Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, March 11, 2017

THE GOOD LIFE

12

Mountain Views-News Saturday, March 11, 2017 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS

THE ABCS OF PICKING A MEDICARE 
SUPPLEMENTAL POLICY


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …March Birthdays*

Clare Marquardt, Karen Blachly, Carla Duplex, Ella Guttman, Viky Tchatlian, 
Mary Cooper, Sun Liu, Helen Wallis, Joan Crow, Nancy Fox, Martha Cassara, Rita 
Johnson, Mercedes Campos, Dorothy Webster,Terri Elder, Carol Cerrina, Amy 
Putnam, Sally Contreras 

* To add your name to this distinguished list, please call the paper at 626.355.2737. 
YEAR of birth not required

...................................................................

ACTIVITIES: Unless listed differently, all activities are at the Hart 
Park House (Senior Center) 222 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre

 

 

Hawaiian & Polynesian Dance Class: Every Tuesday morning from 10a.m. 
to 11a.m. Join instructor Barbara Dempsey as she leads you in the art of 
Hula. 

Bingo: Every Tuesday beginning at 1:00p.m. Cards are only $0.25 each! Everyone is welcome to 
join. May be canceled if less than five people. 

Free Blood Pressure Testing: 2nd Tuesday of the month from 11a.m. to 12p.m. No appt. is 
necessary. 

Brain Games: Thursday, January 19th, 10:30a.m. - 11:30a.m., improve your memory and 
strengthen your brain. Activities facilitated by Senior Volunteers.

Free Legal Consultation: Wednesday, January 25th from 10:30a.m. to Noon. Attorney Lem 
Makupson is available for legal consultation. He specializes in Family Law, Wills, Trusts, Estates, 
and Injury. Appointments are required by calling 626-355-7394. 

Sing-A-Long: Music brings joy to the soul! Come join us Thursday, January 12th, 10:30a.m. to 
11:30a.m. No music skills needed! 

Senior Club: Every Saturday at the Hart Park House Senior Center. Brown Bag Lunch at 
11:30a.m. 

Chair Yoga: Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:00 to 11:45a.m. with Paul Hagen. Third Monday 
of each month, a variety of balance exercises are practiced. All ability levels are encouraged and 
welcomed. A suggested donation of $5 at one of the classes is requested, but is not required. 

Case Management: Case Management services are provided by the YWCA and provide assistance 
in a variety of areas. Appointments are required and can be scheduled by calling the Hart Park 
House Office at 626-355-7394.

Birthday Celebrations: Every 2nd Thursday of the month at the Hart Park House, share some free 
birthday cake provided by the Sierra Madre Civic Club.

Game Day: Every Thursday starting at 12:00p.m. (Please note the time change.) A regular group of 
Seniors play poker. Other games are available for use. 

Free Strength Training Class: Every Friday from 12:45p.m. to 1:30p.m. with Lisa Brandley. 
The class utilizes light weights for low impact resistance training. All materials for the class are 
provided.



SENIOR EXCURSIONS

 MARCH EXCURSION

 ***Save the Date***

WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL

Date: Thursday, March 30, 2017

Time: 9:15a.m. to 2:30p.m.

Meeting Location: Hart Park House

Cost: $20.00 (Not Including Lunch)

Description: Get up close and personal with the stunning theaters and spaces. The docent-lead tours 
take visitors through much of the interior space and throughout the gardens while presenting the 
highlights of the architecturally stunning building. Please Note: Tour does not include the

auditorium due to the constant rehearsal and performances. Lunch will be on your own near

Union Station or Olvera Street. Participants should bring money for lunch and souvenirs.

Final registration date is Monday, March 20th.

Level of walking: High;

APRIL EXCURSION - SAVE THE DATE

 Tanaka Farms Strawberry Tour (Irvine)

 Date: Thursday, April 27th

 Time: 9:30a.m. to 2:30p.m.

 Meeting Location: Hart Park House

 Cost: $20.00 (Not including Lunch)

 

Come experience a real working farm in the heart of Orange County. Tour includes a guided wagon 
ride around the 30-acre Farm. Learn about and sample different fruits and vegetables in season. Pick 
and eat fresh, juicy strawberries. You will be given a one-pound container to fill with berries. Things to 
consider:

- Wear comfortable shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty.

- The farm is not handicapped accessible; and wagon rides on dirt

roads will be bumpy.... and lots of bending to pick berries.

- Bring your sack lunch to eat at the picnic tables.

- Spending money is optional for market shopping.

Level of walking: Medium – High.

Please call the Hart Park House for reservations at 626-355-7394.


Dear Savvy Senior,

Can you provide any advice on choosing a 
Medicare supplemental policy to help cover things 
outside of Medicare? I’ll be 65 in a few months and 
could use some assistance.

Looking for Help

 

Dear Looking,

If you plan to enroll in original Medicare, getting 
a supplemental policy (also known as Medigap 
insurance) too is a smart idea because it will help 
pay for things that aren’t covered by Medicare like 
copayments, coinsurance and deductibles. Here 
are some tips to help you choose an appropriate 
plan.

 

Medigap Plans 

In all but three states (Massachusetts, Minnesota, 
and Wisconsin), Medigap plans, which are sold by 
private health insurers, come in 10 standardized 
benefit packages labeled with the letters A, B, C, D, 
F, G, K, L, M and N. 

 Plan F is the most popular policy followed 
by plan C because they provide comprehensive 
coverage. Plans K and L are high-deductible 
policies that have lower premiums but impose 
higher out-of-pocket costs. Plan F also offers a 
high-deductible version in some states. And a 
popular middle ground policy that attracts many 
healthy beneficiaries is plan N.

 For more information on the different types of 
plans and the coverage they provide, including 
Medigap options in Massachusetts, Minnesota, 
and Wisconsin, see Medicare’s “Choosing a 
Medigap Policy” guide at Medicare.gov/pubs/
pdf/02110-medicare-medigap.guide.pdf, or call 
1-800-MEDICARE and ask them to mail you a 
copy. 

 

How to Choose

To pick a Medigap policy that works best for you, 
consider your health, family medical history and 
your budget. The differences among plans can be 
small and rather confusing.

 To help you choose, visit Medicare.gov, and 
click on “Supplements & Other Insurance” at the 
top of the page, then on “Find a Medigap policy” 
and type in your ZIP code. This will give you a 
list of the plans available in your area, their price 
ranges and the names, and contact information 
of companies that sell them. But it’s up to you to 
contact the carriers directly to get there specific 
pricing information.

 You can also compare Medigap prices on most 
state insurance department websites (see NAIC.
org/state_web_map.htm for links), or you can 
order a personalized report from Weiss Ratings for 
$99 at WeissMedigap.com.

 Since all Medigap policies with the same letter 
must cover the exact same benefits (it’s required by 
law), you should shop for the cheapest policy.

 You’ll get the best price if you sign up within six 
months after enrolling in Medicare Part B. During 
this open-enrollment period, an insurer cannot 
refuse to sell you a policy or charge you more 
because of your health.

 You also need to be aware of the pricing 
methods, which will affect your costs. Medigap 
policies are usually sold as either: “community-
rated” where everyone in an area is charged the 
same premium regardless of age; “issue-age-rated” 
that is based on your age when you buy the policy, 
but will only increase due to inflation, not age; and 
“attained-age-rated,” that starts premiums low but 
increases as you age. Community-rate and issue-
age-rated policies are the best options because they 
will save you money in the long run. 

 You can buy the plan directly from an insurance 
company, or you can work with a reputable local 
insurance broker.

 

Drug Coverage

You also need to know that Medigap policies do not 
cover prescription drugs, so if you don’t have drug 
coverage, you need to consider buying a separate 
Medicare Part D drug plan too. See Medicare.
gov/find-a-plan to compare plans. Also note that 
Medigap plans do not cover vision, dental care, 
hearing aids or long-term care either.

 

Alternative Option

Instead of getting original Medicare, plus a 
Medigap policy and a separate Part D drug plan, 
you could sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan 
that provides all-in-one coverage. These plans, 
which are sold by insurance companies, are 
generally available through HMOs and PPOs. To 
find and compare Advantage plans visit Medicare.
gov/find-a-plan.

 Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. 
Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.
org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today 
show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com