* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:06] SO TODAY WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THING THREE PROGRAMS THAT HELP YOU STAY HEALTHY, INDEPENDENT, AND CAN ALSO SAVE YOU MONEY. UM, BUT LET'S DO, LET'S SEE WHAT YOU GUYS KNOW ABOUT MEDICARE. LET'S HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FUN. WE'LL TAKE FIVE MINUTES AND WE'RE JUST, I'M JUST GONNA, IT'S A LITTLE QUIZ I CREATED AND I THINK YOU'LL, YOU MAY NOT KNOW THE ANSWERS, BUT I THINK YOU'RE GONNA LEARN SOMETHING. SO, OKAY, WHO RECEIVED THE VERY FIRST MEDICARE CARD? LINDA JOHNSON, HARRY TRUMAN, ELEANOR ROOSEVELT FOR SOME RANDOMLY CHOSEN SENIOR, WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT'S THAT? ELEANOR ROOSEVELT. BBII GOT A B, A C AND A D. THE CORRECT ANSWER IS B HARRY TRUMAN. NOW, WHY DID HE GET THE FIRST CARD? BECAUSE, UM, IN OFFICE AND OUTTA OFFICE, HE NEVER ACTUALLY PASSED THE ME MEDICARE LEGISLATION, BUT HE ADVOCATED VERY STRONGLY FOR IT. THE, THE BILL WAS ACTUALLY PASSED WITH LINDA JOHNSON IN 1965, AND WHEN HE SIGNED THE BILL, HE SIGNED IT IN THE TRUMAN LIBRARY. AND THERE'S HARRY TRUMAN. HE GOT THE FIRST MEDICARE CARD AS A, YOU KNOW, UH, RECOGNITION OF ALL HIS EFFORTS. OKAY? MEDICARE HELPED DESEGREGATE US HOSPITALS ALMOST OVERNIGHT. TRUE OR FALSE? WHAT DO YOU THINK? FALSE. FALSE. I HEARD IT. FALSE. YEAH. FALSE. YEAH. TRUE. WHY? MONEY TALKS. SO WHEN THE, WHEN THE CONGRESS PASSED MEDICARE, RIGHT? THERE WAS ALL THIS MONEY THAT WAS GOING OUT TO HOSPITALS TO PAY FOR CARE, BUT THE GOVERNMENT SAID YOU DON'T GET THE MONEY UNLESS YOU OPEN UP YOUR HOSPITALS AND DESEGREGATE YOUR HOSPITALS, RIGHT? SO THAT GAVE HOSPITALS AN INCENTIVE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, ALL 50 STATES, TO OPEN UP THEIR CARE TO EVERYONE AND, AND, AND, AND INTEGRATE THE HOSPITALS 'CAUSE THEY WANTED THE MONEY. YOU KNOW, IT'S A GOOD LESSON. OKAY? IN 2026, WHAT'S THE MOST MOST A PERSON CAN PAY IN A YEAR FOR THEIR PART D DRUGS? PART D IS THE PART OF MEDICARE THAT COVERS YOUR DRUGS. CCCB, THE ANSWER IS B $2,100. THIS IS ONE THAT YOU CAN GIVE CREDIT TO THE DEMOCRATS. JOE BIDEN, DURING, UH, WHEN BIDEN WAS IN OFFICE, THEY PASSED SOMETHING CALLED THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DID IS THEY PUT THIS IN THAT THEY PUT A CAP ON YOUR DRUG SPENDING IN A YEAR. NOW, WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? I CAN TELL YOU, MY WIFE, WHO I TALK ABOUT A LOT, I LOVE HER DEARLY. SHE IS, UM, SHE'S GOT SOME HEALTH ISSUES. SHE'S ON TWO BIOLOGIC MEDICINES. ANYBODY HERE ON LIKE THESE ONCE A MONTH BIOLOGIC MEDICINES, LIKE FOR DIABETES, LIKE HUMIRA OR SKYRIZI OR GLP ONES? THE OZEMPIC, YEAH, THEY'RE VERY EXPENSIVE, RIGHT? I MEAN, THEY'RE, THEY CAN RUN, YOU KNOW, MY WIFE, UH, TAKES TWO OF THEM AND IT'S $4,000 A MONTH. OKAY? YEAH. BUT WHAT HAPPENED IS, WE'RE ON, WE'RE ON A PART D PLAN. WE PAID THE FIRST $2,100 AND MEDICARE PAID THE REST, THEY PAID OVER WELL OVER $42,000. YEAH, IT'S A, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU, LIKE YOU, YOU'RE ON YOUR UNION PLAN, YOU PROBABLY, WELL, IF YOU'RE ON, ARE YOU ON A MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN? NO. IT'S JUST STRAIGHT MEDICARE. IT'S, IT'S MEDICARE. THEN PRESCRIPTIONS GO THROUGH D, THEY GO TO D. THEN YOU WOULD HAVE, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, FOR THOSE OF YOU, FOR EXAMPLE, I MEET WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL WORKING, UM, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE OVER 65 AND THEY'RE ON THEIR COMPANY PLAN, BUT YOU DON'T GET THAT BENEFIT, YOU KNOW? SO IT'S A GREAT THING. UM, ORIGINAL IS AN IMPORTANT ONE. ORIGINAL MEDICARE PUTS A YEARLY CAP CAP ON WHAT YOU'RE GONNA PAY OUT OF POCKET. TRUE OR FALSE? TRUE. GUESS WHAT? IT'S FALSE. UNDER REGULAR MEDICARE, MEDICARE PAYS 80% AND YOU GET A BILL FOR 20%. SO IF YOU HAVE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU'RE GONNA GET A BILL FOR $20,000. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MOST MAKES MOST PEOPLE FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE. SO THAT'S WHY THEY USUALLY DO SOMETHING ELSE. THEY EITHER ADD A SUPPLEMENT PLAN LIKE YOU HAVE, OR THEY GO ON MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, AND THAT WAY THEY AVOID THIS, RIGHT? 'CAUSE I MEAN, THAT CAN BANKROLL, UH, UH, BANKRUPT YOU IF YOU GET VERY SICK. UM, OKAY, THAT THE QUIZ IS OVER. VERY QUICKLY, [00:05:01] INTRODUCTION. MY NAME IS DEAN DEAN SCHWARTZ. UH, I'M A LICENSED, UM, MEDICARE AND LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITIES BROKER IN NEW YORK STATE. UM, I HELP, I TEACH PEOPLE ABOUT MEDICARE. I HELP PEOPLE FIND THE RIGHT PLAN. I ENROLL PEOPLE. THERE'S NO CHARGE FOR MY SERVICE. MY SERVICES ARE FREE. UM, I GET A TINY, TINY LITTLE COMMISSION FOR HELPING YOU GET ENROLLED. UM, UH, AND I DO THIS REALLY BECAUSE OF THIS, UM, UPPER LEFT HAND CORNER. THAT'S MY MOTHER-IN-LAW. SHE'S, I THINK, 96. THAT'S HER FRIEND, MYRNA. SHE'S 98 AND THEY'RE DOING GREAT. THEY PLAY BRIDGE FOUR TIMES A WEEK. THEY'RE IN THE GYM AND THEY GOT PROBLEMS, BUT YOU KNOW, THEY'RE REALLY DOING WELL. UH, BELOW THAT, THAT'S ME. WHEN I WAS 40 POUNDS HEAVIER THANKS TO OZEMPIC, I GOT RID OF IT. AND THAT'S MY DAD. AND HE MADE IT TO 95. AND I PLAN ON DOING THE SAME THING. AND I WORK VERY HARD AT MY HEALTH. I EXERCISE, I TRY TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF. BUT THE OTHER THING THAT I LEARNED IS THAT STUFF HAPPENS. AND IT HAPPENS MORE OFTEN WHEN YOU GET OLDER. I'M 71 YEARS OLD, I'VE BEEN ON MEDICARE FOR SIX YEARS. SOMEBODY HELPED TEACH ME ABOUT MEDICARE AND HELPED ME FIND THE RIGHT PLAN, AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO FOR YOU. BUT STUFF HAPPENS UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER, THAT'S MY TORN MENISCUS SURGERY, BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER, THAT'S MY WIFE'S NEW BACK. SHE LOOKS LIKE AN ERECTOR SET INSIDE, RIGHT? UM, ALL DONE VIA MEDICARE. BUT THE THING ABOUT IT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AND HERE'S, HERE'S THE, OH, I DON'T HAVE THAT CHART, BUT BASICALLY, BY THE TIME YOU HIT 80, YOUR HEALTHCARE COSTS ARE GONNA BE FOUR TIMES WHAT THEY WERE IN YOUR EARLY SIXTIES, BECAUSE AGING RIGHT? AND THINGS HAPPEN, RIGHT? AND THE POINT HERE IS THAT HAVING THE RIGHT HEALTHCARE COVERAGE WHEN YOU'RE OLDER IS THAT MUCH MORE IMPORTANT. OKAY? IT'S REALLY CRITICAL. AND YOU KNOW, WHAT I TRY TO DO BASICALLY IS HELP PEOPLE SLEEP BETTER AT NIGHT SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR HEALTHCARE IF THEY GET SICK. SO, UM, ANYBODY HERE KNOW WHAT ANNUAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD IS? SO WHAT'S THAT? YEAH. YES, EXACTLY. SO EVERY YEAR, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, AND THE FIRST WEEK IN DECEMBER IS THE ANNUAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD. THERE'S 69 MILLION PEOPLE ON MEDIC, SOME FORM OF MEDICARE OR MEDICARE ADVANTAGE. AND THIS IS THE TIME OF THE YEAR WHERE YOU CAN SWITCH PLANS, OKAY? YOU CAN GO FROM ONE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE TO A DIFFERENT ADVANTAGE PLAN, OR YOU CAN GO FROM MEDICARE ADVANTAGE TO MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT. IF YOU DO NOTHING, THE PLAN THAT YOU HAVE IN 2026 WILL BE YOUR PLAN IN 2027. IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A CHANGE, YOU CAN MAKE A CHANGE DURING THIS PERIOD, AND YOUR NEW PLAN WILL START ON JANUARY 1ST. OKAY? AND IT'S A GOOD IDEA EVERY SO OFTEN TO TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR PLAN AND COMPARE IT TO WHAT'S OUT THERE. BECAUSE THE THING ABOUT IT IS, YOU KNOW, YOUR HEALTH HAS PROBABLY CHANGED. YOU KNOW, YOUR NEEDS MAY HAVE CHANGED, THE PLANS CHANGE. THERE'S NEW PROGRAMS THAT COME IN. SO IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA TO KIND OF TAKE A FRESH LOOK. AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT IT AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE IN, YOU, YOU LIKE WHERE YOU ARE, YOU STICK WITH IT, YOU DO NOTHING. OKAY? BUT, AND WE KNOW THAT THE NEW PLANS FOR 2027 AREN'T OUT YET, OKAY? BUT, UM, WE KNOW FOR EXAMPLE, THE PART D DRUG DEDUCTIBLE IS GONNA GO UP. WE KNOW THAT, UM, THAT THAT MAXIMUM FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS IS GONNA GO UP FROM 2100 TO $2,400. UM, AND OTHER THINGS ARE PROB LISTEN, WE KNOW IT'S NOT GONNA GET CHEAPER, RIGHT? AND THE, THE COSTS ARE PROBABLY GONNA GO UP. SO, ANOTHER REASON TO KIND OF TAKE A LOOK, I TOOK A LOOK. WE'RE ON A MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT PLAN NOW WITH UNITEDHEALTHCARE, AND I TOOK A LOOK AT MY BILLS AND WHAT THEY'VE BEEN CHARGING ME. AND, UM, THEY'VE RAISED MY RATE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS BY 25%, RIGHT? SO NOW I'M THINKING MAYBE IN OCTOBER THAT I MAY SWITCH TO A DIFFERENT PLAN. SO ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA TO CHECK. AND I'M HERE TO HELP YOU. IF ANYBODY DOES WANT HELP AT THE END OF THE MEETING, I HAVE MY BUSINESS CARD. AND AGAIN, I DON'T CHARGE FOR MY SERVICES. SO FREE BENEFITS. WHY, WHY AM I TALKING ABOUT IT? BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT QUALIFY, AND THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT PROGRAMS OUT THERE, BUT MOST PEOPLE DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF 'EM 'CAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THEY EXIST, RIGHT? [00:10:01] AND THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO ACCESS THEM. SO WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE FREE PROGRAMS AND, AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM. DOES THAT SOUND SOUND ALL RIGHT? MM-HMM . OKAY. SO, AND THE SESSION TODAY IS ABOUT TEACHING YOU ABOUT THESE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL PROGRAMS AND INDUSTRY PROGRAMS, AS I SAID, THAT CAN IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH, KEEP YOU INDEPENDENT, AND ACTUALLY ALSO HELP YOU PAY FOR YOUR MEDICARE. UM, AND I WANT YOU TO WALK AWAY UNDERSTANDING HOW TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT'S AVAILABLE AND HOW TO ACCESS IT. SO WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT FOUR AREAS OF KIND OF FREE PROGRAMS. UM, FREE DISEASE PREVENTION PROGRAMS AND HEALTHY LIVING PROGRAMS. THESE ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU AT NO COST ON MEDICARE AND MEDICARE ADVANTAGE. THAT CAN REALLY HELP YOU STAY HEALTHY. NUMBER TWO IS MAXIMIZING SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFITS. FOR THOSE OF YOU, I THINK, UM, YOU'RE ON ADVANTAGE. I THINK YOU'RE ON ADVANTAGE. SO DO YOU GET LIKE DENTAL AND YOU'RE ON THE ELITE? YEAH. YOU DON'T GET DENTAL, BUT YOU PROBABLY GET A LITTLE MONEY FOR GLASSES. MAYBE YOU GET A FREE GYM MEMBERSHIP. THOSE KINDS OF, YEAH. YOU DO YOU SEE THAT? YOU'RE, YOU'RE PROVING MY POINT. YOU GOT ALL THESE BENEFITS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT, YOU'RE GONNA ALERT 'EM ABOUT 'EM NOW. WHAT'S THAT? OKAY. ARE YOU ON A SUPPLEMENT PLAN OR A, OKAY, SO LET'S JUMP INTO THIS. UM, FREE DISEASE PREVENTION AND HEALTHY LIVING PROGRAMS. UM, HAS ANYBODY EVER HEARD THE TERM HEALTH IS WEALTH? OKAY, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? HEALTHY SAVE MONEY. HOW DO, HOW DOES STAYING HEALTHY SAVE YOU MONEY? YOU ARE, YOU ARE CORRECT. THAT'S RIGHT. HEALTH IS WEALTH HAS MEANS TWO THINGS. NUMBER ONE, IT MEANS IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR HEALTH, YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T REALLY ENJOY YOUR LIFE. SO YOU HAVE A MUCH RICHER, HEALTHIER, BETTER LIFE IF YOU'RE HEALTHY. BUT THE OTHER PART OF IT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST SAID. IF YOU KEEP YOURSELF HEALTHY, YOU DON'T GO TO THE DOCTOR AS MUCH, YOU DON'T NEED, MAYBE YOU DON'T NEED THAT SURGERY. YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU DON'T NEED THAT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU KNOW? AND SO STAYING HEALTHY, ALSO, FEWER TRIPS TO THE DOCTOR, FEWER COPAYS, YOU LESS CO-INSURANCE, IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE, RIGHT? SO IT REALLY DOES PAY OFF TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. NOW, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE ON ORIGINAL MEDICARE, RIGHT? SO THOSE WOULD BE PEOPLE THAT HAVE, UH, WHEN THEY, WHEN YOU GO SEE A DOCTOR, YOU GIVE THEM YOUR MEDICARE CARD AND MAY, AND YOU GIVE THEM YOUR MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT CARD, OKAY? MM-HMM . ORIGINAL MEDICARE, YOU HAVE, UM, THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF ZERO COST SCREENINGS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU THAT COST YOU NOTHING. DIABETES SCREENING, CARDIOVASCULAR SCREENING FOR CHOLESTEROL, CANCER SCREENINGS, DEPRESSION SCREENING. AND THERE ARE OTHERS TOO. SO THOSE FREE SERVICES THOUGH, IF YOUR DR. MAY NOT NECESS, IF YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GO TO A SPECIAL, IT'S NOT THAT I CAN BE AT MY REGULAR DOCTOR. NO, YOU, YOU CAN GET IT THROUGH YOUR REGULAR DOCTOR. THEY ALWAYS CHARGE FOR THE COLONOSCOPIES. NO, THAT'S, UH, NOT COLONOSCOPIES. OH, COLON SCAN. COLON. YEAH, THAT'S, IT'S A, OOPS. HOLD ON. THE ONE BEFORE, YEAH, I'M TRYING TO GET TO IT. AND THEN I DID SOMETHING. THEY CALLED THE CALCIUM. SEE CANCER SCREENS THE COLON. I THOUGHT THAT WAS A, YEAH, THEY'LL DO A COLONOSCOPY. I, AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS OF YOUR PLANS ON A LOT OF, A LOT OF THE ADVANTAGE PLANS. I'M REGULAR. I DON'T HAVE, I'M FROM GOVERNMENT. UM, I DON'T HAVE AN ADVANTAGE WITH MEDICARE. YOU'RE ON A MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT PLAN. MEDICARE IS MY FIRST, AND UNITED HEALTHCARE IS MY, OKAY. OKAY. YEAH. THEN YOU, YOU'RE, YOU, COLONOSCOPY, THERE SHOULD BE NO CHARGE FOR YOUR COLONOSCOPY. YEAH. OKAY. THIS IS GOOD. YEAH. CORRECT. SAME THING FOR MAMMOGRAM. [00:15:02] MAMMOGRAMS, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BUT YEAH, I MEAN, AGAIN, IT DEPENDS ON THE PLAN, BUT A LOT OF THE ORIGINAL MEDICARE PLANS, UM, SHOULD BE COVERED. YEAH, IT SHOULD BE COVERED. OKAY? THE OTHER THING IS THAT, UM, MEDICARE, ORIGINAL MEDICARE WILL PAY FOR A RANGE OF WELLNESS AND DISEASE PREVENTION PROGRAMS. SO EVERY YEAR, IF YOU'RE ON REGULAR MEDICARE, YOU'RE ENTITLED TO AN ANNUAL WELLNESS VISIT. OKAY? YOU GO SEE YOUR DOCTOR, THEY'LL CHECK YOU OUT. UM, THEY'LL PAY FOR DIABETES SCREENING, DIABETES SELF-MANAGEMENT TRAINING. SO IF YOU, IF YOU ARE DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETES AND YOU NEED TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR DISEASE AND HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, THERE ARE TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT YOU CAN DO FOR FREE TO LEARN THAT. UM, THERE'S DISEASE MANAGEMENT AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR A RANGE OF CHRONIC DISEASES, NOT JUST DIABETES. LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS. AND, AND I'VE LEARNED WHEN IT COMES TO HEALTH, KNOWLEDGE OF POWER, OKAY? AND THE MORE YOU KNOW ABOUT YOURSELF, YOUR CONDITION, UM, THE BETTER CARE YOU CAN TAKE TO YOURSELF AND THE HEALTHIER YOU'RE GONNA BE. UH, THERE'S FREE, UM, DIS SMOKING CESSATION PROGRAMS. THERE'S FREE VACCINES FOR COVID, FLU, UH, PNEUMONIA, HEPATITIS, UM, AND ALL THESE PROGRAMS ARE ACCESSED THROUGH YOUR DOCTOR. SO IT'S A GOOD IDEA EVERY YEAR TO GO IN, GET YOUR ANNUAL WELLNESS VISIT WITH YOUR DOCTOR, LET 'EM CHECK YOU OUT AND TALK ABOUT ANY OF THESE FREE PROGRAMS AND WHETHER OR NOT IT MAKES SENSE FOR YOU TO ENROLL IN ANY OF THOSE. AND THE DOCTOR WILL CAN, CAN SET YOU UP IN THEM. NOW WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT MEDICARE ADVANTAGE. SO THAT WOULD BE FOR YOU AS AN EXAMPLE AND SOME OF THE OTHERS IN THIS ROOM. OKAY? PEOPLE ON MEDICARE ADVANTAGE THOSE PLANS IN TERMS OF PREVENTION PROGRAMS AND HEALTHY LIVING PROGRAMS, THEY OFFERING THINGS THAT GO BEYOND WHAT REGULAR MEDICARE HAS. AND THEY HAVE, UM, THINGS FOR THINGS LIKE FITNESS COACHING AND WELLNESS SERVICES THAT ARE INCLUDED THAT YOU DON'T GET IF YOU'RE ON REGULAR MEDICARE. OKAY? AND THE GOAL OF THIS, AND THESE USUALLY ARE COVERED FOR NO COST. WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT? WHY WOULD THEY? NOBODY GIVES YOU ANYTHING THESE DAYS AND WITHOUT CHARGING 'EM FOR IT. WHY? WHY ARE THEY GIVING YOU A FREE GYM MEMBERSHIP IF THEY MAKE MONEY IN THE HEALTHY, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. AND IT'S THE SAME THING ABOUT THESE EDUCATION AND COACHING PROGRAMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IT REALLY PAYS FOR THEM TO INVEST IN YOUR HEALTH, OKAY? BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT SAVES THEM MONEY, OKAY? AND THE LESS THEY HAVE TO PAY OUT, THE MORE THEY GET TO KEEP FOR THEMSELVES. OKAY? AND THERE ARE A RANGE OF FREE HEALTH, UH, HEALTH COACHING PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE ON MANY MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS. THEY'LL GIVE YOU ONE-ON-ONE COACHING WITH A NURSE OR A HEALTH COACH TO HELP YOU WITH, WITH WEIGHT LOSS, BLOOD PRESSURE CONTROL, DIABETES MANAGEMENT. THEY ALSO HAVE CHRONIC CONDITION EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR THINGS LIKE DIABETES, HEART DISEASE, COPD, THAT INCLUDES EDUCATION ON HOW TO MANAGE YOUR CONDITION. THEY'LL HELP YOU WITH MEDICATION ADHERENCE. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS? UM, THAT IS TAKING YOUR MEDICINE WHEN YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TAKE IT. AND THE DOSE, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TAKE IT AS OFTEN AS YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TAKE IT AGAIN. WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT? THEY DO THAT BECAUSE THESE MEDICINES KEEP YOU OUT OF THE HOSPITAL AND THEY WANT TO KEEP YOU OUTTA THE HOSPITAL. 'CAUSE IF YOU GO TO THE HOSPITAL, GUESS WHAT THEY PAY. OKAY? SO IT IS A WIN-WIN. UM, THEY HAVE HEALTHY, UH, NUTRITION AND HEALTHY LIVING PROGRAMS. AGAIN, DIET COACHING. THEY'LL GIVE YOU MEAL PLANNING, GUIDANCE, WEIGHT MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS. THEY HAVE A LOT OF THESE, UH, PLANS HAVE MENTAL HEALTH AND MINDFULNESS PROGRAMS THAT HELP HELP YOU NOT ONLY FEEL GOOD PHYSICALLY, BUT FEEL GOOD MENTALLY. STRESS MANAGE MANAGEMENT MEDITATION APPS THAT YOU CAN DOWNLOAD ON YOUR PHONE. PHONE AND BEHAVIORAL SUPPORT. AND THEY ALSO HAVE, YOU KNOW, OTHER FREE APPS. LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME OF THEM WILL OFFER, LIKE ANYBODY HERE COUNT STEPS. YEAH. HOW MANY, WHAT, WHAT'S YOUR GOAL A DAY? A . OKAY. A THOUSAND. YEAH. YEAH. THEY'LL GIVE YOU A STEP COUNTER. GOOD IDEA. I I, I HAVE A GOAL EVERY DAY. I DON'T ALWAYS HIT IT, BUT LUCKILY I HAVE THREE DOGS. OH. SO I, I WALK A LOT BECAUSE OF THE DOGS. YEAH. I HAVE A QUESTION. I [00:20:02] THAT I COULD GET SIX WEEKS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY OKAY. WHETHER I NEEDED IT OR NOT. OKAY? AND I'M LIKE, WHY, WHY, WHY WOULD THEY GIVE IT TO YOU? YEAH. AGAIN. WELL, IN A WAY YEAH. IN A WAY, AS A MATTER OF FACT. UM, SO AS I SAID, MY WIFE HAD A KNEE REPLACEMENT LAST YEAR, RIGHT? UM, GENERALLY BEFORE YOU GET GO AND HAVE SURGERY, UM, THEY WANT YOU TO DO PHYSICAL THERAPY BECAUSE IF YOU CAN, IF, IF YOU CAN STRENGTHEN YOUR BODY AND STRENGTHEN THE MUSCLES, IT CAN HELP REDUCE THE PAIN AND YOU DON'T NEED THE SURGERY, RIGHT? SO, AND SURGERY IS VERY EXPENSIVE. I, I SAW THE BILL THAT, THAT THEY SENT. IT'S A LOT OF MONEY, RIGHT? SO AGAIN, IF THEY CAN HELP YOU, IF YOU'VE GOT KNEE PAIN BECAUSE YOU HAVE ARTHRITIS IN YOUR KNEE, YOU KNOW, IF THEY CAN HELP YOU DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM BY GOING TO SIX WEEKS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY, UM, AND, AND, AND PREVENT YOU FROM HAVING TO ACTUALLY HAVE SOME SURGERY, IT'S A WIN FOR YOU. 'CAUSE WHO WANTS TO HAVE SURGERY? UNLESS YOU NEED IT, AND IT'S A WIN FOR THEM. 'CAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR YOUR SURGERY. THIS SOUNDED LIKE I GET IT EVERY YEAR, REGARDLESS IF I NEEDED ANYTHING OR NOT. JUST GOOD WAY I CARE OF MY BODY. WELL, NO, FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY, YOU NEED A DIAGNOSIS FROM A DOCTOR. OKAY? I DIDN'T HAVE A DIAGNOSIS WITH MY MEDICAL DOC TOLD ME I COULD GO FOR SIX WEEKS. HE WOULD WRITE, BUT HE, WHAT HE WOULD DO IS HE WOULD WRITE YOU A PRESCRIPTION. AND ON THAT PRESCRIPTION, HE WOULD HAVE TO GIVE A REASON FOR IT. THEY'RE NOT GONNA SEND YOU FOR THAT JUST TO KEEP YOU HEALTHY. IT'S NOT LIKE A PERSONAL TRAINER, RIGHT? SO IT IS GOTTA BE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE PROBLEM. SO THEY'LL WRITE A, YOU KNOW, I HAD A, I HAVE A MIDDLE BACK PROBLEM AS AN EXAMPLE. SO THE DOCTOR YESTERDAY WROTE A PRESCRIPTION FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR MY, UH, MIDDLE BACK. SO THAT KIND OF STUFF IS FREE IF YOU JUST WANT, UH, A FITNESS COACH. UM, IF YOU'RE ON A MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, YOU CAN, MIGHT HAVE A FITNESS BENEFIT AND, UM, SOME OF THE GYMS WILL GIVE YOU A, A, A FREE COACHING SESSION AND HELP YOU GET SET UP WITH, UH, WITH LIFTING WEIGHTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT NO, MEDICARE DOESN'T NORMALLY PAY FOR, YOU KNOW, UM, GENERAL PHYSICAL THERAPY. IT'S USUALLY LINKED TO A SPECIFIC PROBLEM. DOES THAT HELP? YES. OKAY. GOOD. ALL RIGHT. UM, THIS IS ANOTHER BIG ONE THAT MEDICARE ADVANTAGE HAS THAT I LOVE. UM, IT'S AN IN-HOME MEDICARE ADVANTAGE WELLNESS VISIT. OKAY? AND WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT TO HAVE 'EM COME TO YOUR HOME? BECAUSE GUESS WHAT, AS, AS WE GET OLDER, A HOME ISN'T NECESSARILY AS SAFE AS IT USED TO BE. I HAVE A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE LIVES OUT IN CALIFORNIA. HIS WIFE, UM, WAS IN THE SHOWER AND, UM, SHE HAD A DROP IN HER BLOOD PRESSURE AND SHE FAINTED. SHE DIDN'T HAVE A GRAB BAR, NOTHING TO GRAB ONTO. SHE FELL AND SHE BROKE HER ANKLE. OKAY? AND SHE'S STILL NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT RIGHT. UM, A RUG WITH A, WITH A RIPPLE IN IT. I MEAN, IT COULD BE LITTLE THINGS. I MEAN, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT LANDS OLDER PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL IS FALLS, RIGHT? WELL, YOU KNOW, YOUR HOME CAN BE A PRETTY DANGEROUS PLACE IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT THAT WAY. SO THEY'LL ACTUALLY COME TO YOUR HOME. SO THEY'LL DO AN IN-HOME ASSESSMENT AND LOOK FOR SAFETY RISKS, RISKS, AND GIVE YOU RECOMMENDATIONS. LIKE YOU MIGHT WANT TO PUT A GRAB BAR IN THE SHOWER. YOU KNOW, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. UM, THEY'LL DO A MORE DETAILED MEDICAL REVIEW AND THEY'LL TALK TO YOU ABOUT YOUR CHRONIC CONDITIONS FUNCTIONALLY. HOW ARE YOU FOCUSED? HOW ARE YOU FUNCTIONING AROUND THE HOUSE, UM, YOUR SOCIAL NEEDS. UM, AND THESE VISITS OFTEN TRIGGER OTHER KINDS OF HELP, WHETHER IT'S A CARE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, IF YOU NEED HELP, DISEASE COACHING, NURSE OUTREACH, ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS. AND SOME OF THESE PLANS ACTUALLY WILL GIVE YOU AN INCENTIVE, LIKE A GIFT CARD OR A WELLNESS REWARD IF YOU HAVE THIS, IF YOU DO DO THIS IN-HOME VISIT. SO IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT THING. I REALLY, I I URGE YOU, FOR THOSE OF YOU ON AN ADVANTAGE PLAN TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. BLESS YOU. THANK YOU. BLESS YOU. THANK YOU. UM, ANOTHER GREAT THING ABOUT SOME OF THESE ADVANTAGE PLANS IS, UM, THERE ARE PLANS THAT THEY CALL CHRONIC CARE PLANS. AND THESE ARE PLANS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE WITH CERTAIN CHRONIC DISEASES. OKAY? SO THEY'RE NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN WESTCHESTER. THERE WERE THESE PLANS THAT WERE AVAILABLE THIS YEAR [00:25:01] IN THE BRONX. I'M HOPING THAT THEY'RE GONNA BRING 'EM INTO WESTCHESTER FOR 2027. AND THE REASON I HOPE IS THAT YOU, YOU GET TREMENDOUS BENEFITS FROM THIS, RIGHT? FIRST OF ALL, UM, THEY'LL GIVE YOU A, A SPECIAL BREAK ON YOUR MEDICATIONS. THEY'LL ACTUALLY SELL YOU, IF YOU HAVE DIABETES, THEY'LL LET YOU BUY THE DIABETES MEDICATIONS FOR LESS MONEY THAN THEY WOULD IF YOU WERE ON A REGULAR PLAN, OKAY? COPAYS TO THE DOCTOR. NORMALLY, IF YOU GO SEE A DOCTOR, IF YOU GO SEE A, YOU KNOW, A PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR, IT IS LITTLE OR NOTHING, RIGHT? BUT IF YOU GO SEE A SPECIALIST, THEY'LL CHARGE LIKE 40, 50, 60 BUCKS SOMETIMES. BUT UNDER A CHRONIC CARE PLAN, IF YOU'RE ON A DIABETES CHRONIC CARE PLAN AND YOU NEED TO GO SEE YOUR ENDOCRINOLOGIST, YOU PAY HIM AS IF HE'S A PRIMARY CARE. SO THERE'S LITTLE OR NO PRE COPAY THAT YOU PAY. SO THAT'S A GREAT BENEFIT TOO. 'CAUSE IF YOU HAVE SOME OF THESE CONDITIONS, YOU GOTTA GO SEE THE DOC, THE, THAT DOCTOR, SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR AND IT ADDS UP. UM, THEY ALSO HAVE CONDITIONS, SPECIFIC TOOLS TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR CONDITION. UH, A LOT OF THESE PLANS, THE CHRONIC DISEASE PLANS HAVE, UM, GENEROUS EXTRAS, UH, OVER THE COUNTER CARDS. ANYBODY EVER HEARD OF THOSE? ANYBODY HAVE THOSE ON THEIR MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN? SOME OF THESE PLANS WILL ACTUALLY GIVE YOU LIKE A, A, A CREDIT CARD THAT'S LOADED WITH MONEY EVERY MONTH, AND THAT YOU CAN USE FOR YOUR OVER THE COUNTER DRUGS. SOME OF THE PLANS ACTUALLY LET YOU USE THE MONEY TO PAY YOUR ELECTRIC BILL TO BUY FOOD, OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT. AND PEOPLE THAT I, YOU KNOW, THAT I HELP THAT ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, STRUGGLING ECONOMICALLY, THAT THAT CAN BE A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT, RIGHT? SOME PEOPLE, IT HELPS 'EM PAY FOR THEIR FOOD. UM, AND THE OTHER THING THAT I LOVE ABOUT THESE PLANS IS YOU GET AN INTEGRATED TEAM. AND SO WHAT THEY'LL ACTUALLY DO IS YOU DON'T JUST HAVE A DOCTOR. THEY GIVE YOU A WHOLE TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT HELP COORDINATE YOUR CARE, CHECK IN ON YOU, AND MANAGE YOUR HEALTH. SO THEY MIGHT BE A DOCTOR, A NURSE CASE MANAGER, A CARE COORDINATOR THAT'S THERE TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR, ARRANGE YOUR APPOINTMENTS WITH YOUR DOCTORS AND STUFF. UM, THEY HAVE, HE, A HEALTH COACH WILL BE ON, ON THE TEAM, UM, AND A CLINICAL REVIEW TEAM. AND THEY'LL LOOK AT YOUR, THEY'LL LOOK AT YOUR MEDICINES, RIGHT? I MEAN, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE PEOPLE OFTEN HAVE IS THEY SEE MULTIPLE DOCTORS AND ONE DOCTOR DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE OTHER DOCTOR'S PRESCRIBING. AND SOMETIMES YOU CAN RUN INTO DRUG INTERACTIONS THAT TWO, TWO DIFFERENT MEDICINES. THEY DON'T RELATE WELL TOGETHER. WHAT THEY DO HERE IS THEY COME IN AND THEY LOOK AT ALL YOUR MEDICINES TOGETHER, RIGHT? AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE OKAY TO TAKE TOGETHER IN THE RIGHT DOSES. SO VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. OKAY? SO THESE INTEGRATED TEAMS WILL HELP COORDINATE YOUR CARE, MAKE SURE ALL YOUR DOCTORS ARE ALIGNED, AVOID DUPLICATE TESTING, YOU KNOW, SO ONE DOCTOR WANTS TO DO AN MRI AND ANOTHER ONE ALREADY. DID THEY FLAG IT, HELP YOU MANAGE YOUR MEDICATIONS, WHICH IS WHAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT, AND KEEP YOU COMPLIANT. THEY'LL CALL AND CHECK IN ON YOU. RIGHT? UM, AND THEY REALLY TRY TO ADDRESS NOT JUST THE DISEASE, BUT KIND OF THE, THE WHOLE HOLISTIC CARE, THE WHOLE PERSON. OKAY? SO THOSE ARE THE HEALTHY LIVING PROGRAMS. ANY QUESTIONS? HOW ARE WE DOING SO FAR? IS THIS HELPFUL TO YOU? YEAH. NO, NOT SO MUCH. YES. OKAY, GOOD. GOOD. ALL RIGHT. SO NOW WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THESE HEALTHY LIVING BENEFITS. THE BENEFITS THAT YOU HAVE THAT YOU DON'T, DON'T, PROBABLY DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT YOU HAVE, OKAY? WITH, IF YOU'RE ON A MEDICARE, IF YOU'RE ON ORIGINAL MEDICARE AND YOU ON A MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT, BASICALLY WHAT YOU HAVE IS YOU HAVE HOSPITAL COVERAGE, YOU HAVE DOCTOR COVERAGE, AND YOU HAVE DRUG COVERAGE, OKAY? THESE MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT PLANS WILL GIVE YOU OTHER BENEFITS, OTHER THINGS. SO THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS, A LOT OF THEM WILL GIVE YOU MONEY TOWARDS DENTAL, RIGHT? UM, THERE ARE PLANS OUT THERE THAT WILL GIVE YOU 1500, 2000 EVEN MORE TOWARDS DENTAL CARE. UM, ALMOST ALL THE PLANS GIVE YOU FREE PREVENTATIVE DENTAL CARE, RIGHT? WHERE YOU CAN GO IN AND YOU CAN SEE THE DENTIST AND THEY'LL PAY FOR AN ANNUAL CHECKUP. THEY'LL PAY FOR A SET OF X-RAYS. UM, THEY'LL PAY FOR AN ANNUAL CLEANING, OKAY? ALL UNDER THE PLAN, OKAY? UM, VISION, THEY'LL GIVE YOU MONEY TOWARDS, [00:30:01] UM, UH, HAVING YOUR VISION CHECKED. THEY'LL GIVE YOU MONEY TOWARDS GLASSES. THEY'LL GIVE YOU MONEY TOWARDS CONTACT LENSES, OKAY? UH, HEARING THESE PLANS WILL GIVE YOU MONEY TOWARDS, UM, HEARING AIDS. SOME OF THEM ARE UP TO $2,000 A YEAR THAT THEY GIVE YOU TOWARDS HEARING AIDS. 'CAUSE HEARING AIDS CAN BE EXPENSIVE. UM, FITNESS BENEFIT, UH, YOU GUYS HEARD OF SILVER SNEAKERS? OKAY? SILVER SNEAKERS IS A FITNESS BENEFIT THAT YOU GET ON AMER ON A LOT OF THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS. WHAT I LOVE ABOUT SILVER SNEAKERS, AND, AND THERE ARE OTHERS, LIKE UNITEDHEALTHCARE HAS A SIMILAR BENEFIT. THEY DON'T CALL IT SILVER SNEAKERS, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING ELSE. BUT THEY HAVE ON SILVER SNEAKERS, THERE'S A WHOLE RANGE OF HEALTH CLUBS AND GYMS ACROSS WESTCHESTER COUNTY THAT YOU COULD GO INTO FOR FREE. YOU DON'T PAY ANYTHING. AND YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT IT IS YOU DON'T HAVE TO PICK ONE. SO YOU CAN GO TO ONE CLUB ONE DAY AND ANOTHER CLUB ANOTHER DAY. NOW I LIVE IN WHITE PLAINS, OKAY? SO, UM, IN WHITE PLAINS ON CENTRAL AVENUE, THERE'S A 24 HOUR FITNESS, WHICH IS A REALLY NICE CLUB, OKAY? I WALK IN THERE, I, YOU, YOU CAN, YOU SHOW 'EM YOUR CARD, AND YOU GET RIGHT INTO THE GYM THE NEXT DAY YOU DECIDE, YOU KNOW WHAT, I REALLY WANT TO TAKE A SWIM. AND THERE'S A NEW YORK SPORTS CLUB IN WHITE PLAINS. IT HAS A HUGE INDOOR POOL. YOU CAN GO TO NEW YORK SPORTS CLUB THE NEXT DAY, RIGHT? AND, AND, AND, AND TAKE A SWIM. SO THAT'S A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT. OKAY? AND BY THE WAY, GOING TO THE GYM ALSO KEEPS YOU HEALTHY, SO IT PAYS DIVIDENDS. AND THEN, AS I MENTIONED, THE OVER THE COUNTER CARDS I TALKED ABOUT THAT, THOSE ARE THE CREDIT CARDS THAT COME WITH MONEY. THEY KIND OF LOOK LIKE THAT. YOU KNOW, ANYBODY EVER GET LIKE A CASH CARD OR SOMETHING LIKE FOR STARBUCKS OR SOMETHING? IT'S LIKE THAT. AND YOU CAN USE 'EM AT CVS. YOU CAN USE 'EM AT A LOT OF THE FOOD STORES. AND LIKE I SAID, SOME OF THE PLANS, YOU CAN USE 'EM TO PAY RENT, UTILITIES, FOOD, THAT KIND OF THING. OKAY? SO THIS WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, OH, THIS IS ANOTHER GREAT BENEFIT. MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, IF YOU'RE IN THE HOSPITAL WHEN YOU GET OUT, THEY'LL SEND YOU MEALS TO YOUR HOME FOR TWO WEEKS FOR FREE. SO THE THING ABOUT THESE PLANS IS IT'S, YOU USE IT OR YOU LOSE IT. IF YOU DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT, YOU DON'T GET ANYTHING. SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DO ANYTHING, IF YOU'RE ON AN ADVANTAGE PLAN, GO BACK TODAY AND, AND LOOK AT THE, THE FREE BENEFITS, THE SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFITS THAT YOU HAVE, AND SEE IF YOU CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANY OF THEM. THESE GLASSES I BOUGHT WHEN I WAS ON A MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN, I WAS ON THE AETNA PLAN. I THINK THEY GAVE ME LIKE $250 OR SOMETHING. UM, I GOT ON WARBY PAR PARKER, I STILL HAVE THEM, AND I, I LOVE THEM. AND THEY PAID FOR, UM, DIDN'T PAY FOR EVERYTHING, BUT THEY PAID FOR LIKE 75% OF IT. YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE GLASSES ARE EXPENSIVE. OKAY, SO NOW WE'RE GONNA SWITCH. YEAH, GO AHEAD. THE FIRST THING ON THAT LIST, LIKE ANNUAL DOLLARS, IT'S NOT, YEAH, SO THAT WAS, I WAS SAYING LIKE ON THE DENTAL, FOR EXAMPLE. WELL, SOME OF THE DENTAL, MOST OF THE PLANS WILL ADVANTAGE PLANS WILL GIVE YOU FREE PREVENTATIVE DENTAL. UM, SOME OF THEM WILL HAVE GIVE YOU MONEY TOWARDS ALSO IF YOU NEED WORK DONE, LIKE BRIDGES OR CROWNS OR THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THE WAY THEY WORK IS THEY SET A DOLLAR LIMIT. SO THEY'LL SAY, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL PAY $1,500 TOWARDS YOUR CARE. UM, AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT'S GREAT ABOUT IT IS, LIKE ON THE AETNA PLAN THAT YOU'RE ON, IF YOU GO TO SEE ONE OF THEIR DENTISTS AND THEIR NETWORK, THEY ALSO HAVE REDUCED PRICING TOO. SO, UM, FOR THE MON THE FUNDS THAT ME, THE COST THAT MEDICARE DOESN'T PAY, THAT ADVANTAGE DOESN'T PAY. YOU'RE STILL GETTING THEM AT A LOWER RATE THAN YOU WOULD IF YOU JUST WALKED IN OFF THE STREET. THEY HAVE PREFERRED PRICING. BUT DOES IT HAVE ? WHAT'S THAT? DOES IT HAVE A CEILING, A HOSPITAL CLOSED? UM, WELL THAT'S DIFFERENT. THAT'S THE PLAN. THAT THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THE BASIC HEALTH PLAN. AND AGAIN, IT DEPENDS. IF YOU'RE ON MEDICARE, UM, THERE IS NO CEILING, RIGHT? AND YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR 20%. AND THAT'S WHY PEOPLE EITHER ADD A SUPPLEMENT PLAN OR THEY GO ON AN ADVANTAGE PLAN. OKAY? AN ADVANTAGE PLAN. DOES THAT HAVE YES. MOST OF THE ADVANTAGE PLANS, THEY, AS, AS I SAID, YOU DON'T PAY ANYTHING TO JOIN OR YOU PAY VERY LITTLE TO JOIN. BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS, HOW DO THEY DO THAT? HOW [00:35:01] DO THEY GIVE YOU ALL THOSE BENEFITS AND ALL THAT COVERAGE AND YOU DON'T PAY ANYTHING FOR IT? WELL, THE WAY THEY DO IT IS THEY SAY IF YOU DO HAVE, IF YOU DO GET SICK AND YOU DO HAVE TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL, YOU HAVE TO PAY A PERCENTAGE OF IT. THEY CALL IT CO-INSURANCE. OKAY. SO, BUT MOST OF THESE PLANS, THEY DO HAVE CAP. YEAH. OKAY. SO I THINK ON, UM, ON THE ELITE PLAN THAT YOU'RE ON, I THINK IT'S LIKE $9,000. SO AFTER NINE AFTER, AND YOU GOTTA GET PRETTY SICK TO END UP HAVING TO PAY $9,000 AN OUT OF POCKET. BUT THE POINT IS, IF YOU DO GET VERY SICK AND YOU DO GET INTO TROUBLE, IT IS, THERE IS A CAP, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S NOT GONNA WIPE YOU OUT. I'M SORRY, IS THERE ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS AND, WELL, IT'S MEDICARE ADVANTAGE AND EVERYBODY, YOU GET ALL THE SAME BENEFITS? NO, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. AND THE WAY I WOULD ANSWER THAT QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, UM, ALL CARS HAVE FOUR WHEELS AND A STEERING WHEEL. BUT SOME ARE DESIGNED TO GO FAST AND SOME ARE DESIGNED TO BE LUXURIOUS AND OTHER DESIGNED TO BE INEXPENSIVE OR GET REALLY GOOD GAS MILEAGE. THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS ARE THE SAME THING, RIGHT? THEY ALL GIVE YOU COVERAGE. THEY ALL HAVE TO GIVE YOU THE SAME BASIC COVERAGE THAT MEDICARE HAS. SO IF MEDICARE COVERS A KNEE REPLACEMENT, THEY CAN'T DENY IT. YOU HAVE TO, YOU GOTTA, THEY, THEY GOTTA GIVE THAT TO YOU. NOW, THEY MIGHT SAY TO YOU, BUT BEFORE YOU GET THE KNEE REPLACEMENT, GO TRY PHYSICAL THERAPY AND YOU HAVE TO DO IT, OTHERWISE WE WON'T COVER IT. IF YOU'RE ON A MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT PLAN, THEY JUST PAY THE BILLS. THEY DON'T GET, THEY DON'T GET A VOICE, RIGHT? SO, UM, YEAH. DID I ANSWER THE QUESTION? YES. OKAY, GOOD. AND THERE'S NO CHARGE FOR THESE, FOR WHICH THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, OR IS IT RATED ACCORDING TO WHAT IT, WHAT TYPE OF CORN YOU HAVE, SO TO SPEAK? UM, GENERALLY THEY'RE ALL LOW OR NO PREMIUM. I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME THAT COULD BE HIGHER, BUT MOST OF THEM THAT ARE AVAILABLE ARE, ARE MOST A LOT OF GREAT PLANS WHERE THERE'S NO PREMIUM. OKAY. PREMIUM SOCIAL SECURITY CHECK YOUR MEDICARE ADVANTAGE. NO, THEY'LL TAKE YOUR MEDICARE OUTTA YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY CHECK. YEAH, NO, THEY DON'T. MEDICARE ADVANTAGE YOU NORMALLY HAVE TO PAY, BUT LIKE I SAID, A LOT OF THOSE PLANS THERE IS NO PREMIUM OR IT'S A VERY LOW PREMIUM. OKAY? AND THEY GIVE YOU ALL THAT EXTRA STUFF. BUT IF YOU DO GET SICK, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO CARRY A HIGHER BURDEN OF THE COST. IT'S, THAT'S WHAT THE CO-INSURANCE IS. AND LIKE I SAID, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'LL, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR OWN RULES. SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY HAVE TO GIVE, LET YOU, THEY, THEY CAN'T TURN YOU DOWN FOR THE KNEE SURGERY, BUT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, DO THINGS LIKE STEP THERAPY. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA WANT YOU TO GO TO SEE THEIR DOCTOR, YOU KNOW, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. THEY GET A VOICE IN, IN, IN YOUR, UM, HEALTH DECISIONS WITH A MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT PLAN. THEY DON'T GET A VOICE, THEY JUST PAY THE BILL. THAT'S IT. OKAY. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT, UM, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. UM, I WAS, I WAS WORKING WITH SOMEBODY YESTERDAY, ACTUALLY. I PUT 'EM ON A, A GREAT PLAN. IT'S ONE OF THOSE CHRONIC DISEASE PLANS. HE LIVES IN THE BRONX, AND HE CALLED ME. AND ALL THESE PLANS HAVE A, FOR THE DRUGS, THEY, THEY HAVE A, A DEDUCTIBLE. IT'S ABOUT A $600 DEDUCTIBLE, $615. UM, BUT YOU HAVE TO PAY IF YOU, IF YOU END UP USING THOSE MORE EXPENSIVE DRUGS. AND HE CALLED ME AND SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. UM, 'CAUSE HE HAS DIABETES AND HE IS GOT HEART DISEASE, AND, UM, HE'S ON SOCIAL SECURITY. AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, I GOTTA PAY $600 BEFORE I CAN GET MY MEDICINES, AND I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY. AND I DON'T KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA DO. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY REALLY CHALLENGED, RIGHT? BUT I POINTED THEM TO SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT NOW THAT ARE THERE TO HELP YOU. THIS IS THE NEW YORK STATE MEDICARE SAVINGS PROGRAM. THIS IS NOT HEALTH INSURANCE, OKAY? THIS IS A PROGRAM IN NEW YORK STATE TO HELP YOU PAY FOR YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE, WHETHER IT'S MEDICARE OR MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, OKAY? IT'S A STATE RUN PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WITH LIMITED INCOMES. AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT HELPS THEM PAY FOR THEIR MEDICARE COSTS. UM, THE PART B PREMIUM THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY, RIGHT? WHICH STARTS AT $202 A MONTH, THE DEDUCTIBLE EVERY YEAR ON MEDICARE, OR EVEN IF YOU'RE ON A MEDI, IF YOU'RE [00:40:01] ON MEDICARE OR A MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT, THERE'S A $283 ONE TIME DEDUCTIBLE EVERY YEAR THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY. OKAY? SO THEY'LL, THEY'LL HELP COVER THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. UM, AND THE PROGRAM WAS EXPANDED TO TRY TO BROADEN IT, RIGHT? SO THAT MORE, UM, MIDDLE INCOME SENIORS CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. DO THEY CONSIDER MIDDLE INCOME? WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW. YEAH. UM, WHAT'S REALLY GOOD ABOUT THIS PLAN ALSO IS THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR ASSETS. UM, ANYBODY HERE HEARD OF MEDICAID? SO MEDICAID IS A, IS A FEDERAL PROGRAM, UH, FOR LOW INCOME PEOPLE, OKAY? AND IT HELPS TO PAY, ALSO HELPS TO PAY FOR YOUR, UM, HEALTHCARE COSTS. THE THING ABOUT MEDICAID IS IT IS NOT JUST FOR PEOPLE 65 AND OVER, IT'S FOR ANYBODY WHO'S UNDERPRIVILEGED, RIGHT? BUT THE THING ABOUT MEDICAID IS THAT IN ORDER TO QUALIFY, THEY NOT ONLY WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH, WHAT YOUR ANNUAL INCOME IS, BUT THEY WANT TO LOOK AT ALL YOUR ASSETS. YOU GOTTA SEND THEM YOUR BANK ACCOUNTS. THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOUR HOUSE IS WORTH. ALL KINDS OF STUFF ON THIS. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR ASSETS. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU LIVE IN A MILLION DOLLAR HOME OR YOU LIVE IN A SHACK, THEY DON'T EVEN ASK ABOUT IT, OKAY? IT'S, THEY DON'T CARE HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE IN THE BANK. THIS IS PURELY INCOME BASED, OKAY? SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY IF YOU HAVE TOO MUCH MONEY IN SAVINGS. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU OWN A HOME, IT DOESN'T MATTER. UM, AND THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE INCOME LIMITS. NOW IT'S CHALLENGING, RIGHT? SO WHAT THIS IS BASICALLY SHOWING IS THAT THERE ARE TWO LEVELS OF THE PLANS THAT THEY HAVE, PROGRAMS THAT THEY HAVE, UM, AND OBVIOUSLY THE COVERAGE IS BETTER, UM, UP TOP. BUT FOR THIS PLAN HERE, THIS PROGRAM HERE, UM, THIS IS, UH, A MONTHLY ANNUAL, UH, INCOME LIMIT. SO IF YOU'RE MARRIED AND YOU FILE JOINTLY AND YOUR INCOME IS BELOW 3 30, 3 75 A MONTH OR LESS, UM, YOU CAN QUALIFY. NOW THAT'S, THAT'S STILL, IT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY, RIGHT? SO IT'S STILL HARD. BUT FOR SOME PEOPLE THAT I'VE WORKED WITH THAT ARE RETIRED, RIGHT? THAT MAYBE HAVE MONEY IN THE BANK AND, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, BUT THEY'RE NOT WORKING. SO THEY'RE NOT DRAWING A LOT OF INCOME. YOU KNOW, THEY CAN QUALIFY FOR A PLAN LIKE THIS. OKAY? EXTRA HELP. THIS IS ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT'S AVAILABLE. THIS IS A FEDERAL PROGRAM, AND THIS PROGRAM IS HELPS YOU PAY FOR YOUR PART D YOUR DRUGS, OKAY? UM, HIGHLY UNDERUTILIZED. IT CAN SAVE YOU A LOT OF MONEY. UM, YOU CAN APPLY ANY TIME A YEAR, NOT JUST DURING THE ANNUAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD. AND IF YOU DON'T QUALIFY AND YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE, YOU CAN REAPPLY ANYTIME. ALSO, IF YOU DO QUALIFY FOR THAT MEDICARE SAVINGS PROGRAM, YOU AUTOMATICALLY GET ENROLLED IN THE EXTRA HELP PROGRAM TOO. SO THAT GIVES YOU HELP FOR YOUR, UH, HOSPITAL COSTS, YOUR MEDICARE COSTS, AND YOUR DRUG COSTS ALL IN ONE. UM, THIS CAN, THE EXTRA HELP CAN TAKE YOUR, UH, YOUR DRUG DEDUCTIBLE, YOUR YOUR PREMIUM. WHEN YOU GET A PART D PLAN, ESPECIALLY LIKE FOR THOSE OF YOU ON A SUPPLEMENT PLAN, YOU HAVE A STANDALONE DRUG PLAN THAT'S RUNS ANYWHERE FROM 50 TO A HUNDRED BUCKS. IF YOU QUALIFY FOR THIS, THEY'LL HELP PAY FOR THAT. UM, THEY'LL GET RID OF THE, THEY'LL HELP PAY FOR THE DRUG DEDUCTIBLE, THAT'S $600. UM, AND THEY CAN RE REDUCE THE PAY, UH, THE COST FOR GENERIC DRUGS. UM, BUT THIS ONE IS INCOME AND ASSET BASED, OKAY? 'CAUSE IT'S FEDERAL, SO THEY'RE GONNA WANT TO KNOW. BUT IF YOU DO QUALIFY, IF YOU FILE FOR THAT NEW YORK STATE SOVIET SAVINGS PROGRAM, YOU AUTOMATICALLY GET THIS AND THEY DON'T GO CHECK YOUR ASSETS, YOU'RE AUTOMATICALLY ACCEPTED. SO IT'S A GOOD THING. OKAY? YOU CAN SEE HERE, THIS JUST SHOWS WHAT YOU NEED TO QUALIFY. AND AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THEY LOOK AT NOT ONLY YOUR INCOME, BUT THEY ALSO WANT, WILL LOOK AT YOUR ASSETS. SO THIS IS TOUGHER TO GET, BUT IF YOU GET THE NEW YORK STATE SAVINGS PROGRAM, YOU GET THIS ALSO. OKAY? UM, EPIC. THIS IS ANOTHER DRUG PROGRAM. THIS IS IN NEW YORK STATE. EPIC IS THE ELDERLY PHARMACEUTICAL INSURANCE COVERAGE [00:45:01] PROGRAM. AND THIS HELPS YOU PAY YOUR PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS. UM, IT HELPS TO PAY FOR YOUR DEDUCTIBLE AND ALSO YOUR ANNUAL PREMIUMS. UM, AND THE INCOME LIMITS ON THIS ARE A LOT HIGHER. THEY'RE ON THIS PLAN ON, UM, ON, FOR THE EPIC PLAN. UM, YOU CAN MAKE UP, IF YOU'RE A MARRIED COUPLE, YOU CAN MAKE UP TO $105,000 A YEAR IN INCOME AND STILL QUALIFY. THERE'S ANOTHER GREAT THING THAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS PLAN, WHICH IS THAT YOU REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT THE ANNUAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD. THAT'S THE ONE TIME OF THE YEAR WHERE YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR PLAN. MM-HMM. WELL, LET'S SAY YOU'RE ON A MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN AND YOU GET A BAD DIAGNOSIS. LET'S SAY YOU FIND OUT THAT YOU HAVE, YOU'RE DEALING WITH CANCER AS AN EXAMPLE, AND YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE BIG MEDICAL BILLS COMING, OR YOU NEED A BIG SURGERY, AND YOU FIND OUT, YOU TALK TO THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLAN THAT YOU'RE ON, AND THE CO-INSURANCE IS GONNA BE A LOT OF MONEY, OKAY? IF YOU'RE ON EPIC, YOU GET WHAT I CALL A GET A GET OUTTA JAIL CARD ANYTIME. WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT YOU CAN DECIDE ONCE A YEAR, ANYTIME TO CHANGE YOUR PLAN, OKAY? SO IF YOU DO GET SICK AND YOU'RE ON AN ADVANTAGE PLAN AND YOU WANT TO GO TO A SUPPLEMENT PLAN, IF YOU'RE ON EPIC, YOU CAN MAKE THE CHANGE. OKAY? IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE TO A DIFFERENT SUPPLEMENT PLAN OR A DIFFERENT ADVANTAGE PLAN, YOU CAN DO IT. IT'S A ONE, ONCE A YEAR, GET OUTTA JAIL FREE CARD, OKAY? AND IT COSTS YOU NOTHING TO GET IT. UM, AND IT'S A REALLY GOOD THING TO HAVE, SO YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO TAKE IT. NOW, IF YOU GET A BAD DIAGNOSIS AND YOU THINK YOU WANNA MAKE A CHANGE, YOU CAN APPLY FOR THIS ANYTIME, AND YOU GET THAT GET OUTTA JAIL CARD. OKAY? IS THIS TOO MUCH INFORMATION? YOU GUYS DOING OKAY? YEAH. THIS, UM, EPIC. YEAH, IT'S PART OF MEDICARE ADVANTAGE. OR IF I'M NOT IN MEDICARE ADVANTAGE AND I WANT, NO, THIS IS NOT, THIS IS NOT INSURANCE. THIS IS A NEW YORK STATE PROGRAM, BUT LIKE A GRANT, SO TO SPEAK, YOU COULD TAKE PART. YEAH, YOU CAN TAKE PART AND IT DOESN'T, WOULD IT DISQUALIFY ME FROM THE MEDICARE ENROLLMENT? NOT AT ALL. NO. IT WOULD HELP YOU PAY FOR IT. SO YOU GO TO THE NEW YORK STATE, REPLY IT TO BE ON EPIC. YEP. ALL YOU DO IS GOOGLE EPIC, NEW YORK STATE EPIC. AND I'LL TAKE YOU RIGHT THERE AND SHOW YOU HOW TO REPLY. BY THE WAY, IF ANYBODY WANTS, UM, A COPY OF THE PRESENTATION, UM, I'LL GIVE YOU MY BUSINESS CARD AFTERWARDS. YOU CAN SEND ME A TEXT OR AN EMAIL WITH YOUR EMAIL AND I'LL SEND IT OUT TO YOU SO YOU CAN HAVE THIS. OKAY? THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY HERE EVER USE, UH, SINGLECARE OR, UM, GOODRX RX? OKAY. BENEFIT. OH, REALLY? YEAH. SO WHAT THESE ARE IS, YOU GUYS KNOW, LIKE EXPEDIA, RIGHT? YOU GO ON EXPEDIA FOR TRAVEL, AND IT GIVES YOU, YOU CAN CHECK THE PRICES AND IF IT'S BETTER THAN WHAT YOU WOULD GET LIKE ON THE AIRLINE, YOU COULD BUY IT THROUGH EXPEDIA. THINK ABOUT THIS, LIKE EXPEDIA FOR DRUGS, OKAY? AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT TELLS YOU, UM, WHAT THE DRUG WOULD COST THE MEDICINE WOULD COST, OKAY? AT DIFFERENT PHARMACIES AT A REDUCED RATE, IT GIVES YOU REDUCED RATES. NOW, WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? MEDICARE DRUG COVERAGE IS KIND OF FUNNY, RIGHT? THERE ARE SOME DRUGS, ESPECIALLY THE GENERIC DRUGS THAT COST YOU NE NEXT TO NOTHING. THE COVERAGE IS GREAT, BUT THERE ARE SOMETIMES, THERE ARE DRUGS THAT ARE MORE EXPENSIVE ON MEDICARE THAN THEY ARE ON REGULAR INSURANCE. IT'S BECAUSE THE PRICING IS SET BY GOV NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE GOVERNMENT. AND SO SOMETIMES IT'S CHEAPER NOT TO USE YOUR DRUG COVERAGE, BUT TO BUY IT WITH GOODRX, RIGHT? AND SO WHAT I DO IS EVERY TIME I HAVE TO GO PICK UP A PRESCRIPTION AT THE DRUG STORE BEFORE I GO IN, I, I LOOK AT GOODRX, I GET IT ON MY PHONE, I PUT IN THE NAME OF THE DRUG AND THE AMOUNT AND, AND THE DOSE, AND IT TELLS ME WHAT THE PRICING WOULD BE, AND I CAN COMPARE THAT TO WHAT IT WOULD COST ME IF I, IF I GOT IT THROUGH MEDICARE. AND SOMETIMES IT'S A MUCH BETTER DEAL. SO IF YOU, ONE GOOD THING TO DO IS AFTER TODAY, TAKE OUT YOUR PHONE, DOWNLOAD THE APP, IT'S CALLED GOODRX, AND ANYTIME [00:50:01] YOU GO PICK UP A MEDICINE, COMPARE FIRST AND SEE IF YOU'RE BETTER OFF GETTING IT THROUGH GOODRX. OKAY? OKAY. AND IT'S VERY EASY. YOU JUST GO IN, YOU OPEN UP THE APP, UM, YOU PUT IN THE MEDICINE, IT SHOWS YOU WHAT IT COSTS, WHAT YOU CAN GET, HOW YOU CAN GET IT AT DIFFERENT PHARMACIES, AT WHAT PRICE YOU PICK THE CHEAPEST OPTION. IT GENERATES A COUPON THAT YOU SHOW THE PHARMACIST, AND THEY, AND THEY TAKE CARE OF IT FROM THERE. OKAY? SO THE LAST THING, UH, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT TODAY ARE SOME OF THE LOCAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY THAT ARE, ARE FREE AND THAT CAN HELP YOU WITH YOUR HEALTHCARE. UM, WE HAVE A NICE STRONG SAFETY NET HERE IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY, UM, THAT INCLUDES FREE CLINICS, SLIDING SCALE HEALTH CENTERS, PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, AND A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS, THEY DON'T REQUIRE ANY INSURANCE, AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA TURN PATIENTS AWAY. SO ONE OF THEM IS THE WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, AND THESE ARE FREE HEALTH CLINICS ACROSS WESTCHESTER COUNTY. UH, THERE'S ONE NEAR WHERE I AM IN, IN GREENBURG, RIGHT NEAR WHITE PLAINS. THEY'RE IN MOUNT VERNON, UH, YONKERS. UM, AND YOU CAN JUST GO ON GOOGLE IT AND GO ONLINE AND GOOGLE IT AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING NEAR HERE. UM, AND WHAT THEY OFFER IS FREE HEALTHCARE, UM, FREE PRIMARY CARE, UH, DENTAL CARE, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, VISION, HEARING, NUTRITIONAL COUNSELING, AND IT'S OPEN TO EVERYONE, WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE INSURANCE OR NOT. OKAY? NOW, IT'S NOT GONNA BE MAYBE AS CONVENIENT AS GOING TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR. I, LITTLE STORY, UM, WHEN I WAS IN MY THIRTIES, I WAS GOING THROUGH A, A DIFFICULT TIME ECONOMICALLY, AND I NEEDED THREE IMPLANTS IN MY, UH, THREE NEW TEETH. AND I GOT AN ESTIMATE IT WAS $9,000, RIGHT? AND I, I DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY. SO WHAT I DID IS I WENT TO THE NYU DENTAL SCHOOL RIGHT IN THE CITY, AND I GOT THEM DONE THERE. AND, UM, WHAT I, THEY, THEY, UH, THE PEOPLE THAT, THE DOCTORS THAT DID IT, THEY WERE DENTAL STUDENTS THAT WERE SUPERVISED BY, UM, TEACHERS THERE THAT WATCHED EVERY STEP THAT THEY DID. THE IMPLANTS ARE PERFECT. ALL THE DENTISTS LOVE 'EM WHEN THEY X-RAY IT NOW, BUT IT WAS NOT AS EASY. I MEAN, LITERALLY, THEY DIDN'T HAVE, THEY COULDN'T DO AN X-RAY IN THE CHAIR. I HAD TO GET UP OUT OF THE CHAIR AND WALK ACROSS THE ROOM TO THE X-RAY MACHINE. YOU KNOW, I HAD TO SCHLEP INTO THE CITY, YOU KNOW, THREE, FOUR TIMES, YOU KNOW. SO IT'S LESS CONVENIENT, BUT IT'S STILL FREE CARE AND VERY GOOD CARE. AND THAT'S WHAT THESE KINDS OF PLACES DO AS WELL. UM, FREE TESTING AT WESTCHESTER COUNTY, UH, DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH, HIV TESTING, UH, STI TESTING, HEPATITIS VACCINES AND PREVENTION COUNSELING AND THESE, THERE'S NO COST FOR THESE. UM, AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS THAT THERE ARE FREE RIDESHARE PROGRAMS IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY AS WELL. A LOT OF, A LOT OF SENIORS DON'T HAVE CARS OR THEY DON'T WANNA DRIVE. AND THIS IS A NON, IT'S CALLED RIDE CONNECT. IT'S A NON-PROFIT TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM IN WESTCHESTER. IT PROVIDES FREE OR LOW CAST RIDES TO PEOPLE 60 AND OVER. IT USES VOLUNTEER DRIVERS, IT HELPS YOU WITH DOCTOR VISITS, GROCERY SHOPPING, SOCIAL ACTIVITIES, AND IT'S ALL ABOUT HELPING SENIORS STAY INDEPENDENT. AND I BELIEVE YOU, YOU ACCESS IT ON THEIR WEBSITE AND YOU CAN, YOU CAN SCHEDULE A RIDE IF YOU NEED ONE. UM, AND THERE ARE ALSO, UH, GROUP RIDES AS WELL THAT YOU CAN JOIN. UM, AND IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM. SO YES. YEAH, ONLINE. THIS, YEAH, JUST GOOGLE RIDES CONNECT. THAT'S IT. YEAH. RIDE CONNECT. YEAH. I DON'T THINK THEIR EXISTENCE ANYMORE REALLY? THEY WERE ABSORBED BY TRA. OH, OKAY. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT. WHEN WAS THAT? VILLE? MAYBE. OKAY, I'LL CHECK THAT. THANK YOU. OKAY. YEAH. SO DID THEY, DID THEY ELIMINATE THE SERVICE OR THEY, IT GOT ABSORBED INTO SOMETHING ELSE? IT'S ABSORBED INTO, IT'S CALLED CRA. SO THAT'S HOW YOU ACT. BUT THEY STILL OFFER THE SERVICE, RIGHT? IT'S NOT CALLED THIS. YEAH, BUT IT'S CALLED SOMETHING ELSE, BUT IT'S STILL THE SAME IDEA. OKAY, THANK YOU. I'LL, I'LL GO, I'LL UPDATE THIS. THANK YOU. ALMOST DONE. IT'S, SHE SAID THAT THIS PROGRAM IS NO LONGER CALLED TR UH, RIDES CONNECT. IT'S NOW TRA. NO, I'LL GIVE YOU THE NUMBER. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. IT'S CHANGED. HEY, I'M GONNA CHECK IT OUT RIGHT NOW. DO YOU HAVE TO BE DISABLED? NO, YOU DO NOT. [00:55:05] YOU KNOW, THE INTERNET IN THIS TOWN IS TERRIBLE. THE, UH, WIFI, SHE'S IN HERE. YOU'RE IN HERE. OH, OKAY. WELL, I WAS DOWN THE STREET. IT WASN'T MUCH BETTER. NO, IT'S TERRIBLE. SO THIS IS WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY. UM, AND WHAT I WANNA SAY TO YOU IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENCE IS NOT WHAT'S AVAILABLE. IT'S WHAT YOU ACTUALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF. THESE PROGRAMS ARE THERE. THEY'RE FREE. THEY WILL HELP YOU, THEY'LL HELP YOU LIVE LONGER, STAY INDEPENDENT, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM. OKAY? AND THEN THE LAST THING IS JUST SCHEDULE YOUR ANNUAL, UM, ANNUAL PLAN REVIEW FOR 2027. AS I SAID, NEW PLANS ARE COMING OUT. IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA TO, TO CHECK AND LOOK AT WHAT YOU HAVE AND COMPARE IT TO WHAT'S AVAILABLE. UM, AND PLANS ARE CHANGING. SOME OF YOU MAY GET NO NOTIFICATIONS, UM, PLANS GET CANCELED. WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT IF A, IF A CARRIER, UH, UNDERESTIMATES THE COST OF A PLAN AND THEY END UP LOSING MONEY, THEY CANCEL THE PLAN AND THEY, AND THEY, THEY YANK IT FROM YOU, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU GOTTA FIND A NEW PLAN. SO THE, THOSE LETTERS WILL START TO COME OUT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. UM, SO I OFFER FREE CONSULTATION. AGAIN, THIS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T CHARGE FOR MY SERVICES. WHAT I DO IS REALLY HELP YOU. I GET TO KNOW YOU. I UNDER, I TRY TO UNDERSTAND YOUR HEALTHCARE NEEDS, AND I MATCH UP, MATCH YOU UP WITH PLANS THAT ARE, COVER YOUR DOCTORS, COVER YOUR MEDICINES, AND, AND WORK FOR YOU FINANCIALLY AS WELL. SO IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED, AGAIN, I HAVE BUSINESS CARDS. I'M HAPPY TO MEET WITH YOU. OR IF ANYBODY JUST WANTS TO, UH, SCHEDULE A Q AND A SESSION AND YOU JUST HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT MEDICARE THAT I DIDN'T ANSWER TODAY, YOU CAN ALWAYS GIMME A CALL. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE VERY WELCOME. HOW WAS THIS? WAS THIS THE GREAT, OKAY, GOOD. GOOD. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.