Did you know that drug costs rose 12.2% in 2014 alone which is 5 times as fast as the year before? And that the price of the 50 top most-used generic drugs has soared over 373% between 2010-2014? What’s happening and how can we as consumers save money and be savvy about our prescriptions? One thing that’s happening is company mergers, currently leaving 3 companies in control of 40% of the generic drug market. Also, some of the newest drugs are prohibitively expensive, such as the new Hepatitis C treatment Sovaldi which is $1,000 a pill for an 84-pill treatment.

With prices and rising costs like these, it’s no wonder that insurance companies look for ways to shift more costs to consumers and make it harder to receive the higher costs drugs. For example, many drug plans have increased the number of drug tiers in their formulary (covered drugs) from just 2 tiers (one for generics, one for brand name drugs) to 3, 4 and even 5 tiers – with each tier corresponding to higher costs. This makes it confusing for consumers to know what exactly their drug costs will be when comparing plan formularies. Drug plans have also increased the number of drugs requiring step therapy or prior authorization. Such strategies shift rising drug costs to consumers and put up a barrier to receiving the higher cost medicines.

So what are some ways to save money? Money Magazine’s March 2016 edition details some good cost-saving strategies, several of which are summarized below.

• Change your medication. If you’re taking a brand name drug, ask your doctor for its generic equivalent. Also, if you’re taking multiple medications, see if there’s one medication that can be used for multiple conditions. That option does exist in some circumstances.
• Use mail-order to fill and refill your prescriptions. You can get a 90-day supply and will generally have a lower copay than if you get a 90-day supply at a retail store.
• Watch out for online pharmacy scams. According to a 2013 Government Accountability Report, many of the online “Canadian pharmacies” are illegitimate. Some have been found selling drugs with lethal contaminants such as lead or rat poison. If you do use an online pharmacy, make sure the website URL ends in “.pharmacy”. This means the site meets certain regulation requirements and has been approved by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.
• Use your Medicare Part D plan’s coverage determination and exceptions processes to get affordable coverage for the drug(s) you need.
• Change your insurance. One of the most effective ways to reduce drug costs is to change your drug plan. Medicare Part D drug plans change their coverage every year, and just because one plan meets your drug needs and is affordable one year, does not guarantee it will be the same the next year. During Medicare’s Open Enrollment period (Oct 15 – Dec 7) each year, you have the option to switch plans. Review your plan’s coverage for the coming year and shop around. California’s Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) literally helped clients save millions of dollars this year by helping them find a plan that meets their mediation needs. You can use Medicare’s Plan Finder tool at Medicare.gov. This tools allows you to easily search for compatible plans by entering your medication, dosage, frequency, and preferred pharmacies. The plan finder will then give you a list of plans with your estimated out-of-pocket costs.

You do not get cold sores and or ever blisters, from fevers or colds but they can be triggered by them. The virus that causes cold sores is usually passed via a kiss, shared utensils, or other close contact. Over-the-counter creams and ointments may help discomfort and speed healing. Frequent sores may require a prescription.

Over bleaching can lead to a permanent translucent blue appearance on the teeth. A cosmetic dentist can help correct this discoloration by applying veneers or a bonding agent to the teeth which can be an expensive dental procedure. Finally, the teeth can become more vulnerable to stains since the chemicals remove a protective layer on the teeth call the pellicle

Yes, and a big one. Over 26% of people in a recent poll said that health care costs posed a significant financial burden on them and/or their family. Forty-two percent of the people said they have paid all or nearly all of their savings on medical costs, and 27% said they were unable to pay for basic necessities such as food, heating, or housing. Seven percent have also declared bankruptcy because of health care costs. This is an unnecessary burden that faces both the younger population on Obamacare and the older population and people with disabilities on Medicare. In fact, a recent National Public Radio article notes that while 89% of Americans now have health insurance through Obamacare and Medcare, simply having insurance is no longer enough. The consumer costs keep rising.

According to a Kaiser Family Foundation study done last year, more and more companies are also shifting rising health care costs to their employees. For example, the workers’ share of health insurance premiums for their families rose 83% from 2005 to 2015. The amount employees had to pay for deductibles for individual insurance also increased 255% from 2006 to 2015. These increases are much higher than growth in workers’ wages. And this example demonstrates what’s happening in all areas of health care coverage, with the sickest people being hurt the most.

For more information on the poll, see NPR’s recent article, Medical Bills Still Take a Big Toll, Even with Insurance.

Keeping your gums healthy is an important part of having good oral health but it also helps to control bad breath issues.  Gum disease, is a common cause of bad breath. Bacteria gather in pockets at the base of teeth, creating bad odors. If you have gum disease, your dentist may recommend a periodontist, who specializes in treating this condition.

Teeth whitening can cause damage to the gums and teeth. Many over the counter whitening products and dentists use a hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide base solution to whiten teeth. These acidic chemicals can destroy the gums and enamel of the teeth. A tooth with a crack or cavity is more susceptible to damage and may even require a root canal.

Do you have long-term care insurance? Concerned about premium increases? If so, you’re not alone. This is a conundrum elders and policy makers face nationwide. With 1 year of nursing home care costing at least $90,000, who can afford such care? In the 1970s, policy makers hoped long-term care (LTC) insurance would be their answer. Yet this industry has been nothing short of disastrous, as most companies greatly underestimated how long people would live, how much nursing home care they would require, how few people would drop their policies, and how little interest they would actually gain from banked premiums. As a result, most LTC insurance companies have left the market and policyholders are grappling with steep premium increases from each year from the remaining companies. Even California’s CalPERS (California Public Employee Retirement System), the state workers’ retirement plan, has raised their premiums 85% in the last 2 years.

Many policyholders were told to plan ahead and buy a policy early on to secure a good price, as the rates would just increase if one waited to buy a policy later in life. Well this early purchase has not paid off for many policyholders, such as one women featured in a recent Money Magazine article. Currently 69, she bought her policy 20 years ago and has had her premium quadrupled in the last 2 years. She’s facing 3 unattractive options: she can pay the higher cost; reduce the price by reducing the benefits in her policy; or cancel her policy. With so many people facing these undesirable options, California Health Advocates, along with several advocate groups, pushed for more consumer protections, including one that allows those who lapse in their policies to at least use an amount of benefits that equals the amount of premiums already paid out.

With one of the fastest growing population groups being people who are 80 and older, our nation has a long-term care crisis on its hands. Currently Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California), the federal public health insurance program for people with low-incomes and/or disability, covers about ½ of the nation’s long-term care costs and the price tag will continue to rise as baby boomers reach their 80s and 90s in growing numbers. Many people mistakenly assume Medicare, the federal health program for people 65 and older and those younger with disabilities will pay for long term care. While Medicare does pay for short nursing home stays after at least 3 days of inpatient hospital care, it does not pay for personal, or formally referred to as “custodial care” such as eating, bathing, cleaning, cooking, walking, dressing, etc. (See our Medicare Basics section for more info on Medicare coverage.) And, as highlighted, long-term care insurance has priced itself out of the middle class market, especially for women whose premiums are generally 40% higher than men’s.

So where we go from here is something California Health Advocates and several other policy groups are working on

You need to use extreme caution when using teeth whiteners. Over exposure to sensitive gums and teeth by the acids in the whitening agents eat into the gums and teeth. Sometimes this process may damage the teeth. The sensitivity is usually temporary, lasting only for a couple of days.

LA JOLLA, CA, March 24, 2016–Some people infected with HIV naturally produce antibodies that effectively neutralize many strains of the rapidly mutating virus, and scientists are working to develop a vaccine capable of inducing such “broadly neutralizing” antibodies that can prevent HIV infection.

An emerging vaccine strategy involves immunizing people with a series of different engineered HIV proteins as immunogens to teach the immune system to produce broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV. This strategy depends on the ability of the first immunogen to bind and activate special cells, known as broadly neutralizing antibody precursor B cells, which have the potential to develop into broadly neutralizing antibody-producing B cells.

Some families are considering alternative teeth whitening options instead of buying expensive commercial products. Some studies have suggested one can whiten their teeth buy combining 1 tablespoon of baking soda with 1/2 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide in a small glass of water while brushing the teeth for 5 minutes with the mixture. Make sure you thoroughly rinse and do not do this more than two times a month.

Often times people will have an after-dinner mints after a meal. However, sugary candies promote the growth of bacteria in your mouth and adds to bad breath issues. Instead, chew sugarless gum. By chewing gum it stimulates saliva, which is your mouth’s natural defense mechanism against plaque acids which cause tooth decay and bad breath.

Nobody likes penalties, especially when it means paying more money. When it comes to Medicare, most people can avoid penalties by enrolling in Parts A, B and D when first eligible, during their Initial Enrollment Period. Those who don’t enroll during this time, may have a penalty. The IEP is different for different parts of Medicare. This article reviews the Part D late enrollment penalty (LEP) and exceptions.

Unlike Part A and B late enrollment penalties that don’t start until someone has delayed enrollment for 12 or more months, the Part D LEP begins accruing 63 days after one’s initial enrollment period has ended. The penalty amount varies depending on how long one delays enrolling in Part D after becoming eligible. To calculate the cost, Medicare multiplies 1% of the national average Part D premium ($34.10 in 2016) by the number of months without coverage. And this penalty is paid for eternity….well, not exactly, but the point is the penalty stays and one will pay it as long as s/he has Part D coverage.

Are there exceptions?

Yes, there are a couple of exceptions. The LEP is waived if you had “creditable drug coverage” during the months of delayed enrollment. To be considered creditable, the coverage must be at least as good as Medicare’s standard drug coverage. This could be coverage from an employer, union, TRICARE, Veterans Affairs, Indian Health Services or a Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage. Each year you should receive a letter from your health plan stating that your coverage is creditable. Hold onto this letter. You may need it if you sign up for Part D at a later time.

Another exception is for people who qualify for the Part D low-income subsidy, known as Extra Help that covers most premium and deductible costs. Those who qualify do not have to pay a penalty, regardless of how long they didn’t have drug coverage.

See Prescription Drugs for more information on Medicare Part D, and our section on late enrollment penalties for more info on Part A and B LEPs.

If you worry about your breath one way avoid bad breath issues is by avoiding food that sour your breath. Onions and garlic are the prime offenders. Unfortunately, brushing after you eat them does not help. According to dentist Richard Price, a spokesman for the American Dental Association, “The volatile substances they contain make their way into your bloodstream and travel to your lungs, where you breathe them out, The only way to avoid the problem is to avoid eating them, especially before social or work occasions when you are mindful of your breath”.

The following tips may help to maintain clean and healthy teeth for the best dental health. Please see your dentist promptly.

* Garlic: A clove of garlic with salt placed on the affected tooth will relieve the pain.

* Onion: Chewing raw onion for 3 minutes is sufficient to kill all the germs in the mouth and place a small piece of onion on the affected tooth or gum may relieve pain.

* Peppermint Oil: Place peppermint oil on the affected tooth and gum to relieve pain.

* Mouth Wash: Wash your mouth with an over the counter mouth wash is an effective remedy for pain relief.

* Vinegar: Place a cotton ball with vinegar on the affected tooth for pain relief.

* Cucumber: Place cold cucumber on the affected tooth.

* Hot washcloth: Place a hot washcloth on the affected tooth to relieve pain.

* Table salt: Place table salt in warm water and rinse mouth to relieve pain.

* Tea bag: Place wet tea bag on affected tooth to relieve pain.

* Ginger Root: Place a piece of ginger root on the tooth which helps with infection and pain.

* Potato: Place a raw cold potato on the affected tooth and gum for pain relief.

* Clover oil: Place clover oil on cotton ball and place on affected tooth for pain relief.

These home remedies may be temporary solutions to relieve pain. Please see your dentist as soon as possible.

The world’s older population continues to grow at an unprecedented rate. Today, 8.5% of people worldwide (617 million) are aged 65 and over. According to a new report by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and produced by the U.S. Census Bureau, “An Aging World: 2015,”  this percentage is projected to jump to nearly 17% of the world’s population by 2050 (1.6 billion). The report examines the demographic, health and socioeconomic trends accompanying the growth of the aging population.

“An Aging World: 2015” contains detailed information about life expectancy, gender balance, health, mortality, disability, health care systems, labor force participation and retirement, pensions and poverty among older people around the world. Below are a few highlights.

• America’s 65-and-over population is projected to nearly double over the next three decades, from 48 million to 88 million by 2050.
• By 2050, global life expectancy at birth is projected to increase by almost eight years, climbing from 68.6 years in 2015 to 76.2 years in 2050.
• The global population of the “oldest old” — people aged 80 and older — is expected to more than triple between 2015 and 2050, growing from 126.5 million to 446.6 million. The oldest old population in some Asian and Latin American countries is predicted to quadruple by 2050.
• Among the older population worldwide, noncommunicable diseases are the main health concern. In low-income countries, many in Africa, the older population faces a considerable burden from both noncommunicable and communicable diseases.
• Risk factors — such as tobacco and alcohol use, insufficient consumption of vegetables and fruit, and low levels of physical activity — directly or indirectly contribute to the global burden of disease. Changes in risk factors have been observed, such as a decline in tobacco use in some high-income countries, with the majority of smokers worldwide now living in low- and middle-income countries.

One dental care habit that often goes undone is scraping your tongue after brushing you teeth. It is important to clean you tongue daily because the coating that normally forms on the tongue can host foul-smelling bacteria. You want to gently brush your tongue with your toothbrush. If it is too big to comfortably reach the back of your tongue, try a tongue scraper. A tongue scraper is designed specifically to apply even pressure across the surface of the tongue area, removing bacteria, food debris, and dead cells that brushing alone can not remove.