Your Money

Medicare plays a significant role in retirement health care. Selecting the right Medicare coverage is a crucial financial decision for retirees, and it's not a one-time event. Each year, during the Medicare open enrollment period (this year, it is from October 15 to December 7), beneficiaries can adjust their coverage. Since plan costs, benefits, and individual health care needs can change annually, reviewing and updating coverage can help enrollees save significantly on premiums and out-of-pocket expenses.

Here are five common Medicare mistakes you should be sure to avoid:

• Mistake #1: Thinking Medicare is inexpensive or free
• Mistake #2: Enrolling in Medicare late
• Mistake #3: Not signing up for a prescription drug plan
• Mistake #4: Failing to review your private coverage annually
• Mistake #5: Assuming pre-existing conditions don’t matter​

The Five Biggest Medicare Mistakes 
by Rick Fine

Your Life

It is starting to feel like Fall, with leaves changing colors and cooling temperatures in the air. Fall is also a time to start planning for your vaccinations, including flu, COVID, and RSV. Respiratory virus infections change enough each year that we still need seasonal immunizations. According to Dr. Michael Chang, an infectious disease physician at UTHealth Houston, “The wider uptake of immunizations, the greater the mitigation of the impacts of contagious infections even beyond the direct health consequences, to potentially include socioeconomic benefits across all age groups and walks of life.” So, we’re not only helping ourselves but also others. Flu vaccines are recommended for everyone 6 months and older, with people 65+ opting for a high-dose vaccine due to the higher risk related to age. September or October—ideally before Halloween, is the best time to get a flu shot. COVID-19 vaccines are recommended for everyone 6 months and older and are best to get immediately, but up to 3 months wait if you’ve recently had COVID. RSV, respiratory syncytial virus, is for all adults 75 and older, some adults ages 60-74, and women who are 32-36 weeks pregnant. The best time to get this vaccine is late Fall through early winter. For pregnant women, the window is September through January.

Guide to 2024 Fall Vaccines: When to Get Your COVID, Flu, and RSV Shots
by Alyssa Hui

Complexity Simplified

Trivia