31515.1109 LT NovDec09 - Blue Cross Blue Shield …...“LifeTimes” is published bimonthly by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, 300 East Randolph St., Chicago, IL 60601. Views

Contents:

November-December 2009Vol. XXIV No. 6

2010 Medicare premiums

Fighting insurancefraud

Restaurants cater to diners’ diets

Managing your healthChoosing a surgeon

Staying well: Avoiding drug interactions

Bookshelf: Are premonitions healthy?

Blue MedicareRx (PDP)SM

Guide to choosing a Prescription Drug Plan

Blue Cross lends a handVolunteering at Camp Courage

Health briefsNews and research

Send an eCardfor Health

Grant meets TwainEnter our new contest!

Service in the Neighborhood

Holiday memories warm the heart

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Did you know that through the BlueExtras discount program, Medicare Supplement and Blue MedicareRx (PDP)SM members are eligible to save money on value-added health care products and services helping support healthy lifestyles and enhance well-being? Members can use discounts at participating providers for complementary alternative medicine services; fi tness and weight management programs, and vision and hearing exams and products. There are no claims to fi le, no referrals and no pre-authorizations. Just show your Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) ID card to a participating provider or merchant. You’ll receive the discount automatically, on the spot. Perhaps best of all, this popular discount program adds absolutely nothing to the cost of your Medicare Supplement or Blue MedicareRx (PDP) insurance. It’s just another plus for being a BCBSIL member.

Health-related products and services include: ■ Vision care. Save on eyeglasses (frames and lenses), as well as contact lenses, laser vision correction

procedures, eye exams and accessories through Davis Vision, among the nation’s leading providers of routine vision care. The Davis Vision network uses major national and regional retailers like EyeMasters and Visionworks, independent ophthalmologists and optometrists.

■ Hearing care. You get discounts on digital hearing aids and a hearing test at no additional charge at TruHearing when it’s performed to fi t a hearing aid. The hearing test is done by a licensed hearing specialist. You also enjoy a 45-day, money-back guarantee, a two-year warranty and a selection of hearing aid styles and prices.

■ Healthy eating and exercise. To get and stay on a healthy diet, you can join a participating Jenny Craig to learn about managing your weight, building an active lifestyle and developing a balanced approach to living. Another way to save while shaping up is membership in a participating Curves, where women can sign up for workouts offering strength training and sustained cardiovascular activity.

■ Complementary Alternative Medicine. Choose from a variety of therapies, including acupuncture, massage, mind-body relaxation techniques, diet and supplement advisors and

holistic medicine. You get up to 30 percent off regular prices for these products and services through a network of practitioners, spas and wellness/fi tness centers.

BlueExtrasSM gives you discounts – just for being a member!

14 For more information about BlueExtras:■ Medicare Supplement members go to www.bcbsil.com

and log in or register for BlueAccess for Members. ■ BlueMedicareRx (PDP) members go to

http://www.hisc.net/ilrx/2010 and click Member Resources.

LifeTimes Yo u r G u i d e t o H e a l t h , We l l n e s s & F i t n e s s

®

“LifeTimes” is published bimonthly by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, 300 East Randolph St., Chicago, IL 60601. Views expressed by our writers are their own and do not necessarily refl ect views of LifeTimes or Health Care Service Corporation. Copyright ©2009. All rights reserved.

Publisher . . .Health Care Service CorporationExecutive Editor . . . . . . . . . . Thomas E. LaueIllinois Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . Lynn Van MatreMedical Contributor . . . . . Margaret SchmidtMedical Review. . . . . . . Stephanie VomvourasLegal Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Teresa VamosDesigner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Rose Turek

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® Registered mark of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an Association of Independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.

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LifeTimes November-December 20092

LifeTimes®

“Gaps” in 2010 Medicare Part A hospital coverage

What Medicare Pays

What you pay with Medicare alone

Total Uncovered Medicare Expenses

Days 1 – 60in Hospital

Medicare pays all your hospital expenses except for the $1,100 ($1,068 in 2009) deductible.

You must pay the $1,100 deductible.

$1,100

Days 61 – 90 in Hospital

Medicare pays all but $275 ($267 in 2009) per day of hospital charges.

You must pay $275 per day for the entire 30-day period of hospitalization.

$8,250

Days 91 – 150 in Hospital

Medicare pays all but $550 ($534 in 2009) per day of hospital charges.

You must pay $550 per day for the entire 60-day period of hospitalization.

$33,000

Days 151 and Afterin Hospital

Medicare pays nothing. You must pay the entire bill yourself.

No limit

Days in a Skilled Nursing Facility

Medicare pays 100% for days 1 – 20 and all but $137.50 ($133.50 in 2009) per day for days 21 – 100.

You must pay $137.50 per day for days 21 – 100.

$11,000

Total Medicare leaves benefi ciary to pay: $53,350

Medicare announces 2010 increases; Part B Medical Services premiums in fl ux The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced several Medicare Part A deductible increases for hospital and skilled nursing facility stays. The increases (see chart below) are effective Jan. 1, 2010. The Part A deductible is a benefi ciary’s only cost for up to 60 days of Medicare-covered inpatient hospital care in a given benefi t period. But the benefi ciary’s costs climb sharply after additional 30-day, 60-day and longer than 151-day periods. So more than ever, benefi ciaries may need Medicare Supplement insurance. Medicare recipients who choose Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois “Med Supp” policies know they get excellent value; personal, caring service; timely claims payments; the freedom to choose their own doctors and specialists, a wide provider network; claims processing minus paperwork in most cases, and worry-free travel. The widely recognized Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois card works most places they go.

IMPORTANT NOTE: At press time, 73 percent of Medicare benefi ciaries were guaranteed no increase in Part B medical coverage monthly premiums—they remain at $96.40 in 2010. The other 27 percent could face a jump to $110.50 a month. However, Congress is considering legislation to protect all benefi ciaries from any Part B hike. Those who could pay $110.50 per month—if Congress doesn’t act—are 2009 enrollees (3 percent), those who pay more based on income (5 percent) and those who don’t have their Part B premiums withheld from Social Security payments (19 percent). For the latest information about the Part B premium, go to www.cms.hhs.gov and search “Part B 2010 premium.”

November-December 2009 LifeTimes 3

Fortunately, the vast majority of medical service providers fi le insurance claims only for work they actually perform. But too many try to aggressively increase their practice income through questionable means. This can be particularly tempting when there is an oversupply of providers for a type of service, combined with an undersupply of patients. This imbalance has occurred with medical imaging, such as MRIs and CT/CAT scans, in some areas. So to “fi x” the “problem,” some imaging facilities and referring doctors (who order imaging tests) enter into shady lease agreements so both can make more money. They certainly accomplish their selfi sh purpose, but at what cost? Valuable health care dollars are spent on unnecessary tests, insurance premiums climb and patients receive unnecessary radiation exposure that could cause harm.

How questionable lease deals work Without lease agreements, referring doctors order imaging tests for patients but don’t bill insurance companies for the tests because they didn’t perform them. Imaging facilities conducting the tests bill insurance and might get $800 per test. But the “problem” for an imaging facility with this traditional arrangement is this: It must compete with other imaging facilities for relatively scarce patients and isn’t guaranteed any volume of business. Under one form of lease agreement, referring doctors “rent” the imaging facility’s space, employees and equipment each time they refer a patient for testing, thus providing a basis to argue the referring doctor’s offi ce temporarily includes the imaging center’s space and resources used for the test. On this shaky premise, the imaging facility performs the test, but instead of billing the insurer directly, the imaging facility receives a fl at rate payment from the referring doctor, say

$400. The referring doctor, who only ordered the test, then bills insurers as if the test was performed in his offi ce and receives perhaps an $800 payment. Thus, the referring doctor makes hundreds of dollars on each test he orders. (There are other lease agreement arrangements.)

What’s in it for imaging facilities, doctors? Wonder why the imaging facility would enter into a lease agreement under which it receives only half the amount it would receive if it fi led with insurers? The answer is simple – guaranteed volume.

Pursuant to the lease agreement, referring doctors send all patients who “need” to be tested to that imaging facility. Not surprisingly, since referring doctors profi t under the lease deal for each patient referral, they thereafter order tests at a much higher rate than before, including unnecessary tests. This increased testing puts both the imaging facility and referring doctor in a much better fi nancial position than before their lease agreement. It is a federal crime for health care providers to offer or receive kickbacks for referrals when Medicare or Medicaid patients are involved. Many states have similar anti-kickback laws. There is also a federal civil (non-criminal) law (the “Stark Law”) barring doctors from referring patients to an entity in which they have a fi nancial interest for certain services reimbursable by Medicare. Despite these laws, there hasn’t been

much enforcement by the federal or state governments against lease agreement participants. They’re hard to spot, and participants often argue they were told by lawyers the leases don’t violate any laws (“advice of counsel” defense).

Illinois attorney general strikes back However, the Illinois attorney general (IAG) recently secured an important settlement in a civil suit against a group of Chicago-area imaging facilities which entered into lease agreements with referring doctors. The IAG alleged the defendants 1) violated the Illinois Insurance Claims Fraud Prevention Act by paying kickbacks and submitting false billings and claims to insurers, and 2) violated the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act by misrepresenting to patients and insurers who really performed the billed services.

The 14 defendants were ordered to pay $840,000 to the IAG to be used to benefi t low-income people needing health care and $420,000 to the imaging center owner who brought the scheme to the IAG’s attention and was harmed by it. Defendants also agreed to stop paying or offering to pay any compensation to induce any person to procure or refer patients to obtain services or insurance benefi ts. Possible signs such an arrangement should be reported to Medicare at 1-800-447-8477 or to BCBSIL’s hotline (1-800-543-0867) are: Patients believe they’re being steered to a specifi c provider for unnecessary tests, they’re told a test must be repeated because initial results were fl awed due to poorly trained personnel or inferior equipment at an imaging center to which they were steered, and a referring doctor bills for tests never performed. The referring doctor’s name is shown on Medicare Summary Notices or Explanation of Benefi ts letters as having performed the test service.

Some docs, imaging centers help selves... but drive up costs


Eating out gets easier for diners on restricted diets

Cindy Richards

Adrienne Drell has been on many diets in her life. She always cheated. But no more. Drell, 66, is a world traveler who eats most of her meals in restaurants. Two years ago, she was diagnosed with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder affecting the digestive process of the small intestine that can have life-threatening consequences. The disease is treatable only by avoiding gluten, the protein found in wheat, rye, barley, malt and oats. So Drell never knowingly cheats now on her gluten-free diet. But when you eat out as much as she does, avoiding gluten has been a real challenge. For people with life-threatening allergies, a “safe” diet generally has meant eating at home where they can prepare their own foods. But now, eating out has become easier. In fact, offering gluten-free and allergy-free menu items has become a hot new restaurant trend, driven by people seeking to voluntarily eat healthier and by customers like Drell who have been diagnosed with celiac.

The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center reports 8 percent of U.S. children and 2 percent of adults have diagnosed food allergies; many endure undiagnosed food sensitivities. So restaurants increasingly see offering allergy-free menu items as good business strategy. The most common food allergies are dairy, eggs, peanuts, fi sh, shellfi sh, soy, tree nuts and wheat. Creating menu items such allergy sufferers can eat safely ranked 12th on a list of 210 concerns when the National Restaurant Association polled chefs in 2008.

Not just a fad Daniel Ovanin, executive chef at Glen Prairie in Glen Ellyn, Ill., started offering a gluten-free menu in February. “I don’t see it as a fad,” he says. “This is more serious than a fad. It’s a true disease. You want to make sure nobody gets sick when you’re cooking for them.” That’s why Ovanin generally prepares most specialty allergy- or gluten-free dishes himself. He wants to make sure there are no mistakes—even using the same spoon to stir a sauce that contains gluten and one that does not can be enough to cause a severe reaction in some celiac sufferers. He recommends that anyone with a food sensitivity call ahead to discuss their concerns with the chef or ask to speak with the chef before ordering. “There is no margin for error,” says Carol McCarthy Shilson, executive director of the University of Chicago’s Celiac Disease Center. “Even the slightest bit of cross-contamination can trigger the autoimmune process.” Nancy Baker, director of education for the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness,

trains restaurant operators and employees how to safely handle foods, prepare gluten-free meals and avoid cross-contamination. When she goes out to eat, Baker, who has celiac, tells waiters she is allergic to wheat. “It’s not scientifi cally accurate, but it gets me a meal that is safe,” she says. Despite her best efforts to stick to a gluten-free diet, Drell says her illness does not seem to be in remission. She thinks this means she may have unknowingly eaten gluten in a restaurant because it’s so hard to guard against cross-contamination. “When you go out to eat all the time as I

do, you always run the risk of some contamination,” she says. “For example, you can have Caesar salad without croutons, but you cannot pluck croutons out of a salad because they will have touched—and contaminated—the greens.”

Gluten-free menus Drell is loyal to restaurants that take good care of her, like the City Park Grill in Highland Park, Ill. The restaurant has a gluten-free menu, and the owner will warn her not to order certain foods if he isn’t completely sure about it—a coleslaw that wasn’t made in-house, for example. Gluten sensitivity runs in Rose O’Carroll’s family. Her mom was diagnosed 18 years ago and nearly died from it. Her three kids have it too. To feed her family safely, O’Carroll learned to bake breads, make pizza and whip up cookies, all without gluten. Today, she is the proprietor of Rose’s Bakery in Evanston, Ill. To ensure her patrons’ safety, Rose’s Bakery is 100 percent gluten-free. “I wanted to create a place where people could come and eat and know they weren’t going to be poisoned,” says O’Carroll. Her customers share stories about family members who swell up immediately after eating gluten but whose symptoms disappeared within days of going on a totally gluten-free diet, or people with epilepsy who stopped having seizures once they quit eating gluten.

Adrienne Drell never knowingly cheats on her gluten-free diet.

“You want to make surenobody gets sick when you’re cooking for them.”

– Executive Chef Daniel Ovanin

Photo courtesy Glen Prairie


YOUR HEALTHManaging

Margaret Schmidt, Medical Contributor

Even the smallest, simplest surgical procedure can go wrong. So when your family doctor recommends a surgery, you owe it to yourself to do some homework: Find a surgeon good at what you need and don’t leave the fi nal decision in anyone else’s hands. This will help relieve your anxiety and make you feel more in control. “It’s always a good idea to research the potential surgeon,” says Thomas R. Russell, M.D., executive director and fellow of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) in Chicago. “You don’t want to take chances by making a poor choice.” When patients fail to research health care providers, he says, they may be following the old health care model of leaving surgeon choice up to the doctor recommending the operation since, it was once believed, doctors always know best. But now, says Russell, “We want patients to be informed and take part in the decision-making.”

Where do you start? Begin by asking the referring physician for the names of two or three highly regarded surgeons, recommends Russell. But don’t stop there. Seek referrals from other sources, too. Call nonprofi t health care associations, hospitals and people who’ve already had the operation. To fi nd excellent surgeons, you can also use the ACS Web site. Log on to www.facs.org/patienteducation. For a surgeon search, click on “Find a Surgeon” on the home page and then follow the prompts. When you meet a potential candidate in person, Russell says, “The surgeon should have good communication skills. Ask how familiar the surgeon is with your medical condition. Ask about the surgeon’s outcomes for that condition. “There’s a variety of places where surgical procedures can be performed,” Russell says. “There are hospital outpatient surgical centers, free-standing surgical centers, doctors’ offi ces, even places called ‘medical spas.’ Wherever the operation will be performed, make sure the surgeon has privileges at an acute care hospital in case of complications.”

Research the hospital Look for a surgeon who practices at a respected hospital in your area, suggests Nathaniel J. Soper, M.D. FACS, chief of surgery at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. “A hospital with an esteemed reputation to maintain generally grants surgical privileges only to highly skilled surgeons.” Well-known medical centers like Northwestern’s have expertise in most surgical areas, he says. Soper also suggests reading up on the surgeons you consider. “Most have a bio-sketch on the hospital Web site or their own. But if a surgeon lacks a Web site, it doesn’t mean this is not a respected professional. Some surgeons have just not posted information.” Among other things, pay attention to where surgeons on your list earned their medical degrees. “The better-known medical schools are a surer bet,” says Soper. “Where a doctor took residency may be even more important than the medical school, particularly for specialty areas.” Also make sure a surgical candidate is “board-certifi ed.” A board-certifi ed surgeon has completed the training required by peers, passed a tough exam and practiced for a specifi ed number of years.

Ask questions “When I make a referral, I’m most concerned about suggesting someone with a lot of experience in doing a particular surgery,” says Laura Concannon, M.D., internist at Advocate Illinois Masonic Center in Chicago. Such experience helps build doctor-patient trust, she says. “Generally, a surgeon with a high volume of a specifi c case becomes very profi cient at that procedure – which means greater likelihood of a good outcome.” Once you’re satisfi ed your potential surgeons have plenty of experience, narrow the list to two or three who practice at good hospitals, she says. Then make appointments for offi ce visits and consult with at least two. (Medicare and many insurance companies help cover the cost of a second opinion.) “It’s always better to be honest and say you’re seeking a second opinion,” says Concannon. “Most doctors understand. Bring your records so you won’t have to repeat tests.” She suggests asking the surgeons questions like: What is likely to happen to me if I don’t have the operation? How is the operation done? How many of these procedures do you do a year? What outcome do you expect for me? What might be the complications? What kind of anesthesia will be used? What’s the recovery process? What insurance do you accept? About how much will this operation cost?

How to fi nd a surgeon who fi ts you like a glove


Blue Access for Members Login www.bcbsil.com

Medicare Supplement Customer Service 1-800-624-1723Medicare Supplement Sales 1-800-646-3000 www.bcbsil.com/over65

Blue MedicareRx Customer Service and Sales 1-888-285-2249 For the hearing- or speech- impaired: 1-888-285-2252 www.hisc.net/ilrx

Be Smart. Be Well. www.besmartbewell.com

ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION1-800-272-3900www.alz.org

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY1-800-227-2345www.cancer.org

AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION1-800-242-8721www.americanheart.org

AMERICAN PARKINSON’S DISEASE ASSOCIATION1-800-223-2732www.apdaparkinson.org

AREA AGENCIES ON AGINGSenior HelpLine1-800-252-8966TTY • 1-888-206-1327 www.state.il.us/aging

ATTORNEY GENERALChicago • 1-800-243-5377Springfi eld • 1-800-252-2518www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov

BREAST CANCER NETWORK OF STRENGTH (FORMERLY Y-ME)1-800-221-2141www.networkofstrength.org

ELDER ABUSE(Report to State)1-866-800-1409TTY • 1-888-206-1327

Numbers & Web sites TO KNOW

INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE TAXPAYER SERVICE1-800-829-1040 • www.irs.gov

MEDICARE CLAIMSwww.medicare.govParts A&B • 1-800-633-4227TDD • 1-877-486-2048

MEDICARE/MEDICAID FRAUD HOTLINE1-800-447-8477www.oig.hhs.gov/fraud/hotline

MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA (FORMERLY NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION)1-800-969-6642 • www.nmha.org

POISON CENTER1-800-222-1222 • www.poison.orgTTY/TDD • 1-312-906-6185

SENIOR HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM COUNSELING1-800-548-9034

SOCIAL SECURITY1-800-772-1213 • www.ssa.gov

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS1-800-827-1000 • www.va.gov

Margaret Schmidt, Medical Contributor

Did you know taking large doses of vitamin E supplement can cause internal bleeding if you’re also taking a popular blood-thinning drug? Or that some cholesterol-lowering medications in combination with certain antibiotics, heart medications or antidepressants—or even grapefruit juice—can cause muscle breakdown? As new drugs come on the market, it’s important to be aware of potentially harmful drug interactions that can lead to problems such as abnormal heartbeat, buildup of toxins in the liver, blood pressure changes or internal bleeding. Risks are greatest for older people since

they tend to take more drugs and body changes associated with aging can increase the risk. How can you prevent dangerous drug interactions? First, when you pick up a prescription, make sure it’s the correct drug and that the label has your name on it. If the pills in the new bottle do not look the same as your prior prescription, ask the pharmacist why. Carry an updated list of all prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, supplements and vitamins you’re taking. Do this even if you only take them once in a while, and especially if several different doctors have prescribed them. Note the dose and time of day for each. The greatest likelihood of drug interaction occurs when prescriptions come from several

different doctors or are fi lled at several different pharmacies. Do not assume a physician has had time to read your chart. Give a copy of your prescription list to each of your doctors when you visit, alerting them to any changes. If possible, stick to one pharmacy and make sure the pharmacist has a list of all of your medications. If you’re unsure about what drugs you’re taking, ask your pharmacist to check your list for possible interactions. Make sure you check with your physician or the pharmacist before adding a new over-the-counter medication to your drug regimen. Even something as seemingly benign as cold medicine or aspirin can seriously interact with certain other prescription medications and OTC drugs.

Watch outfor potential drug interactions

Staying WELL


Lynn Van Matre, Illinois LifeTimes editor

Longtime physician and best-selling author Larry Dossey’s introduction to the puzzling phenomenon of precognition took place more than three decades ago. When Dossey was a young doctor, an unusually vivid dream depicting a colleague’s child struggling on an examination table left him baffl ed. As far as he knew, the boy was in perfect health. But later that day, according to Dossey, events unfolded precisely as the dream foretold. When two more dreams came true in rapid succession, Dossey was shaken. As a scientist, he was trained to accept only certain forms of material evidence—an approach that excludes and often disdains knowledge transmitted in ways that defy conventional analysis. But Dossey, who eventually would become a leading advocate for the roles the mind and spirituality can play in health care (“Healing Words,” his 1993 best seller, explores the power of prayer), remained intrigued. “My tussle with premonitions has persisted for more than three decades and shows no signs of ending,” he writes in this engrossing, studiously researched look at the phenomena variously known as second sight, precognition, intuition, sixth sense or simply a gut feeling. By whatever name, it’s an experience shared by millions of people. Dossey notes a 2005 Gallup Poll found three in four people in America say they believe in the paranormal, with precognitive dreams accounting for more than half of reported experiences. “The Power of Premonitions” explores the topic from historical, scientifi c, ethical and anecdotal perspectives, with Dossey freely acknowledging that countless questions remain unanswered.

Far from an unquestioning cheerleader for precognition, Dossey warns some people are temperamentally unsuited to exploring the powers of the human psyche. He also acknowledges that premonitions can be grossly misleading, serve as excuses for reckless or criminal behavior or signal mental instability. From biblical times, he writes, people have struggled with how to identify false prophets. So how does one determine if a seeming seer is a genuine visionary or raving lunatic? “Common sense helps,” he writes in answer to his own question. “Some anomalous experiences would be considered unreal by nearly everyone, such as thinking that one is Jesus, Elvis or a unicorn. On the other hand, there are experiences that, while not explainable by accepted versions of reality, are nonetheless experienced by a signifi cant proportion of the population, such as premonitions, clairvoyance, telepathy or near-death experiences.”

Interestingly, Dossey reports, “anomalous experiences in general appear to be good for people’s mental health.” In a study at the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, he adds, researchers found people who had profound mystical experiences also scored highly on tests measuring psychological well-being.

When it comes to cultivating receptiveness to premonitions, don’t try too hard, Dossey advises. Simply realizing premonitions are common can help, he suggests. So can recording dreams in a journal or learning to meditate.

When to pay attention According to Dossey, premonitions most deserving of attention include those that are accompanied by physical symptoms, involve health issues or seem especially vivid. For those concerned about having their premonitions taken seriously, he suggests telling others about them soon after they occur, thereby establishing “witnesses.” Dossey, incidentally, hasn’t had any precognitive dreams in years. (His last one revealed the solution of a problem he was having with his fi rst computer.) But his ongoing research convinces him premonitions are still part of his life, albeit manifested these days in more subtle ways. “I believe that to be alive is to have premonitions,” he writes. “They come factory-installed, part of our original equipment.” Ultimately, Dossey sees premonitions as gifts that transcend their usefulness to our physical survival by providing an expanded view of identity. “They show that we’re more than a physical brain and body,” he argues. “Brains can’t operate outside the present or beyond the body. But our consciousness can, as premonitions show. “Premonitions reveal we’re not slaves to the body or to the present. We can operate outside of time; something about us is timeless. The implications are quite wonderful, because they imply immortality.”

don’t try

Book SHELF

“The Power of Premonitions: How Knowing the Future Can Shape Our Lives,” by Larry Dossey, M.D. (Dutton, $25.95)

Is ‘second sight’ healthy?An M.D. examines foretelling the future

Meditation opens the door to premonitions and helps us notice them when they occur.

n n .

‘Mtt

Larry Dossey, M.D.Photo by Athi Mara Magadi


Now’s the time. Are you enrolled in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan (PDP) or thinking about enrolling in one for the fi rst time? Then take stock right away of your pharmaceutical needs for 2010. If they’ve recently changed or you think they will, you may want to take advantage of Medicare’s fall open enrollment season, running from Nov. 15 to Dec. 31, 2009. During the upcoming open enrollment period, you can sign up for a different prescription drug plan if your current one no longer best serves your needs. There are several plans available, and you can choose the one that works best for you. (See nearby chart.) If you’re happy with your current plan, do nothing. You will continue to be enrolled in your current plan.

Things to consider How can you decide if you should enroll in a different Blue MedicareRx (PDP)SM plan or, if you haven’t signed up for Blue MedicareRx (PDP), if you should enroll for the fi rst time?Here are some things to consider:

■ Have the number and type of medications you’re taking changed in the last year?

■ Are your medications covered under your current plan’s formulary? Look over the Blue MedicareRx (PDP) comprehensive formulary list of covered drugs at http://www.hisc.net/ilrx/2010/pdp_covered_medications.htm to be sure medications you currently take are listed. If your medications are not listed on the comprehensive formulary list, ask your doctor about alternatives (like generics) that may be on the list. You can also request a formulary exception.

■ Are you concerned about the “coverage gap” in which, for a time, you could be required to pay the full cost of your drugs? If so, consider a Blue MedicareRx (PDP) Plus plan offering coverage through the “gap.” If you don’t know if you need gap coverage, call Customer Service at 1-888-285-2249 for help determining where you stand in relation to the gap.

■ Does your current plan include preferred network pharmacies and mail-order prescription program for added savings?

■ Will your pharmacy needs increase due to health issues, including planned and/or unexpected surgeries?

■ Has your fi nancial situation changed? If so, you may qualify for extra help or may want to switch to another plan.

■ Do you spend part of each year in another state? This may be important if a plan requires you to use certain pharmacies.

■ If you wait to join a Medicare drug plan, will your premium be higher later because you have to pay a late enrollment penalty? Will your coverage begin when you want it to?

■ If you have drug coverage now, is it “creditable” prescription drug coverage—that is, is expected to pay, on average, at least as much as standard Medicare prescription drug coverage? Your current plan can tell you.

Be sure your prescription drug plan is right for you!

If you need additional information or assistance, these are ways to get help.

Need more information?

■ On the Web, use the Blue MedicareRx (PDP) 2010 Plan Selector Tool to estimate your prescription costs and fi nd the plan that best meets your needs and budget. Visit www.bcbsil.com and click on 2010 under Medicare Products. Then click on “Select a Plan.”

■ Call Customer Service at 1-877-260-0298 with questions (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central time, seven days a week) and speak to one of our friendly product specialists. If you’re hearing- or speech-impaired, call TTY/TDD 1-888-285-2252 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central time, seven days a week).

The benefi t information provided herein is a brief summary, but not a comprehensive description of available benefi ts. Additional information about benefi ts is available to assist you in making a decision about your coverage. This is an advertisement; for more information contact the plan. Exclusions and limitations apply. For a detailed list of exclusions and limitations, refer to the Plan’s Evidence of Coverage.


SM Service Mark of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an Association of Independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois refers to HCSC Insurance Services Company, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company. These companies are independent licencees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and offer or provide services for Medicare Part D products under contract number S5715 with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

‡ Available to those eligible for Medicare based on age or disability. You may be enrolled in only one Medicare Part D plan at a time. Annual out-of-pocket costs are incurred throughout the benefi t year.

S5715_BEN_IL_BMRXNews1109

■ One-on-One Assistance. Attend a free Service in the Neighborhood Part D seminar (see page 15 or call 1-800-382-4548 for more information).

■ Call your independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois licensed agent for more information.


Blue Cross LENDS A HAND

Bob Seidenberg

When Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois employee Kristin Darr requests vacation time, she always asks for a certain week in July. That’s when Darr, a customer advocate in Blue Cross’ Jacksonville, Ill., offi ce, trades in her offi ce duds for camp gear and works as a counselor at Camp Courage. Darr, 24, has been spending a week every summer there — a fi ve-day, four-night camp for the mentally and physically impaired — since she was 12. She volunteered after hearing about Camp Courage from a family friend involved in the program. “It’s one of the things you don’t want to leave. You just keep coming back,” she says. Located near Lake Jacksonville, the camp is funded primarily by individual donations and local businesses and civic groups. It draws youngsters and a few older campers from throughout the region and as far away as Indiana. The campers, including some from group homes or other special programs, arrive excited to be in the woodsy setting, formerly a 4-H camp. During the rest of the year, “A lot of them don’t get off the concrete for months,” says John Hunter of Jacksonville, a co-director of the camp. Hunter also keeps returning to Camp Courage. “I’ve been there 29 years,” he says. “It’s fun. I was 15 when I started. Some of the regulars are my age and come back every year, too.” Darr and other counselors begin arriving the Sunday before camp starts. They review campers’ special needs and make sure bunks are set up so campers who use wheelchairs or are visually impaired can get around more easily.

Campers keep busy During the week, campers swim, go on nature hikes and ride horses. Local boaters bring their pontoon boats to the dock and take campers on trips around the lake, allowing some to do their own piloting. Campers also enjoy a karaoke

night and a dance featuring entertainment by a local band. Counselors participate in camp life alongside the campers, ready to help if needed during mealtimes, bathroom breaks and at other times. “We try to make camp a place where they can come and their disability is not at the forefront of their mind like it is the rest of the year,” Darr says. “They don’t have to face their daily obstacles the same way they do at school or work or even at home.” Darr’s spirit is a good example of what makes the camp go, says Shelly Langland of Rushville, Ill. The camp’s co-director, Langland is the mother of a special needs child. She notes that “a lot of people in our general society are ignorant” about disabilities and can get upset when they encounter outwardly different people. But Darr, Langland says, was never like that. Even as a young volunteer, she “jumped right in” to camp life.

Filling a special need Langland credits Jacksonville resident Ella White with the idea for Camp Courage. While sitting in a local neurologist’s offi ce with other special needs parents some 35 years ago, they discussed the lack of recreational outlets for children with disabilities. For children without them, there were church camps, Scout camps and other programs, Langland says. However, there were few camping opportunities for special needs kids. So some families decided to work together to change that. The result is Camp Courage. “From an initial turnout of a half dozen or so youngsters, here we are in our 35th year and we’re topping out at 35 campers,” says Langland with pride. Campers pay a

small fee to attend, but if a camper’s family can’t afford the fee, they aren’t turned away, says Darr. Hunter, Darr and Langland all mention how much fun they have at camp. They enjoy interacting with campers and following their progress year to year. Dean Henneberg, one longtime camper, has attended Camp Courage nearly 30 years. He uses a wheelchair, but that doesn’t stop him from participating in soccer games. Hunter says, “He may have somebody kick for him or hit the ball with his wheelchair, but he still participates as best he can in just about everything.” What does camp mean to Henneberg? “The campers and counselors are like a second family to me. Camp Courage is like one big family reunion.” Darr and other counselors get a small stipend, though Darr says it would be fi ne with her if she received no pay at all. She says it’s inspiring to see campers dealing with access issues and overcoming them. She also is impressed by campers’ resilience at tackling everyday mobility problems without complaining. “It seems like they’re teaching us a lot more than we could teach them.” For more information about Camp Courage, contact John Hunter at 1-217-245-0607 or write him at 2096 New Lake Rd.,Jacksonville IL 62650.

Dean Henneberg and Kristin Darr get into the party spirit during a dance at Camp Courage.

Dean Henneberg

Blue Cross employee inspired by those she helps at

Camp Courage


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Earlier this year, we asked “LifeTimes” readers to share their stories of how they had changed their lifestyle for the better in terms of health and wellness. Karen Patterson of Hampshire, Ill., wrote to tell us how an admittedly somewhat embarrassing experience at a stable provided the push she needed to shape up and get back in the saddle at a healthy weight. See her letter below and consider sharing your own story by e-mailing it to [email protected] or writing us at “LifeTimes,” Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, 300 E. Randolph St., Chicago IL 60601. If your letter is featured, you will receive a pedometer.

I eyed the stirrup hanging on the saddle and thought to myself, “Am I going to be able to get my foot up that high?” With some effort I placed my foot in the stirrup, only to fi nd I didn’t have the strength in my other leg to boost myself into the saddle. The stable owner had to push me up until I could swing my leg over the horse. How humiliating for someone who had been a horse owner most of her life! It had been two years since my last horse died and I had ridden a horse and I was 65 years old—but I sure wasn’t expecting to be unable to mount a horse on my own. I also had been feeling depressed about my blood test results. My doctor had told me that if I didn’t change my lifestyle and eating habits I would soon become a full-fl edged diabetic. My cholesterol numbers were high enough that I had been on medication for years. It took the horse incident, though, to give me the impetus I needed to change my life around. I arranged to meet with a hospital dietician to learn a more healthy way of eating. The dietician told me the same thing my doctor had been telling me: I needed to exercise more as well as eat right. About this time I learned about Curves and began an exercise program to improve muscle strength. (Editor’s note: Curves, a chain of fi tness centers for women, is a participating provider in Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois’ BlueExtrasSM program and offers discounts to BCBSIL members at many locations.) In the next eight months I lost 25 pounds and 25 inches and felt better than I had in years. I went back to that riding stable at age 66, put my foot in the stirrup and pushed so hard with my formerly weak leg that I almost went completely over the horse! My doctor is delighted with my much-improved blood test numbers and I am delighted every time I look in the mirror and see less of myself than I did three years ago. I feel more energetic than I did 20 years ago. I continue to go to Curves and keep active and enjoy my life.

Karen Patterson, Hampshire, Ill.

Reader gets back in saddle


Health BRIEFS

Lynn Van Matre, Illinois LifeTimes Editor

Want to feel young and healthy? Go west, young people! When it comes to feeling young and healthy no matter what your age, people who live in the western U.S. fare far better than those in the Midwest, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. In what is described as a representative telephone sample of 2,969 adults—including 1,332 people ages 65 and over—one-third of Midwest participants said they “feel old,” compared with just 21 percent of participants out West. (Twenty-eight percent of the over-65 crowd surveyed in the Northeast said they felt old, as did 29 percent of respondents in the South.) Researchers also report on www.pewresearch.org that 72 percent of adults surveyed who live in the West described their health as “excellent or good,” compared to 63 percent of those living elsewhere in the U.S. According to Pew’s survey, similar regional differences in self-reported health assessments are not found among younger age groups. Not only do most Westerners not feel old, but half told researchers they feel a decade or more younger than their actual age; 20 percent say they feel 20 years younger. Why? Researchers offer no explanation, but do note that older Westerners get more exercise. About 77 percent of them 65 and older say a typical day includes physical exercise. In the rest of the country, just 69 percent report getting daily exercise.

Think positive! Are optimists healthier and longer-lived than pessimists? Several studies cited in a recent issue of The Mayo Clinic Health Letter (www.HealthLetterMayoClinic.com) suggest cultivating a sunny outlook may improve well-being and even increase longevity. In one ongoing Mayo Clinic study cited, researchers tracked more than 7,000 people who originally took personality tests in the early 1960s. They found participants whose test results placed them among the most pessimistic, anxious and depressed had a signifi cantly greater chance of dying young than did more upbeat test-takers. An earlier Mayo Clinic study involving more than 800 people tracked for 30 years found pessimists had a 19 percent increased risk of dying young compared to more optimistic counterparts. Optimists reported having fewer health problems, less pain and more energy, according to the Mayo Clinic. In another study at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, researchers analyzed data from nearly 100,000 participants in the Women’s Health Initiative aged 50 and up and found optimists were 30 percent less likely to die from coronary heart disease than pessimists. Optimists also were less likely to smoke and suffer from hypertension or diabetes, say researchers. For the study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, optimism was defi ned as “the expectation that good, rather than bad, things will happen,” says a University of Pittsburgh news release.

Antipsychotic drugs: Risky for diabetics?

Older people with diabetes who begin taking antipsychotic medications could be at greater risk

of hospitalization for hyperglycemia (elevated blood sugar levels), according to a Canadian study reported recently in Archives of Internal

Medicine. The report comes when rising numbers of older people are being treated with such drugs due to dementia and other conditions, the article notes. Researchers led by Lorraine L. Lipscombe, M.D., M. Sc., of the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, University of Toronto, studied 13,817 male and female diabetics age 66 and older who began taking antipsychotic prescription drugs between April 2002 and March 2006. Eleven percent were hospitalized for hyperglycemia during a follow-up observation period. Researchers caution additional study is needed to confi rm a causal effect. However, they say fi ndings suggest older people with diabetes are especially vulnerable to hyperglycemic episodes immediately after beginning treatment with antipsychotics and suggest other options for managing behavioral symptoms should be considered. “Patients and their families should be alerted to observe for signs of (hyperglycemia) when treatment with an antipsychotic agent is initiated,” researchers conclude. They also recommend enhanced glucose monitoring after treatment start-ups for all patients taking antipsychotic drugs. The study was supported by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Medicare expands coverage for OSA testing The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has expanded its coverage of diagnostic testing for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Caused by the relaxing of throat muscles, sleep apnea results in partial or complete blockage of air fl ow. Sufferers may awaken hundreds of times during the night. Medicare already covers the cost of a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine (a device that facilitates normal breathing through use of an air pump attached to a mask) when prescribed by doctors. However, coverage of specifi c tests to diagnose OSA has been left to the discretion of local contractors, and some tests have not been covered. Recently, however, Medicare began covering additional OSA sleep testing procedures and types of sleep testing devices when used in certain circumstances in benefi ciaries with clinical signs and symptoms of OSA. The expanded coverage includes certain tests done inside and outside sleep laboratories. More information can be found at the CMS Web site, www.cms.hhs.gov. Click on the Medicare Coverage Database link, then on Search. Type in the Document ID number (240.4.1).

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R E L I E F F EA L I I S J U SC O N S T I T U T I O N A L ST O E A R E Y NI N E T H I C A L O D D SV E M M G P E AE M B O D Y A E R O B I C SA R P T D A R T S

F L O S S I N G C L A S S Y

Making healthy lifestyle changes, such as losing weight or getting more exercise, is often easier when you can do it in small steps. It’s also easier to achieve your health goals when you have the support of friends and family members. Now, Blue Cross and Blue Shield has launched an online greeting program to help you, your friends and loved ones commit to manageable behavior changes. It’s called eCards for Health and it’s simple to use. Just visit www.ecardsforhealth.com. At www.ecardsforhealth.com you’ll fi nd an attractive selection of colorful, animated eCards covering a variety of healthy lifestyle changes. (You also

can link to eCards for Health from www.bcbsil.com.) Among other topics, there are cards for folks who want to cut down on sweets, be more active, be a safer driver and manage stress. Simply select the eCard that refl ects the change you want to make. Once you’ve chosen a card, click Send to a Friend. A box will appear asking for the recipient’s fi rst name and e-mail address and your name and e-mail address; fi ll in the information and

click Send Card. That’s all it takes to send an eCard for Health to a friend or loved one as a healthy “gift” and a commitment to both you and them. As the sender, you’ll also receive tips related to the healthy change you want to make and links to more wellness information. You also can sign up to receive updates as more eCards for Health are added to the site. Send as many eCards as you want. It’s fun and a way to make small commitments that can pay big health dividends. Sharing your commitment with a friend or loved one

can help build encouragement and support for sticking with your health-improvement goal.

Safety concerns drive him mad I categorically reject the unfair and biased article about “octogenarian” and other senior drivers (who may pose traffi c threats). The article (“Chicago launches senior-friendly Independent Transportation NetworkTM,” May-June 2009) was insensitive to the elderly. I am 83 years old and have a stellar driving record. Of course, (the ITNTM which provides rides to older people who turn in their cars) is a good idea and sorely needed. (But) you must realize that drivers between age 16 and their mid-20s kill and maim many more people. You want to keep someone off the road? (Make it) someone who has no experience in how dangerous a weapon a speeding ton of metal is. Let them drive pedal kiddy cars until they acquire some sense.

Peter J. Hahn, Hampshire, Ill.

EDITOR’S NOTE: “LifeTimes” agrees with Mr. Hahn that (1) many, many older drivers are quite capable and that (2) young drivers often drive recklessly. But as Mr. Hahn himself notes, there comes a time for many older drivers to get off the road for their own and others’ safety.

are a great way to foster a healthier lifestyle!

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‘soldier’ Mark Twain, ‘author’

General Grant Tom Laue, Executive Editor

Quick! When you hear Mark Twain and U.S. Grant, name the writer and the Civil War soldier. Twain’s the writer and Grant’s the soldier, you say? True. But you’d also be right if you answered the other way around. Twain served briefl y in 1861 as a Confederate second lieutenant, and Grant’s memoirs published after he died in 1885 became wildly popular reading. And before either was well-known, wrote Twain, then-Union Col. Grant entered the abandoned camp of Twain’s ragtag rebels 30 miles from his Hannibal, Mo., boyhood home. Said Twain, who walked away from the Confederate Army after a few rainy weeks, “I knew more about retreating than the man that invented retreating.” As for Grant, his writing reputation came late in life. Often urged by Twain to pen memoirs, Grant always refused. But when he simultaneously lost a fortune in business and was diagnosed with throat cancer, Grant agreed. He suddenly needed money. So in 1884 Twain bankrolled the publication of memoirs of the celebrated Civil War general from Galena, Ill. Grant’s book royalties supported his family after he died at 63.

After Grant’s presidency Grant’s Civil War heroics carried him twice to the White House. Some years after his undistinguished, scandal-marred presidency ended in 1876, Grant lent his still-good name to his son’s Wall Street fi rm to attract investors. For a time, it worked. But then disaster struck. His son’s partner made poor decisions leading to bankruptcy, the partner fl ed and Grant’s name was now badly besmirched. Even worse than Grant’s

sudden poverty, he was deeply in debt and ashamed he had let so many investors down. A grateful nation responded with sympathy and a few small donations to Grant, and Congress reinstated his modest Army pension. But such gestures fell far short of Grant’s great fi nancial need. In stepped Twain. Using several magazine articles he had written as a base, Grant wrote furiously in the fall of 1884, racing to fi nish his memoirs before cancer claimed him. It was a tight contest. Just weeks after putting fi nishing touches on his life’s story, a gaunt General Grant gave way to his deadly throat cancer.

Memoirs pass expectations Grant had little faith his account of his life would be of much interest. After losing his voice to cancer, he communicated on little slips of paper now held by the Library of Congress. One said, “When anyone suggested the idea of my becoming an author, as they

frequently did, I was not sure whether they were making sport of me or not.” He would never know just how well-received his writing would be. Entitled “The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant,” the book set sold more than 300,000 copies, royalties to Mrs. Grant approached $450,000 and Twain himself realized about $100,000. Grant’s prose is direct and simple. Perhaps because facing imminent death, he had no time for the era’s more typically elaborate, even overblown language. More likely, his writing refl ected who he was – a basic man with ordinary tastes and thoughts who just happened to rise to the presidency and become a Civil War hero. In the work’s conclusion, Grant writes he thinks “Federal and Confederate” – though bitter enemies – will eventually reconcile. “I cannot stay to be a living witness to the correctness of this prophecy, but I feel that within me that it is to be so.”

Roles reversed:

“LifeTimes” Mystery Game • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois 300 E. Randolph St., 26th Floor • Chicago, IL 60601-5099

If you’re reading this online, e-mail your mailing address and answer (“I found the hidden image [describe where”]) to: [email protected]. Your entry must be postmarked or reach “LifeTimes” via e-mail by Dec. 15, 2009, to be eligible for our pedometer prize drawing. The winner’s name will be picked randomly from all valid entries. If you’re the winner, you will be featured in the January-February 2010 issue of “LifeTimes.” Happy hunting!

Be a sleuth! We introduce in this edition your chance to win a Timex pedometer! All you do is fi nd this image hidden somewhere in the paper and circle it. Send the circled image, this promo box and a glossy color photo to:

Win a pedometer!

Educational Seminars & Community Events

Over 65 and Under 65 - Marketing Seminars

Dec. 3: Med Supp - 9:30 a.m. & 1 p.m.Part D - 10:30 a.m. & 2 p.m. Panera Bread2484 N. Randall Rd., Elgin

Dec. 4: Med Supp - 10 a.m. & 1 p.m. Part D - 11 a.m. & 2 p.m.Panera Bread154 W. Wilson St., Batavia

Dec. 7: Med Supp - 10 a.m. / Part D - 11 a.m. HSA - 2 p.m.Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel1551 N. Thoreau Dr., Schaumburg

Dec. 7: Med Supp - 9 a.m.Panera Bread2360 S. Rte. 59 (Caton Farm Road and Rte. 59), Plainfi eld

Dec. 8: Med Supp - 10 a.m. & NoonPart D - 11 a.m. & 1 p.m. HSA – 3 p.m.Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Bolingbrook205 Remington Blvd., Bolingbrook

Dec. 8: Med Supp - 10 a.m. / Part D - 11 a.m.HSA - 2 p.m.Country Inn and Suites2200 S. Elmhurst Rd., Mount Prospect

Dec. 8: Med Supp - 9 a.m. / Part D - 10 a.m. Mt. Vernon Airport Authority100 Aviation Dr., Mt. Vernon

Dec. 9: Med Supp - 10 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. Part D - 11 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.HSA - 3 p.m.Holiday Inn495 Airport Rd., Elgin

Dec. 9: Med Supp - 10 a.m. / Part D – 11 a.m. HSA - 2 p.m. Rockford Hilton Garden Inn7675 Walton St., Rockford

Dec. 10: Med Supp - 3:30 p.m. / Part D - 4:30 p.m.The Cellar Restaurant137 S. State St., Geneseo

Dec. 10: Med Supp - 2 p.m. / Part D - 3 p.m. Highland Park Courtyard1505 Lake Cook Rd., Highland Park

Dec. 10: Med Supp - 10 a.m. & 1 p.m. Part D - 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. Comfort Inn2600 W. Main St., Marion

Dec. 11: Part D - 2:30 p.m.Panera Bread254 East Rollins Rd., Round Lake BeachReservation required - 312-653-7573

Dec. 14: Med Supp - 2 p.m.Jan. 22: Med Supp - 9:30 a.m.Panera Bread11069 W. Lincoln Hwy., Frankfort

Dec. 14: Med Supp - 10 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. Part D - 11 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.HSA - 3 p.m. Courtyard Marriott1155 E. Diehl Rd., Naperville

Dec. 14: Med Supp - 10 a.m. / Part D - 11 a.m.HSA - 2 p.m. Oregon Park District304 S. Fifth St., Oregon

Dec. 15: Med Supp - 10 a.m. & 1 p.m. Part D - 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. Holiday Inn2300 Reed Station Pkwy., Carbondale

Dec. 16: Med Supp - 9:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. Part D - 10:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m.Panera Bread1206 N. Bridge St., Yorkville

Dec. 18: Med Supp - 10 a.m. & 1 p.m. Part D - 11 a.m. & 2 p.m.Panera Bread730 Northwest Hwy., Fox River Grove

Jan. 7: 2:30 pmWhat is an HSA Anyway?Panera Bread6557 Grand Ave., GurneeRe servation required - 312-653-7573

Jan. 19: Med Supp - NoonLevy Senior Center251 Canterbury Ln., Bolingbrook

Choosing the Medicare Supplement Plan That’s Right for You (Med Supp)Blue MedicareRx (PDP)SM 2010 – Prescription Drug Program (Part D) What is an HSA Anyway? Health Savings Account (HSA) – Under 65

These are Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois product-specifi c. Discussions include information on types of plans available, how the plans work and what to look for in a plan at various stages of life.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois enrollment applications will be available.

SPACE IS LIMITED – RESERVATION REQUIRED – 1-800-382-4548A LICENSED SALESPERSON WILL BE PRESENT.

Dec. 3: 11 a.m.Medicare Supplement PlansPlainfi eld Park District22525 W. Lockport Rd., Plainfi eld Re gistration required -

815-436-8812 ext.13

Dec. 3: 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Di agnosing Your Medicare

PaperworkRock Valley College Center for Learning and Retirement3350 N. Bell School Rd., RockfordRe gistration required -

815-921-3931

Dec. 10: 10:15 a.m.Understanding Medicare Part DBernardin Manor1700 Memorial Dr., Calumet City

Dec. 11: 10 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.Jan. 22: 10 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.Na vigating the Cycle of

Health Insurance in Tough Financial Times

The Workforce Connection303 N. Main - Room 104, RockfordRe gistration required -

800-382-4548

Dec. 15: 10:30 a.m. - noonTu rning 65: Get the Facts about

Medicare and Social Security Rockford Public Library6685 E. State, RockfordRS VP - Rockford Public Library

(815) 965-7606 option 5Or online at: www.

rockfordpubliclibrary.org/events

Jan. 6: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.Jan. 7: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.Northern Illinois Farm ShowNorthern Illinois Convocation Center1525 Lincoln Hwy., DeKalbFo r more information

call 800-827-8007

Jan. 12: 10 a.m.Medicare Updates 2010Advocate Trinity Hospital2390 E. 93rd St., ChicagoRe servations required -

800-323-8622

Jan. 20: 7 p.m.Get the Facts about MedicareDarien Park District7301 Fairview Ave., Darien

Dec. 1: Med Supp - 10 a.m. / Part D - 11 a.m. HSA - 2 p.m. Holiday Inn Express, 222 Gore Rd., Morris

Dec. 2: Med Supp - 10 a.m. & 1 p.m. Part D - 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. HSA - 4 p.m.Holiday Inn Express3231 Norman Ave., Joliet

Dec. 2: Med Supp - 10 a.m. / Part D - 11 a.m. HSA – 2 p.m. Ramada Airport Conference Center6902 27th St., Moline

Dec. 2: Med Supp - 10 a.m. & 1 p.m. Part D - 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. Ramada Inn6900 N. Illinois St., Fairview Heights

Dec. 3: Med Supp - 10 a.m. & 1 p.m. Part D - 11 a.m. & 2 p.m.HSA - 3:30 p.m. La Quinta Inn1415 W. Dundee Rd., Arlington Heights


Face to Face... Meet with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois “Service in the Neighborhood Specialists” to learn about Medicare and Insurance Options. For more seminar information call 1-800-382-4548 or go to www.bcbsil.com for a complete listing.

December 2009 & January 2010 Events in Illinois

Northern Illinois

Mary GintherRepresentative

West Central Illinois

Joni Castleman Representative

Metro Illinois

Diane Adduci Representative

Dan Cantu Representative

Tamatha Smith Representative

East Central Illinois

Lori Boctor Representative

Southern Illinois

Sherry Russell Representative

What you need to know when choosing a surgeon.See story on Page 5.

Tom Laue, Executive Editor

Recalling enjoyable events surrounding the holidays is heartwarming — even more so in diffi cult times. Many memories focus on our youth when wonder was all-consuming and the holidays seemed to center mostly on us. But unforgettable holiday experiences from later in life (when we know it’s about other people, too) can be even more rewarding. Not long ago, I learned the turnout each week at local soup kitchens is on the rise due to the poor economy. Not good news. But it also reminded me of an inspiring soup kitchen story from the days when the economy was humming right along. At a kitchen co-sponsored by my church, a new server hustled about one December day, asking to help however he could. I said

hello and asked if he was new to our parish. “No,” he said. “I don’t even go to church. But I sure was glad to get free meals here when I was on the street. So I vowed to return the favor some day if I could. But I couldn’t until I at least had a job and something decent to wear. “Well, I just got work as a janitor,” he said. “And the minute I saved up enough to get some clothes from the thrift shop, this is the fi rst place I came wearing my ‘new’ duds. Pretty sharp, huh? Well, I better get back to work. We have lots of hungry people to feed.” Remembering this brief exchange always lifts my spirits a bit. The conversation once again reinforces this old truth: We rarely know exactly

how hands extended in help affect the lives of those who reach out to take them. But we do know, in this instance at least, it made a huge difference in one man’s life. Consider the difference you can make by volunteering this holiday season.

Fond holiday memories bring joy any time

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