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Coverage Among Medigap Policies is, well ... Gappy
Seven years after Congress acted to create ten standardized plans for Medicare supplement insurance, commonly known as Medigap, consumers are still encountering dramatic differences in the premiums they are charged for identical policy benefits, according to recent study by Weiss Ratings Inc, provider of health insurance shopping guides for senior citizens. The study's findings are based on 37,090 quotes from 108 companies offering Medigap coverage.
"One reason Congress standardized the Medigap plans was to help make it easier for seniors to compare policies, while reducing widespread abuses," says Martin Weiss. "However, many consumers are still being overcharged."
For example, in Bakersfield, California, a 65 year old male would pay only $496 for the no-frills Plan, but would be charged over double, or $1,220, by another insurer for exactly the same coverage. In Billings, Montana, that same consumer would pay only $1,517 for the top-of-the-line Plan, but would be charged $3,453 by another insurer for exactly the same coverage.
Many companies claim that the wide price differences are strictly due to hidden policy differences. Indeed, some companies give a price break at age 65, but increase premiums as the policyholder gets older, while others charge more at 65 and do not increase premiums with age. In addition, some companies charge less for healthier individuals, while others offer the same rate regardless of one's health condition. However, these two rationales, says the Weiss study, still fail to explain many of the price gaps.
Weiss offers a $49 guide, "Health Insurance Report for Seniors", that helps consumers locate the best value for Medigap policies. For additional information about the consumer guide, contact Weiss Ratings Inc, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida at: 1-800-289-9222.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
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AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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Depression May Lower Sex Hormone Levels
"Not tonight honey, I have a hormone deficiency". Hmmm. That's a new phrase, and it's coming from the male side of the bed. Nevertheless, that phrase may become common place, according to a report from the Center for the Advancement of Health. A team of eight medical doctors associated with the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich has determined that sex hormones are secreted at different rates in men who are severely depressed than those who are not depressed.
A major objective of the study was to analyze the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal
system in patients with major depression, the scientists said. The samples were analyzed for testosterone, gonadotropin (a hormone that stimulates growth of the gonads), cortisol (a major stress hormone), follicle stimulating hormone (which stimulates sperm production), and luteinizing hormone (which stimulates the production of testosterone).
"Our data suggest that men (age 22 - 85) who suffer from severe major depression have disturbance of gonadal
function as reflected by decreased testosterone concentration," said Dr. Ulrich Schweiger, head of the
study.
Comparison of men with depression and those without showed:
- Lower testosterone concentrations during daytime and significantly lower concentrations at night
and across the 24-hour period.
- Similar concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone in both
groups, but the LH pulse was lower in depressed men.
- Cortisol concentration 68 percent higher in men with major depression than in the comparison
group.
- A negative relationship between cortisol and testosterone, that is, the higher the cortisol, the lower
the testosterone levels.
The major implication of this study is that low testosterone may be one of several mechanisms in which
severe depressive disorders impair sexual function and increase the risk of myocardial infarction and
osteoporosis. "Previous studies of sex hormone concentration in depressed individuals had yielded inconsistent and ambiguous results," said Schweiger. "Possibly because some patients in those studies were only mildly depressed." The new research is reported in the June issue of Psychosomatic Medicine.
Germany's chain of Max Planck Institutes, funded by the German federal and state governments, support
intramural research in a broad range of scientific disciplines.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
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AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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Hearing Loss Increases Behavior Problems in Alzheimer Patients
Untreated hearing loss in patients with Alzheimer Disease (AD) may exaggerate communication difficulties and contribute to problem behaviors, according to a recent study published in the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (ASHA) Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research.
Audiologists and speech-language pathologists conducting the study found that the use of hearing aids with mild to moderate AD patients increased positive behaviors, and significantly reduced the number of difficult behaviors, such as, repetitive questioning, arguments, searching/pacing, and forgetfulness.
Patient caregivers were asked to identify and record the incidence of participant’s problem behaviors, before and after hearing-aid treatment, in a diary. Caregivers noticed that hearing aid use not only reduced the number of problem behaviors, but also increased a number of positive behaviors. For example, some caregivers noted that hearing aid use had increased participant’s likelihood to engage in interactions and conversations, and increased their awareness of environmental sounds and general alertness.
Researchers conducting the study concluded that hearing aid use could be beneficial to both the patient with AD and to the caregiver. Patients with the most cognitive abilities were able to benefit the most from hearing aid use. Researchers found a high incidence of hearing loss in AD patients, which may be correlated to the patient’s ages. Researchers noted that hearing loss is often untreated in AD patients for a variety of reasons, including the belief that testing patients with AD is impossible. However, researchers dispelled this myth by using new methodologies to test hearing loss accurately in patients with AD.
Researchers suggested in the study summary that future studies measure patients at various stages of the disease, treatment of caregiver hearing loss, binaural hearing-aid fittings, and a more in-depth measure of behaviors caregivers would like to see increased.
ASHA is the national professional, scientific and credentialing organization for more than 96,000 audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech/language/hearing scientists. Audiologists are hearing health care professionals who specialize in preventing, identifying, and assessing hearing disorders as well as providing audiologic treatment including hearing aids and other assistive listening devices. Speech-language pathologists are professionals who identify, assess, and treat speech and language problems including
swallowing disorders.
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AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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Seniors Tour China And Yangtze River for $200 per Day
For Americans 50-plus who want to experience life along teh Yangtze River before it disappears, Grand Circle Travel has reduced its China & The Yangtze River Cruise Tour. The 21-day cruise tour gives travelers a glimpse into people, history, and culture of China for less than $200 per day.
"As construction of the Three Gorges Dam proceeds, the Yangtze River's course soon will be altered forever," explains Mark Frevert, president of Grand Circle Travel. "On our Chiina & Yangtze River Cruise Tour, our travelers experience a fascinating way of life and a beautiful area that within a few years will be gone."
Costs start at $3,995, or $190 per day, including airfare, most meals, accommodations, and sightseeing.
Travelers explore China at a leisurely pace with four nights in Beijing, three nights each in Shanghai and Hong Kong, and five nights cruising along the Yangtze.
Among the sites that travelers will visit are The Great Wall of China, the Ming tombs, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, the Forbidden City, the Jade Buddha Temple, Bund promenade, the Shanghai Museum, the Children's Palace, the Reed Flute Caves, Victoria Peak, and Repulse Bay. Entertainment includes a Peking Opera performance, acrobatic show, and a Tang Dynasty Dinner and cultural presentation.
Following the Cruise Tour, guests may extend their stay in Bangkok for three days with rates starting at $275 per person. For a free copy of Grand Circle's "Rivers 1999" catalog, readers can contact: Grand Circle Travel, Boston, MA at: 1-800-248-3737. Grand Circle is one of the largest providers of vacations for the 50-plus population.
See related articles in the AgeVenture archives.
Active Senior Travelers Seek Cultural Experiences
Boomers Drive Adventure Travel Trend
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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