Breast Cancer Awareness Month

The year of 2020 has served a powerful message: that healthcare should be at the top of our priority list. It is so easy to neglect your health in these crazy times. The majority of people have been locked in their homes due to quarantine. Work offices, gyms and schools have been closed. The places most of us get our daily activity was taken due to COVID-19.

The only way to fight any disease is through raising awareness. For the month of October, raise your voice with MWG Senior Services as we fight to end breast cancer through the power of knowledge. By educating yourself and others, we can help detect early signs of breast cancer.

Did you know that 1 and 8 women (within her lifetime) will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States? Breast cancer is the disease where malignant cells are formed in breast tissues. What we know about this disease is that it is caused by damaged DNA, but no one can pinpoint exactly how the damage occurs.

It is important to live a healthy lifestyle, in order to prevent diseases like breast cancer from occurring. Below are some tips to preventing cancer:

• Move more! It is key to have physical activity every single day. Even if it's just taking your pet for a walk, going to the park or playing a game outside, make sure you don't neglect your physical health. 
• Eat better! What you pour in your body can either positively or negatively impact you. Avoid saturated fats, drinking alcohol and tobacco. Be sure to incorporate more fruits and vegetables to your meals. 

It is necessary to look at what cost Medicare covers for those battling cancer. As you may know, Medicare only covers 80% of the cost and you are left with the remaining 20%. Medicare has several parts, which we are going to look at Part A, Part B and Part D.

Part A – Hospital Insurance

• Staying in the hospital for things like cancer treatment (inpatient).
• Following a 3-day hospital stay, skilled nursing facility care.
• Home health care.
• Blood.
• Hospice.
• Certain clinical research study costs while an inpatient in the hospital.

Part B – Medical Insurance

• Doctor appointments.
• 1 baseline mammogram if you are a woman (35-39 age range).
• 1 screening mammogram every 12 months for woman (40+).
• As many diagnostic mammograms when medically necessary.
• Drugs for chemotherapy through veins in outpatient clinic or doctor’s office.
• Oral chemo-treatments.
• Radiation treatments (outpatient).
• Diagnostic tests like CT scans and X-rays.
• Medical equipment like walkers, wheelchairs, etc.
• Surgeries (outpatient).
• Mental health services (outpatient).
• Certain preventive and screening services.
• Eternal nutrition equipment (feeding pump).
• Certain clinical research study costs while an outpatient.
• Breast prostheses after mastectomy (outpatient setting).
• In specific cases, a second opinion for a procedure that is not urgent, and a third if the first and second are different.

Part D - Prescription Drug Insurance 

• Most prescription drugs are coverage by Part D (According to Medicare.gov) and some chemotherapy treatment drugs. Drugs like anti-nausea, pain medication and other types may be covered under your Part D plan.

All though we cannot predict the future, we can protect ourselves from the unexpected. If you would like to talk with someone about insuring yourself from the high costs of breast cancer, be sure to call MWG Senior Services at (877) 759-5760 or email senior.services@morganwhite.com. Our team of advisors are ready to answer any questions you might have about cancer plans!