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Comedian Ron White returning to F.M Kirby Center Jan. 9

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Barber Ford finds success in growing commercial truck line

<p>Caveat emptor. Let the buyer beware. A principle in law holding that in a commercial bargain, the buyer needs to be wary about the suitability of the thing bought to the intended purpose.</p><p>The annual open enrollment period for many health insurance plans, including Medicare, is upon us. Starting today, and through Dec. 7, customers will have the opportunity to shop for and purchase the insurance plan that best suits them for 2020.</p><p>But beware, open enrollment typically coincides with a rise in health insurance scams, where customers are convinced to purchase plans that offer insufficient or downright fraudulent coverage. Con artists often target the Medicare audience, those 65 and older who may be uninformed about healthcare reform and current industry trends.</p><p>An article published in January by AARP informs those looking for Medicare plans of the warning signs of insurance fraud.</p><p>Be wary of anyone claiming to be a government representative. You see, government agents do not sell insurance! Plans inviting customers to join an &#8220;association&#8221; or &#8220;union&#8221; can be a ploy designed to dupe the unsuspecting into buying nonexistent group health insurance. Plans claiming to be licensed under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) are fraudulent, because insurance companies are licensed by states, not the federal government. And expiring offers that pressure buyers into purchasing &#8220;right away&#8221; to secure a low-cost plan or a special rate are phony as well.</p><p>In addition to citing these red flags, AARP offers a list of &#8220;Dos&#8221; and &#8220;Don&#8217;ts&#8221; to help Medicare shoppers investigate and vet legitimate insurance brokers while weeding out grifters.</p><p>The organization recommends always:</p><p>&#183; Comparing rates, because &#8220;comprehensive&#8221; coverage listed well below competing plans is likely a trap</p><p>&#183; Confirming the license of any plan provider with the state&#8217;s insurance commissioner</p><p>&#183; Demanding a statement of benefits or complete copy of the policy</p><p>&#183; Understanding the difference between medical discount plans and health insurance and asking explicit questions to define which is being offered</p><p>&#183; Researching an &#8220;association&#8221; or &#8220;union&#8221; and verifying a street address to confirm activity other than selling insurance</p><p>&#183; Vetting unfamiliar companies who claim to sell big name insurance with the established, reputable company named in the pitch</p><p>AARP also recommends never:</p><p>&#183; Submitting personal information to a website to get a price quote, as it could be a doorway to identity theft or endless sales calls</p><p>&#183; Discussing anything with a sales agent who avoids giving information by using vague or evasive language</p><p>&#183; Signing up for a plan if the minimum requirements seem insufficient. If a plan doesn&#8217;t require a physical or medical history, it&#8217;s probably not legitimate.</p><p>&#183; Offering bank, credit card or personal information to make a payment to someone who calls regarding Affordable Care Act insurance. ACA guidance is available free of charge at Healthcare.gov.</p><p>Once you&#8217;re secure in the insurance provider you&#8217;ve researched and chosen, considering a Medicare Advantage plan could be the right fit. According to the Alliance of Community Health Plans, an organization aimed at improving affordability and outcomes in the healthcare industry, Medicare Advantage plans provide all the benefits of traditional Medicare plus enhanced benefits, high value coverage, better health outcomes, greater transparency and superior customer experience &#8212; all at a lower price.</p><p>Geisinger&#8217;s Gold Medicare Advantage plans include a wide range of cost-saving features and wellness programs not available with original Medicare such as prescription drug coverage, dental, and vision benefits. These plans include: important vaccines covered at no cost; savings on eligible prescriptions through CareSite mail-order pharmacies; health management programs for complex and chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer care; and access to more than 29,000 primary care and specialty physicians, 120 hospitals and 132 urgent- and convenient-care locations.</p><p>Geisinger Gold 360 Rx, a plan available for 2020, features a zero-dollar premium, no deductibles and copays starting at zero dollars.</p><p>If you&#8217;re eligible for Medicare&#8217;s open enrollment, I am SURE you&#8217;ve already been bombarded by email, letters, pamphlets and even prone calls from many insurers with Medicare Advantage programs. It may seem like a big pain to wade through the options, but it is important to get the right coverage selected by December 7. Don&#8217;t let the mountain of information scare you away. Get help. You can speak with an advisor from Geisinger or schedule a home visit with them by calling 800-823-9633. For other options, just look in your mail box!</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Casale </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_casale_edit-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Casale </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Alfred Casale</p><p>To Your Health</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Dr. Alfred Casale, a cardiothoracic surgeon, is associate chief medical officer for Geisinger and chair of the Geisinger Heart Institute. Readers may write to him via ae@www.timesleader.com. For a free heart risk assessment, visit geisinger.org/heartrisk.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Dr. Casale: Choose wisely during open enrollment