Turning 65: A Chapter Worth Celebrating

Light the candles, put on your favorite song, and savor this moment – you only turn 65 once! 

Forget sayings like “A lady or gentleman never tells their age,” because at ArchWell Health, we believe every birthday is a reason to celebrate. And every age brings new gifts.

So if you’re turning 65, there’s more than Medicare to look forward to – although that is one of the perks!

That’s why we’re excited to unwrap this new series, Turning 65, over the coming months. Each post will highlight a different aspect of life in your mid 60s – with a positive spin and practical insights.

Here are the topics we’ll cover between now and the fall:

• Understanding Aging: Part of growing older is learning how to listen to the beautiful machine that is you – and knowing how to care for it in this new era. We’ve got you covered.

• Drug Management: With increased age often comes an increased number of prescriptions, and that’s OK. We’ve got tips for managing them all with ease.

• Maximizing Independence: You might need help with a few things in this next life stage, but you can still keep that independent spirit too. We’ll show you the ways.

• Mental Health: There are definitely more things to worry about as you add more candles to the cake. And there are just as many things – if not more – to be excited about. We’ll talk about the serious stuff and how to look for the good in healthy ways.

Why Turning 65 Is More Than a Number

When you were preparing for college, the workforce, marriage, or parenthood, you probably did some goal setting. Why not do the same now?

Whether you’re close to retirement, have no plans to stop working because you enjoy being busy, or you’re caring for parents and possibly adult children and grandkids, take time during your 65th year to set some new goals for the future – near term and long term.

Start by setting the tone for adventure in this milestone year: create a bucket list of places you want to go, people you want to visit, hobbies you want to rekindle or try for the first time, or volunteer/paid jobs you’d like to do.

Schedule time to make progress on these goals each week. You don’t have to make a big trip across the ocean – maybe start by checking out a travel club at the local Y, or coming to an ArchWell Health Center for line dancing, Jeopardy, or Zumba.

Understanding Medicare

Turning 65 does not mean you suddenly understand Medicare and all its tricky moving parts. We get it! It’s confusing, and it changes a lot – so we’ll start with the basics.

Part C Medicare/Medicare Advantage plans have to cover everything that the Original Medicare plan does. Most also include Part D coverage and extra benefits like vision and dental coverage. You must keep paying your Part B premium and, in some cases, an additional Medicare Advantage premium. Your premium is your monthly bill for health insurance.

Private companies also offer Medicare supplement plans (aka Medigap plans). These help you pay for things Parts A and B don’t cover, like extra costs that come in the form of copays and deductibles.

How and when do you enroll or switch plans?

Open enrollment begins on October 15th. During this period, you can sign up for a new Medicare Advantage, Part D or Medigap plan from the Medicare website. Peruse plans and when you find the one you like, simply click the enroll button.

You can also enroll by calling a health plan directly. Prefer a paper form? Just ask your ArchWell Health provider. Make sure to get that form in before December 7th when open enrollment ends.

How do you choose the right coverage?

If you’re happy with the coverage you have, you don’t have to do anything else – unless your Medicare Advantage, Medigap or Part D drug plan will no longer be available.

If you’re not happy – or you want to shop around – do these two things next.

Step one: Review your current plan’s Annual Notice of Change (ANOC), which comes in the mail in September. On the ANOC, you’ll find a list of:

• Any changes to costs like premiums, deductibles and copays

• Any changes to the plan’s network of providers and pharmacies

• Any changes to the plan’s drug list (formulary)

If your Medicare plan is dropping your favorite doctor or health system, it might be time to find a new plan. Want a different provider? This is the time to find someone new. And if an expensive drug you take won’t be covered anymore (or it moves to a higher level on the drug list, which makes the price go up), it’s time to consider a new plan.

Step two: Visit the Medicare website. There, you’ll find a handy tool that lets you compare Medicare Advantage, Part D and Medigap plans in your area. Log in or enter your ZIP code, then choose the plan you want. You can study all the available options here too. With Medicare Advantage plans, you’ll see things like:

• The Medicare star rating, where 5 stars is the highest.

• The monthly premium – and, good news! – there are Medicare Advantage plans with $0 premiums.

• Total drug and premium costs (if you’ve entered your prescriptions).

• Other costs (like deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket costs).

• What extra benefits the plan includes.

If you’ve logged in, you can even see a side-by-side comparison between your current plan and up to two others.

What’s the difference between “payer” and “provider?”

As you become more familiar with Medicare – or if you’ve been around the healthcare block a few times – you’ll probably hear terms like payers, providers and outcomes. It’s important to know what these terms mean as you navigate Medicare.

• Insurance companies are the payers.

• Doctors, clinics, physical therapists, and centers like ArchWell Health are the providers.

• Choosing the right provider makes a difference when it comes to your healthcare experience and outcomes (positive results).

Maybe you never paid much attention to your providers before: you were busy working, raising a family, or didn’t know you had the opportunity to choose something or someone else. Now you know! And we encourage you for your 65th trip around the sun to prioritize your health by finding the right fit – because your care matters.

Planning Ahead: Legal, Financial and Lifestyle Planning Tips

Plan now so you and your loved ones can have peace later. Many people put off things like writing a will or setting up advanced directives because they think “I don’t need that yet.” But think of preparedness in terms of the whens, not the “what ifs.” Because ultimately, even if we’re turning 65 and see another 30 good years ahead of us, we all have to be ready for those moments.

The beauty of planning ahead is that you can take your time, knocking out document after document in an orderly, unhurried way. Make sure you have a will, a power of attorney and healthcare proxy to make decisions for you if you become unable to do so, and draw up healthcare directives should the unthinkable happen.

Set aside some time each month to look at retirement planning tools like retirement cost calculators, an estate planning checklist, or educational workshops and free legal clinics in your community. Working with a community or trusted partner can help you stay on track and get expert advice to reach your goals. They may also be able to point you in the direction of benefits and discounts available to those 65 and older.

Read more about having successful conversations about care plans and how to keep your caregiving paperwork ducks in a row.

Perks of Being 65 and Wiser

Who doesn’t love free stuff? Check out this list of discounts and community-based resources to make 65 a banner year – at a reduced rate, of course. You’ve earned it!

Get out and see the world

It’s a great time to spread your wings – or hit the trails – and find new adventures without the high price tag. Here are a few notable offers:

• Travel by train and get 10% off rail fares through Amtrak.

• Prefer the bus? Greyhound offers 10% off for seniors too.

• Want to visit the National Parks across the US? A Senior Lifetime pass is $80, and an Annual Pass is $20.

• Car rentals: Hertz offers 20% off to those 50 and older, and other companies offer discounts to AARP members.

• Airline tickets: American Airlines and United both offer senior discounts. Check the website or ask customer service for more details as these may be limited to certain destinations.

Stay close to home and save money

Whether you’re visiting the grandkids or looking to be a tourist in your own town, many movie theaters, restaurants, and museums offer senior discounts.

Learn something new or study a subject you’ve always loved through discounted college courses or tuition free programs at universities near you.

Want to work out at home for free, or at a local gym? Find out if your health plan participates with Silver Sneakers.

Connect in the community

When you’re not out seeing the world, stay plugged into your local neighborhood happenings through these senior-friendly resource hubs:

• AARP: The American Association of Retired Persons is still the top organization for all things aging and active older adults. Check out the website to see everything they have to offer for your later life decades.

• Local Senior Centers: Many cities and towns are still home to senior centers, which are supported by county-based AAAs (Area Agencies on Aging). Find the one closest to you to learn more.

• ArchWell Health centers: From friendly, caring providers who specialize in the care of seniors to vibrant community events, we have it all. Come visit us and say hello to a new era of wellness.

ArchWell Health Celebrates You

We’re all about celebrating our members every day – birthday or not. Come with your Medicare questions, your nutrition challenges, or with an open mind to participate in our unique center activities focused on wellness for those 65 and up.