Senior Helpers Can Help Reduce your Medical Expenses up to 80%

Senior Helpers’ Medical Cost Savings Program

Save 20%- 80% on Your Medical Bills from Now On!

Whether you are young, old, single, have a growing family or are retired, you are at risk from out-of-control medical costs - even if you are insured and especially if you are not. Medical Debt Causes over 62% all of bankruptcies in the US according to a 2007 study conducted by Harvard University, making the high cost of medical care arguably the #1 financial challenge in America. Another finding - 75% of those filing bankruptcies due to medical debt have health insurance!

Senior Helpers of Central Texas has partnered with Health Care Advocates (HCA) to help reduce theses costs. This FREE program puts a team of professionals behind you to negotiate with on your behalf.  Learn More ( www.managemymedicalbills.com/sh.html  )

How Health Care Advocates dramatically reduces medical bills

1. Health Care Advocates audits medical bills like the IRS audits tax returns! The HCA team consists of doctors, nurses, attorneys, medical billing experts and coding specialists. Fully 94% of medical bills are wrong. And not just math errors but other "errors" that greatly inflate costs. The highly-experienced HCA team challenges these excesses and normally achieves a bill reduction of 20% to 80% or more!

2. Health Care Advocates works to extend insurance coverage for its clients. The HCA team gets coverage extended when it has been denied for a particular procedure or gets coverage levels increased so HCA clients with insurance get greater savings through higher insurance pay-outs!

3. Health Care Advocates obtains grants to help pay medical bills. There are many private and public grants as well as government programs to help pay medical bills that the average consumer is unaware of. The HCA team regularly obtains grants and other funding that pay for their clients' health care costs when they are uninsured or the bills are more than they can comfortably handle. There are many instances of HCA member's medical bills being completely eliminated!

Contact Senior Helpers Today to Learn More about this exciting FREE Program!

Call 512-388-4357 or Visit Our Website www.seniorhelpers.com/RoundRock

More Insurers Exiting Long Term Care Market

If this trend continues it may be a good idea to get a policy sooner rather than later if you are thinking about it. John Hancock is the 800# gorilla in the market.

http://blog.al.com/businessnews/2010/11/blue_cross_of_alabama_stops_se.html

Long-Term Care Insurance: You Have Options

The latest offerings provide more coverage and the ability to pick and choose what types of coverage you'll need.

There was a time in the not-too-distant past when choosing a long-term care insurance plan was simple--because there was only one option: a nursing-home-only plan modeled after Medicare LTC coverage. Today, you can choose your coverage and its terms from a plethora of options. But, with all of these choices, careful evaluation of LTC policies is more critical than ever.

Read the entire article at Forbes.

Life Settlements: Getting Cash From Your Insurance Policy. Good or Bad Choice?

Did you know that you can get a lot of cash for selling your life insurance policy? It sounds to good to be true doesn't it?

Well like anything else in the financial market for Seniors there are good and not so good aspects to it. There is a good article on the Financial & Tax Fraud Education Associates blog that goes through many of the details.

In a nutshell, it works like this:

1. Let's say you're 72 years old with a $1M life policy that is current.
2. You are also almost out of cash and facing very high costs associated with in-home care or nursing home care

What are your options?

1. The financial markets have created one for you!
2. They will buy your $1M life insurance policy for , say, $200k (plus or minus depending on the actuarial tables) and continue paying the premiums for you!
3. You get the cash and name them the beneficiary of the policy

Does this make sense? It could in some cases. Depending on how long the senior actually lives will determine if the "Investor" or the Senior actually comes out ahead. The definite loser could be the Senior's heirs however.

If the heirs were well informed it might make good sense for them to "purchase" the policy from the senior by paying for the senior's care needs going forward in exchange for being named beneficiary. Just my opinion though.

Read the article and discuss with your financial advisor as this is just another tool in your financial toolbelt.

Senior Helpers Seminar: Paying for Home Care with VA Benefits

As our senior population increases, more families face increasing costs associated with providing personal care for themselves or their loved ones.

There is a little known benefit for Veterans called the "Aid and Attendance" benefit that pays for up to approximately $2,000 per month to help offset these costs.

Almost any veteran that served in a defined period of war and is over 65 can apply for this benefit - as well as their surviving spouses!

Frank Hayes, a veteran and owner of Senior Helpers of Central Texas will be conducting this 1 hour seminar at Mariposa at River Bend in Georgetown, Texas to go over all the details.

Lunch will be provided. There is limited seating available please call our office to reserve your place early.
Sign-up on the Senior Helpers of Central Texas Facebook Page

Easy Guide to Long Term Care Insurance

Seeing is believing. And as a caregiver, you've seen long-term care up close. The time. The effort. The expense. You know the emotional, physical and financial impact it can have on families. But, in concentrating on the immediate needs of a loved one, believing you too could one day be in the same situation may not yet even be a consideration-especially when you are fairly young.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 70% of people over the age of 65 will need some services and supports "to meet health or personal care needs over an extended period of time."* So, for the majority of people, it's not as much a question of "if" they'll need long-term care than "when" they'll need it.  However, the sad truth is the need for long-term care can happen at any age. So, what will you do in the future if a chronic illness or disability causes you to need assistance with the activities of daily living such as bathing, eating or even using the bathroom?

• Are you prepared?
• Are you concerned?
• Have you thought about your future?

Read the whole article at Caring Today.

Senior Helpers In Home Health Care Austin, TX : Agency vs Registry Explained

When considering hiring a caregiver to help with services in your home, make sure you know the facts.  Being well-informed can save you money and protect you from potential legal problems. Below are six components of senior care to consider when evaluating available care plans for your loved one.

Concern #1: Service
 
Registry or By Yourself: You are responsible for knowing what services are needed for your loved one.
Senior Helpers: We are responsible for making sure you get the right services from the right caregiver. We match caregivers to clients based on their personalities.

Concern #2: Taxes&Injuries
 
Registry or By Yourself: You are responsible for reporting and paying taxes, social security, and worker’s compensation (in case of a work related injury in the home) for the caregiver. Failure to do so can result in penalties with extensive fines.

Senior Helpers: The caregivers are our employees—they are not 1099. You pay Senior Helpers directly, and we manage all taxes and expenses related to employment that are required by the state and federal governments.

Concern #3: Supervision

Registry or By Yourself: You are in charge and responsible for managing the caregiver’s performance.
Senior Helpers: We manage all of our employees and will perform unscheduled supervisory visits.

Concern #4: Background Check

Registry or By Yourself: You are responsible for performing a background check.  Neglecting to order and review a background check could place your loved one in danger.

Senior Helpers: All of our employees are screened through criminal background checks and license checks, and are required to provide the proper identification.

Concern #5: Hiring & Scheduling

Registry or By Yourself: You are responsible for the interviewing and hiring process. You will also be responsible for scheduling. If a caregiver calls out or doesn’t show up, you will need to find their replacement.

Senior Helpers: We have extensive experience on hiring compassionate and dependable caregivers. We are also responsible for scheduling and ensuring reliable and consistent care.

Concern #6: Theft

Registry or By Yourself: You will be responsible if the employee steals from you or your loved one.
Senior Helpers: Senior Helpers is licensed, insured, and bonded. All of our employees are bonded.

About Senior Helpers:
Senior Helpers Provides Many services in the Austin, Texas area. We provide a full array of Home Care services for seniors and the elderly living in this beautiful area. Our Home Care Services are provided by bonded and insured employees and all employees pass a National Background check.
If you need Home Care services in Austin, Bartlett, Bertram, Briggs, Burnet, Cedar Park, Florence, Georgetown, Granger, Holland, Hutto, Jarrell, Johnson City, Killeen, Leander, Liberty Hill, Manor, Marble Falls, Pflugerville, Round Mountain, Round Rock, Salado, Spicewood, Taylor and the surrounding areas we are an excellent choice with impeccable references. Home Health Care for your elderly loved ones is never an easy choice but we can promise we will do our best to make it as painless as possible. For more information, please visit: http://www.homehealthcareaustin.com/.

Humana CEO: No Regrets About Sending Warning Letters To Medicare Beneficiaries

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170856.php

Washington Post: Healthcare Bill would reduce senior care...

Seniors will be greatly affected by the reduction in Medicare funding........

From the WaPO:

A plan to slash more than $500 billion from future Medicare spending -- one of the biggest sources of funding for President Obama's proposed overhaul of the nation's health-care system -- would sharply reduce benefits for some senior citizens and could jeopardize access to care for millions of others, according to a government evaluation released Saturday.

Read the whole Article.

FREE SEMINAR: Navigating the Health Insurance Maze for Seniors

FREE SEMINAR:

Navigating the Health Insurance Maze for Seniors
Call 512-388-4357 for More Info

Learn about the basics of Medicare, Medicaid, Medigap (Medicare supplemental insurance), Medicare Advantage plans, and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans.

Saturday, November 14th, from 10AM -11:30AM

3710 Cedar Street, Austin, 78705

Presenter: Mary Koffend, President of Accountable Aging, is a specialist in eldercare services and government-funded programs. Having served elder and disabled clients for more than thirty years with the Social Security Administration (SSA) throughout Texas, Mary is in a unique position to now help clients deal with two of the biggest challenges related to aging: navigating the benefits maze and understanding healthcare options.

Please pre-register for this seminar. To pre-register or for more information,

please call Bruce Kravitz at (512) 451-4611 or email at bkravitz@ageofaustin.org.