Articles and Information from GA Foods

With each birthday, we may wonder how we are perceived by those younger than us. While ageism affects people of all ages, it is no doubt that it is most prevalent in older adults. From healthcare settings to the workplace, discrimination based on age is happening in many areas of life and is at an all-time high. And as it works its way into mental health care, many researchers believe more serious conditions are going untreated by health professionals who are continually dismissing older patients, and, as a result, important signs.

Case managers are often on the front lines of telemedicine. They have the expertise to provide help to their members, or patients, on managing chronic conditions or treating minor illnesses by phone or virtual online visits. 

Telemedicine, or telehealth, is proven to be a cost-effective alternative to traditional doctor office visits. There are various studies that find telemedicine can help lower hospital readmissions and reduce healthcare costs. 

An increasing number of health plans across the U.S. are expanding their benefits to include telemedicine services for their members. Plans like Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, Humana, UnitedHealthcare are examples of those offering these services. In fact, 76 percent of health systems have or will be implementing consumer telehealth in some capacity by December 2018.

Medicare open enrollment is happening right now, so it's time to enroll in a Medicare plan by going to the Medicare.gov website. Open enrollment closes on December 7, and new Medicare coverage begins on January 1, 2018.