerator, not in the door.

After hard cooking, eggs can be stored a week in the refrigerator.”

Use By marks the last date recommended for the use of the product. This is often printed on meat, poultry or egg labels and should be taken seriously.

Infant formula is the sole exception to these voluntary dates.

Manufacturers must add use-by dates, because those dates relate to formula safety. NEVER use infant formula after its use-by date.

Sugar: Hiding in not-so-plain sight

Lactose

If you want to reduce the amount of sugar in your diet — and most of us do — start with labels. While you expect to find lots of sugar in dessert-y foods, it shows up on the ingredient lists of many savory foods, like salsa, salad dressings, soups and pasta sauce; and other foods, like peanut butter, that simply don’t need it. Added sugar can masquerade in labeling as:

Maltose

Agave nectar Barley malt syrup Cane juice crystals Corn sweetener Corn syrup Dehydrated cane juice Dextrose Diglycerides Evaporated cane juice Fructose High-fructose corn syrup Honey

Maltodextrin Molasses Rice syrup Sorbitol Sucrose Xylitol Obviously, the list is long and varied. You may end up finding eight or more types of sugar on the ingredient list of a particular food, particularly so-called “healthy” cereals and granola bars!

With something like 100 different names for sugar, this list isn’t exhaustive — but includes the more popular offenders. To see a complete list, visit http:// foodaddictiontherapynyc.com/ 103-names-of-sugar/.

pastries, pasta and pizza. Gluten is practically ubiquitous in prepared foods, and going gluten free requires vigilant label reading. Like sugar, it can masquerade as many different ingredients, and it pays to know their names. While not exhaustive, this list should give you an idea of the scope of ingredients gluten avoiders must keep an eye out for:

Malted milk

Atta flour

Seitan (a meat-like food derived from wheat gluten used in many vegetarian dishes)

Matzo, matzo meal Modified wheat starch Oat bran, oat flour, oatmeal, whole oats (unless they are from pure, uncontaminated oats) Panko bread crumbs Rye bread and flour

Autolyzed yeast and autolyzed yeast extract (MSG)

Semolina

Barley (grass, flakes, flour, malt, pearl)

Triticale Wheat flour, wheat bran, wheat germ, wheat starch

Breading, bread stuffing Brewer’s yeast

For a complete alphabetized list of glutens, visit https://www.celiac. com/articles.html/forbidden-glutenfood-list-unsafe-ingredients-r182/.

Bulgur Durum (a type of wheat) Farro/faro (a type of wheat also known as spelt or dinkel)

Gluten: Know what to look for

Graham flour

If you want or need to go gluten free, you’ll discover at the outset that it means more than avoiding bread,

Kamut (a type of wheat)

Information for this article was sourced from safehome.org, spoonuniversity.com, ask.usda.gov, healthyeating.sfgate.com, celiac.com and webmd.com.

Hydrolyzed wheat protein Malt, malt extract, malt flavoring, malt syrup, malt vinegar SSP Tampa Bay Times

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Sunday, October 22, 2023 |

19

LIFETIMES

Medicare 2024

This special section is online at tampabay.com/medicare

New Alzheimer’s drugs spark hope for patients ... and cost concerns for Medicare

BY JULIETTE CUBANSKI AND TRICIA NEUMAN KFF Health News The Food and Drug Administration has just granted traditional approval to Leqembi (lecanemab), an anti-amyloid monoclonal antibody treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, after granting accelerated approval this past January. Clinical trial results showed that Leqembi, made by Eisai and Biogen, slowed the rate of cognitive decline and reduced amyloid plaques, the protein that accumulates in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease — though not without the risk of adverse events.

FDA’s approval of a drug that can slow the progression of cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer’s disease offers long-awaited hope for these patients and their families, but also raises concerns about the potential impact on Medicare spending.

announced it will establish its own registry, to be made available on its website, and will also provide access to registries established by other organizations on the same site. Yet questions remain about the registry requirement for Leqembi, including whether the data collection system is ready for use, how data about the drug’s benefits and risks will be collected, how easy it will be for providers to participate in the registry, the costs involved with collecting the data, and whether the registry requirement will make it harder for patients to access the drug.

Notwithstanding these questions about the registry requirement and how it might affect access to Leqembi, broader access to the drug under Medicare outside of clinical trials will lead to higher Medicare spending, based on the drug’s annual price of $26,500 and expected demand for it among patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Yet the exact number of Medicare beneficiaries who meet the prescribing requirements for Leqembi is unknown and the takeup rate among eligible individuals for a drug like this one is difficult to estimate.

Now that the FDA has granted traditional approval to Leqembi, Medicare will cover it for all indicated populations — patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia with confirmed amyloid plaques — outside of the randomized clinical trials required for drugs with accelerated approval under Medicare’s coverage with evidence development. At the same time, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will require physicians and other clinicians to participate in prospective data collection efforts for Leqembi users, known as registries, to inform questions about how the drug is working, including benefits and harms to patients and whether it improves health outcomes, based on real-world evidence. CMS has

Eisai has estimated that takeup will be “approximately 100,000 individuals by year three” — an estimate that some consider conservative — and will increase “gradually” over time. Based on this estimate of takeup, which represents 1.5% of the 6.7 million older adults in the U.S. with Alzheimer’s disease, annual Medicare spending on Leqembi would be $2.7 billion (assuming all are enrolled in Part B), which would make it the third-most-costly drug covered

by Medicare Part B, based on 2021 total spending. If takeup is some-

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what higher, such as, 5% of those with Alzheimer’s disease, this would translate to $8.9 billion in total annual spending, while a 10% takeup rate would amount to $17.8 billion.

To put these amounts in context, projected Medicare spending on Leqembi would be roughly equal to spending on the top three Part B drugs combined in 2021 based on the 5% takeup rate. At the 10% takeup rate, projected spending on this one drug alone would exceed spending on the top 10 Part B drugs in 2021 and would represent close to half of the $40 billion spent in total on the 600+ Part B-covered drugs in 2021.

And these estimates do not include additional costs to Medicare associated with PET scans or multiple MRIs that may be needed in conjunction with use of Leqembi nor potential offsets if treatment with Leqembi helps reduce spending on other services, such as hospitalizations due to falls or skilled nursing facility stays.

Higher Medicare Part B spending would likely lead to higher Medicare Part B premiums, which are set to cover roughly 25% of program costs.

In the case of Aduhelm, the anticipation of substantially higher Medicare Part B spending due to coverage of that drug contributed to a 15% jump in the Part B premium between 2021 and 2022, an increase substantially above the norm. Medicare’s subsequent decision to limit coverage of Aduhelm contributed to a modest (3%) decline in the Part B premium for 2023.

At Leqembi’s current $26,500 list price, Medicare patients administered the drug will be responsible for more than $5,000 out of pocket each

year, based on a 20% coinsurance requirement in traditional Medicare. Medicare Advantage enrollees are also typically responsible for the 20% coinsurance for Part B drugs up to their plan’s out-of-pocket maximum. (In 2022, the weighted average out-of-pocket maximum in Medicare Advantage plans was nearly $5,000 for in-network services and just over $9,200 for in-network and out-ofnetwork combined.)

Beneficiaries may pay less if they have supplemental insurance, such as Medigap or Medicaid, that covers Medicare cost sharing. The Inflation Reduction Act includes a new cap on out-of-pocket drug spending under Medicare Part D beginning in 2024 that will provide significant financial relief to people who take high-priced Part D drugs, but there is no similar cap on out-of-pocket spending for drugs, like Leqembi, that are covered under Medicare Part B. Even with Medicare coverage, therefore, Leqembi could be beyond the reach of many people with Medicare, whose median income is around $30,000 per person. And with higher rates of dementia and lower incomes among older Hispanic and Black adults than among older white adults in the U.S., the high cost of treatment could raise equity concerns if it means Black and Hispanic beneficiaries are less likely to gain access to this treatment because

they can’t afford it.

To address concerns about the effect of high-priced drugs on Medicare program spending, the Inflation Reduction Act requires Medicare to negotiate the price of top spending drugs, but manufacturers of biologic drug products like Leqembi will be exempt from having CMS-negotiated prices take effect for 13 years from the drug’s licensure date. In the case of Leqembi, its manufacturers will have between now and 2036 to recoup investments in research and development and earn revenue from Medicare before possibly having negotiated pricing take effect.

While broader access to Leqembi is expected to provide modest clinical benefits to older adults with the mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia stage of Alzheimer’s disease, a significant increase in Medicare spending and premiums is a distinct possibility, and one that Medicare patients, and taxpayers, are likely to confront in the not-too-distant future.

This article was produced by KFF Health News, formerly known as Kaiser Health News, a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — an independent source of health policy research, polling and journalism.

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LIFETIMES

Medicare 2024

Continued from page 18

Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage PLAN

TYPE

COUNTIES SERVED

PREM.

PART B REDUCT.

DRUG DEDUCT.

DOCTOR COPAY (PER VISIT)

HOSPITAL COPAY

OUT-OFPOCKET CAP

GENERICS IN GAP?

RATING OUT OF 5 STARS

Freedom Medicare Plan Rx H5427-059 Contact: 888-300-9318

HMO

Pin.

$0

No

$0

Net: $0, $30 Out: N/A

Net: $225 daily for 7 days Out: N/A

Net: $3,000 Out: N/A

Yes

 ½

Freedom Medicare Plan Rx H5427-060 Contact: 888-300-9318

HMO

Hills., Pasco

$0

No

$0

Net: $0, $35 Out: N/A

Net: $150 daily for 7 days Out: N/A

Net: $2,750 Out: N/A

Yes

 ½

Honest Care H1526-005 Contact: 844-294-6535

HMO-POS

Her., Pasco, Pin.

$0

Yes

$0

Net: $0, $10 Out: $0, $10

Net: $175 daily for 5 days Out: $175 daily for 5 days

Net: $3,000 Out: N/A

Yes

Too new to measure

HumanaChoice Florida H5216-072 H5216-072 Contact: 800-833-2364

PPO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$150

Net: $5, $40 Out: $65, $65

Net: $320 daily for 6 days Out: $495 daily for 27 days

Net: $5,400 In and out of network: $8,900

Yes

 1/2

HumanaChoice Florida H5216-304 H5216-304 Contact: 800-833-2364

PPO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$0

Net: $0, $30 Out: $55, $65

Net: $275 daily for 4 days Out: $495 daily for 27 days

Net: $4,700 In and out of network: $8,900

Yes

 1/2

HumanaChoice Florida H5216-392 H5216-392 Contact: 800-833-2364

PPO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$22

No

$150

Net: $0, $35 Out: $0, $35

Net: $280 daily Net: $3,400 for 5 days In and out of Out: $280 per stay network: $3,400

No

 1/2

HumanaChoice Florida H5216-393 H5216-393 Contact: 800-833-2364

PPO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

Yes

$350

Net: $0, $45 Out: $0, $45

Net: $305 daily Net: $6,500 for 7 days In and out of Out: $305 per stay network: $9,550

No

 1/2

Humana Choice R5826-005 R5826-005 Contact: 800-833-2364

PPO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$173

No

$100

Net: $5, $45 Out: $65, $65

Net: $250 daily for 7 days Out: 40% per stay

Net: $6,700 Out: $10,000

No

 1/2

Humana Choice R5826-074 R5826-074 Contact: 800-833-2364

PPO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$31

No

$395

Net: $35, $50 Out: 50%, 50%

Net: $625 daily for 3 days Out: $725 daily for 14 days

Net: $7,550 Out: $10,500

No

1/2

Humana Gold Plus H1036-025 H1036-025 Contact: 800-833-2364

HMO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$0

Net: $0,$5 Out: N/A

Net: $75 daily for 6 days Out: N/A

Net: $1,800 Out: N/A

Yes



Humana Gold Plus H1036-265 H1036-265-001 Contact: 800-833-2364

HMO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

Yes

$0

Net: $0, $10 Out: N/A

Net: $125 daily for 4 days Out: N/A

Net: $2,400 Out: N/A

Yes



Optimum Gold Plus Plan H5594-032 Contact: 888-300-9317

HMO

Her.

$0

Yes

$0

Net: $0, $10 Out: N/A

Net: $75 daily for 5 days Out: N/A

Net: $1,900 Out: N/A

Yes



Optimum Gold Rewards Plan H5594-001 Contact: 888-300-9317

HMO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

Yes

$0

Net: $0, $10 Out: N/A

Net: $95 daily for 5 days Out: N/A

Net: $1,900 Out: N/A

Yes



Note: Shading on the chart indicates plans offered by the same company.

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. Chart continued on page 24

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Sunday, October 22, 2023 |

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LIFETIMES

Medicare 2024

Continued from page 22

Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage PREM.

PART B REDUCT.

DRUG DEDUCT.

DOCTOR COPAY (PER VISIT)

HOSPITAL COPAY

OUT-OFPOCKET CAP

GENERICS IN GAP?

RATING OUT OF 5 STARS

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$0

Net: $0, $0 Out: N/A

Net: $0 Out: N/A

Net: $1,000 Out: N/A

Yes



HMO

Her., Pasco

$0

Yes

$0

Net: $0, $10 Out: N/A

Net: $60 daily for 5 days Out: N/A

Net: $1,900 Out: N/A

Yes



Premier by Ultimate H2962-045 Contact: 855-858-7526

HMO

Hills., Pin.

$0

Yes

$0

Net: $0, $15 Out: N/A

Net: $90 daily for 5 days Out: N/A

Net: $1,900 Out: N/A

Yes



Simply Extra H5471-108 Contact: 855-679-0556

HMO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

Yes

$0

Net: $0, $30 Out: N/A

Net: $175 daily for 6 days Out: N/A

Net: $3,450 Out: N/A

Yes



Simply Extra Platinum H5471-117 Contact: 855-679-0556

HMO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

Yes

$0

Net: $0, $30 Out: N/A

Net: $150 daily for 5 days Out: N/A

Net: $3,200 Out: N/A

Yes



Simply Freedom H9469-008 Contact: 855-679-0556

PPO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$150

Net: $0, $30 Out: $40, $70

Net: $250 daily for 5 days Out: 40% per stay

Net: $5,000 In and out of network: $8,950

Yes

Too new to measure

Simply Freedom Extra H9469-005 Contact: 855-679-0556

PPO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

Yes

$150

Net: $0, $40 Out: $50, $75

Net: $350 daily for 5 days Out: 40% per stay

Net: $6,400 In and out of network: $11,000

No

Too new to measure

Simply More H5471-078 Contact: 855-679-0556

HMO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$0

Net: $0, $0 Out: N/A

Net: $50 daily for 8 days Out: N/A

Net: $3,450 Out: N/A

Yes



SOLIS Healthy Living Plan H0982-009 Contact: 844-447-6547

HMO

Hills., Pin.

$0

No

$0

Net: $0, $0 Out: N/A

Net: $30 daily for 5 days Out: N/A

Net: $3,400 Out: N/A

Yes

½

WellCare Giveback H1032-200 Contact: 844-917-0175

HMO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

Yes

$545

Net: $0, $10 Out: N/A

Net: $1,500 per stay Out: N/A

Net: $5,000 Out: N/A

Yes

½

WellCare No Premium H1032-201 Contact: 844-917-0175

HMO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$0

Net: $0, $0 Out: N/A

Net: $75 daily for 10 days Out: N/A

Net: $1,200 Out: N/A

Yes

½

WellCare No Premium Open H5199-012 Contact: 844-917-0175

PPO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$0

No

$100

Net: $0, $25 Out: 40%, 40%

Net: $275 daily Net: $3,400 for 6 days In and out of Out: 40% days 1-90 network: $5,100

Yes



WellCare Premium Enhanced Open H5199-010 Contact: 844-917-0175

PPO

Her., Hills., Pasco, Pin.

$93

No

$0

Net: $0, $15 Out: 40%, 40%

Net: $275 daily Net: $3,500 for 6 days In and out of Out: 40% per day network: $5,000

Yes



PLAN

TYPE

Optimum Platinum Plan H5594-002 Contact: 888-300-9317

HMO

Premier by Ultimate H2962-001 Contact: 855-858-7526

COUNTIES SERVED

Note: Shading on the chart indicates plans offered by the same company.

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Anderson, 76, MY FAVORITE CAR Lynn New Port Richey, FL

1967 Mustang Conv., Orig. 289, 4 Barrel

My love story lasted over 33 years.

I called her my “1OLDNAG,” even though she was the same age as my son — they were both “delivered” in 1967. I took her everywhere. Every day for 33 years to the same job, as well as to visit my sister Sandee in Clearwater, and just “shopping” as girls do. She turned heads with her top down and sparkling raspberry red coat. We had so much fun together, especially all the people we met over the years. Young boys would come running to the curb as we drove by, yelling, “I love her!”

The teenagers would ask me, “Is she for sale?” And I would smile and reply, “She is fast, but she isn’t cheap and not for sale.” I was even offered free piano lessons after meeting a musician and talking about cars while at the 7-Eleven gas pump! And

then there were the older people who would stop and reminisce and tell me about their first love. As we both aged over the years, there were the typical ailments for us.

The creaks and groans, stiff joints, as well as the leaks. So, together we would go to Victor’s for her tweaks and tuneups, and to see my doctors too. We were both becoming very high maintenance.

When COVID hit, it seemed to be the right time for me to retire.

Suddenly I was 74 and without a job!

As so often happens, things change and come to an end. Six months later, she got another “restoration” and moved on to someone new.

I found some solace in a newer foreign model. But Gidget will never replace my first love...and I will tell my story to anyone who will listen.

CALL TO READERS Tell us your love story

What’s the story behind your favorite or first car? We’d like to share it. Please send: • Your name, city where you live and your age (with your date of birth).

• The year, make and model of the car, with a description of the car and why you love it.

• A high-resolution photo or a scanned image.

(Must be of the actual car.)

• Send to drive@tampabay .com and put My Favorite Car or My First Car in the subject line.

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LIFETIMES

Medicare 2024

Stand-alone drug plans What’s in the chart

Monthly premium: The monthly charge for every Medicare Part D drug plan.

This is in addition to Medicare’s monthly Part B premium.

Annual deductible: What is paid out of pocket before coverage begins.

Generics in the gap: Once you and your plan have spent $5,030 on covered

drugs in 2024, up from $4,660 in 2023, you are in the coverage gap. Some plans may offer you lower costs in the coverage gap. The discount will come off the price that your plan has set with the pharmacy for that specific drug.

Rating: Medicare rates plans from 1 to 5 stars, based on customer satisfaction and certain health measures. The top rating is a 5.

MONTHLY PREMIUM

ANNUAL DEDUCT.

GENERICS IN GAP?

RATING OUT OF 5 STARS

AARP MedicareRx Preferred S5820-010 Contact: 888-867-5564

$103.50

$0

No

1/2

AARP MedicareRx Saver S5921-356 Contact: 888-867-5564

$80.60

$545

No



PLAN

AARP MedicareRx Walgreens S5921-383 Contact: 800-753-8004; TTY 711 BlueMedicare Complete Rx S5904-002 Contact: 855-601-9465

$57.20

$181.60

$410*

Yes

$0

Yes





What’s not in the chart Medicare health costs: Drug plans are for people on original Medicare who also have expenses for doctors, hospitals and, sometimes, supplemental plans. People with higher incomes may pay higher Part B premiums and drug plan premiums.

Total drug costs: Out-of-pocket costs can vary widely depending on which drugs are needed. For an estimated total cost of different plans, enter the specific drugs into Medicare’s online Plan Finder and search for drug plans.

MONTHLY PREMIUM

ANNUAL DEDUCT.

GENERICS IN GAP?

RATING OUT OF 5 STARS

$46

$545

Yes



$24.20

$545

No

1/2

$103.80

$545

No

1/2

$118.60

$349

No

1/2

SilverScript Choice S5601-022 Contact: 833-526-2445

$52.50

$545

No



PLAN Humana Walmart Value Rx Plan S5884-190 Contact: 800-706-0872 Mutual of Omaha Rx Essential S7126-113 Contact: 800-961-9006; TTY 711 Mutual of Omaha Rx Plus S7126-010 Contact: 800-961-9006; TTY 711 Mutual of Omaha Rx Premier S7126-080 Contact: 800-961-9006; TTY 711

BlueMedicare Premier Rx S5904-001 Contact: 855-601-9465

$76.70

$545

No



Cigna Extra Rx S5617-256 Contact: 800-735-1459; TTY 711

$94.80

$145

Yes

1/2

Cigna Saver Rx S5617-361 Contact: 800-735-1459

$16.80

$545

No

1/2

SilverScript Plus S5601-023 Contact: 833-526-2445

$101.80

$200

Yes



Cigna Secure Rx S5617-053 Contact: 800-735-1459; TTY 711

$59.70

$545

No

1/2

SilverScript SmartSaver S5601-186 Contact: 833-526-2445

$13.30

$280

No



$25.30

$545

No

1/2

WellCare Classic S4802-083 Contact: 866-859-9084

$37.40

$545

No

1/2

$81.70

$545

No



WellCare Medicare Rx Value Plus S4802-214 Contact: 866-859-9084

$78.90

$0

No

1/2

$115.10

$0

Yes



$0

$545

No

1/2

Clear Spring Health Value Rx S6946-008 Contact: 877-317-6082 Humana Basic Rx Plan (PDP) S5884-105 Contact: 800-706-0872 Humana Premier Rx Plan S5884-157 Contact: 800-706-0872

WellCare Value Script S4802-146 Contact: 866-859-9084

Note: Shading on the chart indicates plans offered by the same company. *Drug deductible applies only to tiers 2 through 5.

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LifeTimes Diversions Arts in Motion: “DUNE” by Studio Roosegaarde • Oct. 22 “DUNE” is a temporary art exhibit, free for visitors and meant for all ages. Juxtaposing nature and technology, “DUNE” is composed of hundreds of interactive LED light and sound fibers that respond to the movement of passing visitors. “DUNE” will appear as an indoor exhibit in the interior of Sparkman Wharf, across from their main recreational lawn. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

615 Channelside Drive, Tampa.

(813) 618-5844.

Honeymoon Island’s Fall Fest • Oct. 22 With assorted recreational activities, experiences, nature exhibits and arts and crafts, Fall Fest showcases the many things to do and discover on scenic, unspoiled Honeymoon Island.

Festival is free with park admission.

10 a.m.-5 p.m. At 1 Causeway Blvd. (at the west end of Dunedin Causeway), Dunedin. (727) 241-6106. fallfesthoneymoonisland.com.

SHINE 2023 • Oct. 22 The SHINE St. Petersburg Mural Festival once again ignites the City of the Arts with a diverse collection of public art from renowned local, national and international mural artists.

Fourteen new murals plus a series of Bright Spot community mural projects will be added to the art districts and surrounding neighborhoods of St. Pete’s downtown. Presented at various locations throughout St. Petersburg. Follow on Facebook and Instagram at @shineonstpete for the most current details. shinemuralfest.com.

HEILUNG • Oct. 23 In October, HEILUNG makes its Ruth Eckerd Hall debut. Since its inception in 2015, HEILUNG has featured authentic and

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archaic instrumentation that ranges from rattles and ritual bells to human bones and throat singing; their captivating brand of music is far from primitive. 18+ show. $43.25-$93.25. 8 p.m. Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen-Booth Road, Clearwater. (727) 712-2717. rutheckerdhall.com.

“Beetlejuice” • Oct. 24 Based on Tim Burton’s iconic film, the musical tells the story of teenager Lydia Deetz, whose life is upended by a recently deceased couple and a snarky demon.

7:30 p.m. Straz Center, 1010 N. MacInnes Place, Tampa.

(813) 229-7827.

Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics • Oct. 25 Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations. Get your tickets now to discover Halloweeninspired music at Centro Asturiano de Tampa under the gentle glow of candlelight. $35.

9-10 p.m. Centro Asturiano de Tampa, 1913 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa. (402) 249-2445. eventvesta.com.

“The Addams Family” at Movies in the Park • Oct. 26 The evening starts with live music at 5:30 p.m. by Doug South, followed by the movie on the big screen at dusk. The fun takes place in North Straub Park, between 4th and 5th Ave. NE at Beach Drive.

Come early to get your favorite spot and to enjoy live music, and grab some food from the ’Burg’s best food vendors. Beer and wine will be available; proceeds benefit Preserve the ’Burg and Jump for Kids. In lieu of charging for the event, please consider a donation or becoming a member of Preserve the ’Burg online or at the event.

5:30-9 p.m. Fifth Avenue NE and Bayshore Drive, St. Petersburg. ptb.wildapricot.org.

Streetcar Live • Oct. 26 Gasparilla Music Fest is a partner in the ongoing series of live music on the TECO Streetcar in downtown Tampa. With a capacity of just 74, the historic streetcar provides an intimate and unique musical experience during a free ride. Free. 6-8 p.m. Centro Ybor 1600 E. Eighth Ave., Tampa. (813) 242-4660.

St. Petersburg Saturday Morning Market • Oct. 28 This weekly outdoor market features local farmers who offer organic and sustainably raised fresh vegetables, fruits and meats; a wide variety of artisan food vendors; juried artists, crafters and makers; ready-to-eat foods; live music and entertainment. The market participates in the “Fresh from Florida” program, which doubles EBT/SNAP dollars for access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Free.

9 a.m.-2 p.m. 230 First St. SE, St. Petersburg. (727) 855-1937.

SaturdayMorningMarket.com.

An Evening With John Legend • Oct. 29 The multi-platinum, 12-time Grammy® Award winner brings us a special solo performance featuring intimate reimaginings of his greatest hits and stories from his life and career. Starting at $275. 8 p.m. Sunday. Seminole Hard Rock, 5223 Orient Road, Tampa. (813) 627-7625.

Dave Chappelle • Oct. 29 Chappelle is the 2019 recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. The comedian/ actor brings his stand-up comedy show live to Tampa. $55.75$275.75. 7 p.m. Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa. (813) 301-6500.

Zubrick Magic Theatre • Oct. 29 Illusionists Chris and Ryan Zubrick conjure an exhilarating

blend of sleight-of-hand, familyfriendly comedy and breathtaking grand-scale illusions in a 70-minute show that captures the imagination. $42-$149. 7-8:15 p.m. 1211 First Ave. N., Suite 101, St. Petersburg. tecolinestreetcar.org (866) 982-7425. zubrickmagic.com.

Art on the House • Nov. 2 Every Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m., the Tampa Museum of Art offers Art on the House, where admission prices change to pay-as-you-will, and visitors choose whatever admission price they want to pay. Bring the family and enjoy exhibitions that emphasize ancient, modern and contemporary art. Any donation amount is welcome. 4-8 p.m.

Tampa Museum of Art, 120 Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa. (813) 274-8130. tampamuseum.org.

Here Come The Mummies: With Special Guest Perpetual Groove • Nov. 3 $45-$55. 7:30 p.m. Bilheimer Capitol Theatre. 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater. (727) 791-7400.

25th Annual Historic Kenwood Bungalow Fest • Nov. 4 Ten homes spotlight urban rebirth and living large in small spaces. See Craftsman, ranch, mid-century and modern homes with a special look inside a former grocery store converted into a four-unit complex. Bungalow Fest will also offer guided tours of the historic St. Petersburg High School’s renovations. $25$30 at HistoricKenwood.org. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 2501 Fifth Ave. N., St. Petersburg. (727) 893-1842.

HistoricKenwood.org.

Fran Lebowitz • Nov. 4 The insightful commentator goes off the cuff on some of her biggest pet peeves. A 30-minute Q&A and a book signing follow. Starting at $55. 7:30 p.m. Straz Center. 1010 N. MacInnes Place, Tampa. (813) 229-7827.

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