Did you know that about 1 million Americans go to the hospital with pneumonia every year? Pneumonia is a lung infection caused by pneumococcal disease, which can also cause blood infections and meningitis. The bacteria that causes pneumococcal disease spreads by direct person-to-person contact. A pneumonia vaccine can help prevent pneumonia, but only 67% of adults 65 and over have ever gotten it. Medicare Part B covers the pneumonia vaccine, which is given as 2 pneumococcal shots.
You may be at a higher risk for these infections if you are 65 or older, have a chronic illness (like asthma, diabetes, or lung, heart, liver, or kidney disease), have a condition that weakens your immune system (like HIV, AIDS, or cancer), live in a nursing home or other long-term care facility, have cochlear implants or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks, or smoke tobacco. Medicare helps make preventing pneumonia easy so get your pneumonia shot today!
On another note! As you know, we are now entering the Medicare Annual Election Period from October 15th until December 7th. All the Part D and Medicare Advantage companies are required to send out the ANOC (Annual Notice of Changes) to all Medicare beneficiaries.
Please be looking for this notice from your Part D company as this will tell you if there are any changes in your benefits, co-pays, premiums and covered services. After October 15th, if you would like our help to review your prescription drug plan, please call our office at 800-464-4941.
Thanks for reading!
