Work the Phones, Work the Internet

 

How to get the Covid vaccine?

Work the phones, work the Internet if you are able.

Watch local media and make notes on vaccine sites and schedules.

Call the county health department (they may have a special line).

Call your pharmacy. Regularly.

Be polite and persistent.

Deferred Health Care

 

Due to the pandemic many Americans, and especially many seniors, are delaying and deferring diagnostic and preventative health care.

There is natural concern about walking into a health care setting.

There is very little indication that using routine health care services is a risk for contracting Coronavirus.

Talk to your physician or the office staff about the safety versus risk of routine health care services.

cross posted: healthcarethinktank@blogspot.com

Medicare Danger and Trumpcare Farce

 

Lots of private companies use "Medicare" in their names and websites.

These companies have nothing to do with Medicare other than possibly supplemental insurance for Medicare recipients. Be very careful with any communications you have with them. Better to go through a live insurance agent in your community, or an association or fraternal group with very clean reputations.

As to "Trumpcare," it does not exist, it is a marketing gimmick. Be very careful with private insurance plans.

And as always, do not give information over the phone to cold callers. Ask for their name, hang up, and do some research.

protectingseniorcitizens@gmail.com

Disaster in the Making - Pharmacy via United States Postal Service

 

As the Trump administration has now admitted to sabotaging the postal service in the run up to the election, many seniors may find their pharmacy-by-mail is no longer reliable or timely.

It is critical to find alternatives just in case, and to understand that you may pay more for your prescriptions.

Veterans who receive prescriptions via mail should anticipate problems and look for alternate sources.

 

Back Up Everything

We live in a world of files.

Paper files and digital file. Documents and photos.

Lots of things can destroy our files - fire, flood, wind, power surges, theft - all of these can destroy our files.

Fortunately there are lots of ways to back up our files - copiers, scanners, digital copies, safe deposit boxes, home vaults - all of these can back up critical files.

So the key is good habits and the effort to back up the files.

We can buy a home printer/scanner/copier for under $100. For bulk copying there are office supply stores.

For really critical documents, email it to yourself as an attachment, or take a photo with your camera and email it to yourself.

Always back up your files! 

No No No (Social Security edition)

No, your Social Security number has not been suspended.

Despite the emails and phone calls you are receiving.

The Social Security Administration does not suspend your number, even if your identity has been stolen.

Your earnings records are still there. Your benefits will still be paid.

NEVER give anyone your Social Security number over the phone, unless you initiated the call and you are certain who you are talking to.

Capitol One Hack

Major banking and credit card company Capitol One was recently hacked.

Time to panic?

Not really, because:

1. they stole so much data the odds of yours being used is pretty low
2. if you have an Internet presence you have probably been hacked many times already

So what to do? What you should do all of the time anyway!

Watch your bank statements. Better yet get online and check daily.

Watch your snail mail. If you get correspondence that does not fit your finances check on it.

Be vigilant all of the time regardless of where you bank.