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Dental Insurance or a Dental Savings Plan?
Narration provided by Wondervox.
I’m officially on Medicare now, as of October 1. In addition to the basic one-size-fits-all of Medicare parts A and B, I wanted supplemental insurance, vision coverage, and some kind of dental plan. I am a firm opponent of ‘Medicare Advantage’ plans, which are not Medicare. They are the privatization of Medicare, an insidious corporate takeover of the most successful social safety net program this country has ever enacted, along with Social Security. So … I have a Humana supplemental policy, an annual EyeMed discount plan that I already had, and now an Aetna dental save plan.
The dental plan was the one my husband and I most hesitated over. There are quite a few that offer the same basic benefit: significant discounts for the fees charged by participating dentists. It can be as much as 50 percent lower than the charge for the service. Until now, we’d had MetLife dental insurance, with a monthly premium for both of us at around $60 a month. It’s insurance, which means we had a $150 deductible for the year, with a $2000 cap from MetLife once the deductible was met. So, having estimated our needs in a given year, it made sense to go with a dental savings plan that cost (approximately) $199 annually for a couple. It’s a gamble: if I need a crown replaced or something major, it’s going to cost a lot more, but I’m not paying $720 (plus deductible) a year for it, either.
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The Weekly Readlines September 30
Quote for the Week: “… we don’t take an oath to a wannabe dictator. We take an oath to the Constitution and we take an oath to the idea that is America – and we’re willing to die to protect it.” – Retiring Four-Star General Mark Milley
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES
Senator Diane Feinstein died at 90, leaving a legacy as the longest-serving woman in the U.S. Senate. General Mark Milley retired as the head of the Joints Chiefs of Staff, ignoring calls for his execution by one-term fiasco Trump and his toady, AZ Rep. Paul Gosar. And a government shutdown is all but assured after radical Republicans chose cult over country.
The Writers Guild reached an agreement with studios, ending a five-month strike. President Biden walked the picket line with autoworkers in Michigan, becoming the first American President to join striking union members. And Las Vegas’ Culinary Workers Union authorized a strike, threatening to cripple Gomorrah in the desert.
Possibly realizing it’s a violation of federal law while under indictment, Trump denied purchasing a 9mm Glock after a campaign staffer said he did. And the former President was found by a judge to have committed fraud for years in his real estate businesses. His popularity among the base jumped 20 points. Who says crime doesn’t pay?
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The Weekly Readlines September 30
Quote for the Week: “… we don’t take an oath to a wannabe dictator. We take an oath to the Constitution and we take an oath to the idea that is America – and we’re willing to die to protect it.” – Retiring Four-Star General Mark Milley
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES
Senator Diane Feinstein died at 90, leaving a legacy as the longest-serving woman in the U.S. Senate. General Mark Milley retired as the head of the Joints Chiefs of Staff, ignoring calls for his execution by one-term fiasco Trump and his toady, AZ Rep. Paul Gosar. And a government shutdown is all but assured after radical Republicans chose cult over country.
The Writers Guild reached an agreement with studios, ending a five-month strike. President Biden walked the picket line with autoworkers in Michigan, becoming the first American President to join striking union members. And Las Vegas’ Culinary Workers Union authorized a strike, threatening to cripple Gomorrah in the desert.
Possibly realizing it’s a violation of federal law while under indictment, Trump denied purchasing a 9mm Glock after a campaign staffer said he did. And the former President was found by a judge to have committed fraud for years in his real estate businesses. His popularity among the base jumped 20 points. Who says crime doesn’t pay?
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Savvy Senior: Does Medicare Cover Second Medical Opinions?
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
Does Medicare cover second medical opinions? The doctor I currently see thinks I need a knee replacement, but I would like to get some other treatment options before I proceed. What can you tell me?
Limping Larry
Dear Larry,
Getting a second medical opinion from another doctor is a smart idea that may offer you a fresh perspective and additional options for treating your knee so you can make a more informed decision. Or, if the second doctor agrees with your current one, it can give you some reassurance.
Yes, Medicare does pay for second opinions if your current doctor has recommended surgery, or some other major diagnostic or therapeutic procedure.
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The Twist #242: Farewell Senator Feinstein, Military Madness, and The Twist Moves to Fridays
Join co-hosts Mark McNease and Rick Rose as we salute the late, great Diane Feinstein, pray for the safety of General Milley after calls for his execution, and welcome everyone to our new timeslot on Friday mornings.
Enjoy The Twist on Libsyn, iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, and TheTwistPodcast.com.
Copyright 2023 MadeMark Publishing
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Savvy Senior: Does Medicare Cover Second Medical Opinions?
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
Does Medicare cover second medical opinions? The doctor I currently see thinks I need a knee replacement, but I would like to get some other treatment options before I proceed. What can you tell me?
Limping Larry
Dear Larry,
Getting a second medical opinion from another doctor is a smart idea that may offer you a fresh perspective and additional options for treating your knee so you can make a more informed decision. Or, if the second doctor agrees with your current one, it can give you some reassurance.
Yes, Medicare does pay for second opinions if your current doctor has recommended surgery, or some other major diagnostic or therapeutic procedure.
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Savvy Senior: Best Stair Lifts of 2023
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
Because of chronic arthritis, I have a very difficult time going up and down stairs anymore and am interested in purchasing a stair lift for my two-story house. Can you recommend some good companies?
Arthritic Andy
Dear Andy,
Yes, of course! A good home stair lift is a great mobility solution for anyone who is unable, or has a difficult time climbing stairs. To help you choose a quality stair lift that meets your needs and budget, here are a few shopping tips along with some top-rated companies.
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RetireGuide Offers LGBTQ+ Elder Health Care Guide
RetireGuide has included a valuable Care Guide for LGBTQ+ elders that includes such topics as:
Why Do LGBTQ+ Elders Have Low Rates of Health Insurance?
What Health Care Challenges Do LGBTQ+ Elders Face?
Discrimination
Greater Risk
Medicare Bill Rejection
and more.
You can read the entire Guide HERE.
RetireGuide is a health and wealth website dedicated to providing accurate information and research on a variety of retirement topics. We do this through a stringent editorial process that involves fact-checking, attribution to reputable sources, insight from financial experts and original reporting from a team of experienced journalists.
RetireGuide offers a wide variety of information for seniors about housing, healthcare, insurance, and financial planning. Sharing this is not intended as an endorsement of their products or services. – LGBTSr
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On the Map: Return to Philly, the Morris House Hotel, and Eddie Izzard at the Miller Theater
Click to hear audio version.
By Mark McNeaseIt was a whirlwind two days, as Frank and I headed to Philadelphia for another two-night getaway in a favorite city. After having spent decades in New York prior to our permanent move to rural New Jersey, we now enjoy taking trips to Philly just an hour away. It’s an easy drive, an easy city to be in, and it offers everything you could want in a major metropolis: museums, restaurants, theater, walking (and more walking), lots of history, and our preferred place to stay: the historic Morris House Hotel, located within a short walking distance of everything we enjoy.
This trip was my gift to Frank for our 10th wedding anniversary, and I didn’t want to scrimp. Fine food? You got it! Hotel we love to stay in? You got it! Surprise show at the Kimmel Center? You got it! And while we remember all our trips, this was special. I got a foot massage within an hour of arriving, while Frank racked up his multi-thousand-step daily routine. We had dinner at Buca D’Oro with his niece Jessica, who just started attending Drexel for her graduate law degree. Day two saw us walking with Jess, hitting 25,000-plus steps on my own pedometer and seeing her school up close.
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Book Review: Not Forever but For Now, by Chuck Palahniuk
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Bookworm SezNot Forever but For Now” by Chuck Palahniuk
c.2023, Simon & Schuster $25.99 256 pagesYou always wanted the family business.
Started by your grandfather, nurtured by your parents, aunts, and uncles, you hoped to be the next generation of caretakers to help it grow, succeed, and readied for its owners in the future. You trained all your life to take the reins of the Family Empire, and in the new book “Not Forever but For Now” by Chuck Palahniuk, you’ll do it, even if it kills you.
They were probably too big to be in a nursery, but he didn’t care.
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The Weekly Readlines September 7
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES
Burger King will have to face a lawsuit claiming it’s Whoppers are too small to be whoppers.
Bomb threats against public libraries are on the rise. Home insurers are dropping natural disaster coverage in light of the climate change we’re told isn’t real, and Hunter Biden is being indicted in one of the biggest ‘whatever’ media narratives of the modern era.
Ron DeSantis had his handlers man-handle a 15-year-old in New Hampshire whose question made him uncomfortable. And a Massachusetts teenager died after eating a spicy tortilla chip, attributed to the ‘one chip challenge’ TikTok craze.
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The Weekly Readlines September 7
BIG CUP: THE WEEK’S TOP STORIES
Burger King will have to face a lawsuit claiming it’s Whoppers are too small to be whoppers.
Bomb threats against public libraries are on the rise. Home insurers are dropping natural disaster coverage in light of the climate change we’re told isn’t real, and Hunter Biden is being indicted in one of the biggest ‘whatever’ media narratives of the modern era.
Ron DeSantis had his handlers man-handle a 15-year-old in New Hampshire whose question made him uncomfortable. And a Massachusetts teenager died after eating a spicy tortilla chip, attributed to the ‘one chip challenge’ TikTok craze.
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On the Map: Provincetown Paradise with a Side Trip to Wellfleet
On the Map is a feature at LGBTSr.com offering travelogues and recommendations. Narration provided by Wondervox.
By Mark McNease
As we come to the end of another annual trip to Provincetown, I’m reminded why we value our visits here. Frank has had a timeshare for 35 years or so, at a place called Eastwood at Provincetown. It’s like a sprawling motel complex on the far east side of town, and has been very lesbian-centric for years. Plenty of gay men, too, but a lot of women come here. This time I noticed several children with their opposite-sex parents, and I found myself hoping it’s not losing its edge. We’ll see.