Get tips on how to eat healthy stay active and more on Clearmatch Medicare Blog.

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We’re here to support you on your journey towards optimal health and wellness. Our goal is to inform you with knowledge and resources to help you live your best healthy life. 

If you’re turning 65 and already have health or prescription drug insurance, you may be able to delay Medicare enrollment without late penalties – as long as you have creditable coverage. In this post, we’ll explain what Medicare means by creditable coverage and how it can help you avoid costly late enrollment penalties.  

What is Medicare creditable coverage? Basically, coverage that is as good as and costs about the same as what you get with Original Medicare is creditable.

Medicare Creditable Coverage | What to know in 2024

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the donut hole closed completely in 2020. 

The coverage gap, aka the Medicare donut hole, is the third phase of your Part D coverage. Your out-of-pocket costs in every stage are 25% of your plan's.

Medicare Donut Hole

According to KFF.org, nearly half of enrollees do not change their Medicare coverage during Annual Enrollment.

The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period ends on December 7. If you miss it, though, you may still be able to make changes to your coverage for next year.

What Happens if You Miss Medicare Annual Enrollment?

Failure to maintain creditable drug coverage could land you with late enrollment fees once you do sign up for Medicare Part D.

A lifelong Medicare Part D late enrollment penalty is added to your monthly premium any time you go 63+ days without creditable prescription drug coverage.

Medicare Part D Late Enrollment Penalty

If you're what Medicare calls a "high earner," you'll likely pay a surcharge for both Part B and Part D.

If your modified adjusted gross income is over $97,000, you'll likely pay higher monthly premiums for Medicare Part B and Part B.

Medicare Part D IRMAA and Part B IRMAA

Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) 2025

How chocolate, eggs, and certain other “bad” foods can fit into a healthy, balanced diet.

No food is truly off-limits. The key is eating them in moderation. Here’s how to fit your favorite “bad” foods into a healthy, balanced diet.

6 Bad Foods You Should Be Eating

Make sure your Medicare plan includes all of your trusted providers. Call today to speak with a licensed insurance agent.

6 Bad Foods That Are Actually Good for You

Stress can happen at any time of year, but the holiday season makes many people anxious. Mindfulness can help ease the stress.

Stress can happen at any time of year, but the holiday season makes many people anxious. Mindfulness can help, and it’s an easy practice to learn.

Ease Holiday Stress with Mindfulness

Feeling stressed? Let us help find the right Medicare plan for you.

Food that's good for your body doesn't have to be bad for your wallet. We tapped registered dietitians to explain how to save at the supermarket.

Don't let anyone tell you different: You can eat healthy on a budget. It starts with eating whole foods, not processed, and rethinking your produce options.

Eating Healthy on a Budget

How to Save Money on Groceries and Still Eat Healthy

A doctor’s recommendation can raise a lot of questions. Here’s when and how to get a second opinion on your diagnosis or treatment.

Getting a second opinion on your diagnosis or treatment plan is often wise. Here’s when you need one and step-by-step tips on getting it done.

When Should You Get a Second Opinion

Looking for a Medicare plan that includes your doctors? Call us today!

When medical bills add up, you may have options. Learn how to reduce high bills or maybe even negotiate them away!

You may be able to lower your medical bills or set up a payment plan that fits your budget. Learn the steps to negotiate a deal that works for you.

Can You Negotiate a Medical Bill?

You can't cure a chronic condition, but you can manage it with healthy lifestyle changes and by working with your doctor.

Living with arthritis presents numerous challenges, particularly when it comes to managing your symptoms. Luckily, there are numerous non-medical options.

Living with Arthritis: Tips to Manage a Chronic Condition

Increasing your range of motion is a medication-free way to relieve soreness and feel better in your own body.

Increasing flexibility can ease soreness related to arthritis, along with other forms of pain in knees, hands, and other joints.

Stretches That Relieve Joint Pain

New drugs are in demand to help people lose weight. But so far Medicare won’t cover them. Find out why and how that might change.

New drugs that help people lose weight are all over the news, but most health insurance, including Medicare, won’t cover them. Will that change?

Will Weight Loss Drugs Ever Be Covered By Medicare?

When it comes to your healthcare, the right primary care doctor is key to getting the preventive care you need, as well as successfully managing any chronic conditions you may have. 

Even more than a specialist, finding the right primary care provider can make an enormous difference in your healthcare. Here’s what to look for in a PCP.

8 Things to Look for in a Primary Care Doctor 

Find a Medicare plan that includes your doctors. Call today!

Creating your personal health record doesn't have to be complicated, and it could save your life.

Creating your personal health record helps organize your healthcare information and ensures your medical history is always at your fingertips.

How to Create Your Personal Health Record

Alzheimer’s disease is a growing threat to people over age 65. But there are promising treatments on the horizon.

Alzheimer’s disease affects 6.7 million Americans, and the numbers are expected to keep growing. But the outlook for new treatments is promising.

What’s New with Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment?

Worried about Alzheimer’s or dementia? Learn how to protect your brain with a Medicare policy that’s the right fit for your needs.  Call us today.

What’s New with Alzheimer’s Treatment?

Constipation can make you feel less than your best. Here are some options for getting your system moving again!

Constipation isn’t easy to talk about, but it can make you feel less than your best. Here are some options for getting your system moving again!

Too Embarrassed to Ask Constipation

Find a Medicare plan that lets you see your gastroenterologist. Call Today!

Too Embarrassed to Ask About Constipation?

With a few simple tools, you can get the health benefits of a self-massage.

Not just for relaxation, massage can help treat health conditions, too. With a few simple tools, you can get some of the benefits of massage at home.

The Health Benefits of Massage

Need to de-stress? A Medicare Advantage plan may be able to help with coverage for gym memberships! Call us to find a plan near you.

When wintertime skin feels dry and itchy, a few easy changes to your routine will bring relief and keep your skin healthy.

When the weather gets colder and dryer, your skin can feel dry and itchy. But a few tweaks to your regular skin care routine can keep your skin healthy.

Winter Skin Care

Find a Medicare plan that covers annual skin checks. Call us today!

Poor sleep habits can raise your risk of dementia. Here’s how to get a good night’s sleep and protect your brain.

If you skimp on sleep or snooze at irregular hours you could be setting yourself up for memory problems. Learn why better rest helps and how to get it.

How Sleep Problems Can Lead to Memory Issues

When you need help picking the right Medicare plan for your health concerns, call to speak to a licensed agent.

ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a challenging diagnosis. But drugs and supportive therapies can help patients live well longer.

Could It Be ALS?

If you’ve been diagnosed with ALS, you can enroll in Medicare right now, no matter how old you are. Call us to find a plan in your area.

ALS: Symptoms, Treatments, and Medicare Coverage

Dark chocolate has benefits for your heart, brain, blood sugar, skin, and more. So indulge - just try not to eat too much. 

Awesome news: Dark chocolate is actually a health food – with benefits for your heart, brain, blood sugar, skin, and more. Indulge! (Just don’t overdo it.)

Chocolate can be guilt free

Got a sweet tooth? Look for a Medicare plan that covers dental!

Research shows how a simple half-hour routine could impact your health and happiness.

It may seem simple, but walking for exercise provides multiple benefits, including improved cognitive function, weight control, and more restful sleep.

6 Ways Your Body Changes When You Walk for 30 Minutes a Day

Most people don't drink enough water. Here's how to sneak more into your day.

Most people don't drink enough water, but it's critical for optimal health. Don't like the taste? Try one of these ways to sneak more H2O into your day.

7 Ways to Drink More Water

Your doctor is the best person to advise you on diet. Make sure your trusted providers are included with your plan - call us today to speak to a licensed agent.

Your Medicare benefits include a variety of services to help you overcome addiction.

Medicare helps pay for a number of both inpatient and outpatient services to help people recover from addiction to alcohol or drugs.

Is Someone You Love in Recovery? Medicare Can Help.

You know the old saying: An apple a day keeps the doctor away. But really, replace that apple with any sort of fruit (an orange, a mango, a pear, strawberries, you get the idea) and you’ll still get loads of health benefits.

From planning ahead to remembering to “eat the rainbow,” there are lots of ways to add fruit into your diet – and lots of health reasons to do it.

6 Ways to Get More Fruit into Your Diet

The best person to advise you on diet is your doctor. Make sure your Medicare plan includes all of your trusted providers. Call us today to talk to a licensed agent.

Aging well may mean adding a few new tests to your checkups.

These five health tests may not be part of your routine checkups—but maybe they should be.

5 Important Screening Tests for Older Adults

Are you managing a chronic condition? The right Medicare Part C plan may make that easier. Call us today to speak to one of our licensed agents.

5 Health Screenings You Want to Ask Your Doctor About

Hobbies can boost your brainpower and bring joy to your daily life. Here’s how to get started.

If you want to keep your brain strong as you age, you need to exercise it daily. Here’s how.

7 Hobbies That Will Boost Your Brainpower

Why You Need a Hobby — Plus 7 You Can Master Right Now

Making time to catch up with a friend or discuss a new show with your spouse isn’t just enjoyable. It’s also a workout for your mind.

Talking to someone every day can help with memory, mental flexibility, and self-control.

5 Ways to Turn a Conversation into a Workout for Your Brain

Are you worried about cognitive decline? Call today to speak to one of our licensed agents about Medicare plans that cover screenings for dementia, Alzheimer's, and more.

The Brain Exercise You Should Do Every Day

Making a few simple changes to your routine can help you get a handle on hypertension.

Learn which ordinary behaviors spike your blood pressure, undermine heart health, and put you at risk for disease.

5 Habits That Increase the Risk of Hypertension

Does your Medicare plan cover your blood pressure medication? Call us today to talk to one of our licensed agents and learn more about your Medicare plan options!

5 Sneaky Habits That May Spike Your Blood Pressure

Fitness trackers do a lot more than count steps. Are you getting the most out of yours?

Get the most out of your fitness tracker by finding the right one for your needs and creating a user account. Monitor heart rate, calories burned, and more.

11 Tips to Help You Get the Most Out of Your Fitness Tracker

Are you looking for a Medicare plan that pays for gym memberships? One of our licensed sales agents can answer your questions and help you find the right coverage for you. Call today!

Stressed about dealing with diabetes over the holidays? Here’s how to eat healthy and still have a fun, festive holiday season.

The holiday season brings special challenges for people with diabetes. Use these tips to stay healthy and still enjoy a fun, festive holiday season.

6 Tips for Managing Diabetes Over the Holidays

Manage your diabetes with great tips – and a great Medicare plan. Find a Medicare plan that covers nutritionists and gym memberships!

6 Tips for Dealing with Diabetes Over the Holidays

Hollywood may offer fewer roles to mature actors, but it’s not because they lack talent. Check out these award-winning shows starring veteran performers.

As they age, actors often find that parts dwindle. These shows prove age is just a number when it comes to entertaining.

6 Hit TV Shows Starring Mature Actors

6 Can’t-Miss Shows Featuring Older Actors

Your posture doesn’t just affect how you look. It can actually affect your overall well-being.

Posture is an important but often-overlooked part of a person’s physical health and well-being. Here are several tips to improve your posture.

5 Ways to Straighten Up

Are you looking for a Medicare plan that provides fitness benefits? We can help! Call us today to speak to a licensed agent.

What's the leading cause of death in America? Heart disease. But you can prevent it. Here's how.

You can prevent heart disease by making healthy lifestyle changes like being more physically active, eating healthier, and getting a good night's sleep.

6 Ways to Prevent Heart Disease

Does your Medicare plan cover your heart medication? Call us today to talk to one of our licensed agents and learn more about your Medicare plan options!

With a little bit of planning, you can keep your skin healthy all summer long!

UV rays are strong, so make your defense stronger. Here’s how to stay safe in the sun with the right protection, from sunscreen to weather awareness.

6 Ways to Stay Safe in the Sun

Our licensed agents can help you find the right Medicare plan for your unique needs, including one that covers dermatologists. Call us today to review your plan options!

Research shows spirituality is good for you, mentally and physically. Here’s why you should include it in your life.

Everyone can benefit, both mentally and physically, from spirituality. Here’s what it means, why it’s good for you, and how you can include it in your life.

Health Benefits of Spirituality

Yoga’s great at relieving unhealthy stress. That’s why so many Medicare Advantage plans offer coverage for yoga and other fitness classes! 

Should you drink less alcohol? Here are the health risks and tips on cutting back to boost your health.

Thinking of drinking less? You’ll be glad you did. Read up about why it’s a smart move, and get tips on how to cut back to improve your health.

Cutting Back on Alcohol

Drinking less is often the first step on the journey to better health. Another important step? Having a great Medicare plan.

Bad breath is a common complaint as we age, but most cases are easy to resolve.

Everyone has bad breath at one time or other, but you don’t have to live with it. Once you know the cause of your halitosis, there’s usually a remedy.

Too Embarrassed to Ask Bad Breath

Medicare Advantage offers dental coverage that may help save your teeth – and your breath! Call for plans in your area.

The only eligibility requirement for SilverSneakers is belonging to a Medicare Advantage plan that offers the benefit.

The only way to get SilverSneakers, the fitness program designed for the 65+ crowd, is to join a Medicare Advantage plan that covers the program.

What Are the SilverSneakers Age Eligibility Requirements?

What Are the SilverSneakers Eligibility Requirements?

Highly processed foods add calories to your diet with little nutritional payoff. Here’s how to identify and avoid the worst of them!

Highly processed foods are more caloric, less nutritious, and can even endanger your health. Here’s how to identify and avoid the worst offenders!

Are All Processed Foods Bad?

Looking to get healthier? Find a Medicare plan that covers nutritionists.

New Year’s resolutions often get broken. But setting specific goals instead will help you make the change you want.

Instead of making resolutions for the New Year, try setting goals instead, which includes creating a plan to help you make the changes you want.

Forget Resolutions Set a New Years Goal

This year, resolve to find a Medicare plan that gives you all the coverage you want. Call now to find great plans in your area!

Forget Resolutions – Set a New Year’s Goal

Want a natural solution to saggy skin and fine lines? Try face yoga!

Facial exercises, or face yoga, have been shown to modestly improve one’s skin by reducing sagging, fine lines, and wrinkles. Here are five to try.

Do Facial Exercises Work?

Stop hibernating and start snowshoeing! Learn why this winter sport is growing in popularity.

Even if you’re not a fan of the cold, exercising outdoors in the winter can do wonders for your health – and snowshoeing is one of the best ways to do it.

4 Great Reasons to Start Snowshoeing

Exercise is important for your health, even when the weather is bad. Call today to find a Medicare plan that covers gym memberships in your area!

Online workouts offer a host of benefits besides the physical - they're free, convenient, and make it easy to try out new routines.

There are thousands of free online exercise classes and videos for older adults, including cardio, yoga, strength training, boxing classes, and more.

Free Exercise Programs for Older Adults

Find a Medicare plan that covers gym benefits

6 Free Online Workouts Perfect for Older Adults

Bladder pain and urinary problems can be signs of interstitial cystitis. Here’s what you need to know to get relief. 

Chronic bladder pain and urinary urgency can be signs of interstitial cystitis. Here’s what you need to know about the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.

What to Know about Interstitial Cystitis

Call us to find a Medicare plan that covers great urologists in your area.

Dry January is when people decide to abstain from alcohol for the entire first month of the year. Should you partake in taking a break?

Dry January is when people decide to abstain from alcohol for the entire first month of the year. Here are some tips on how to participate.

Want to Give Dry January a Try?

If you’re feeling run down, an energy boost may bring back your natural spark.

There are lots of factors that affect energy levels, from the foods you eat to certain lifestyle habits. There are also many ways to boost it naturally.

How to Boost Your Energy Now

Oats are one of the healthiest grains out there, thanks to being high in soluble fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.

Oats are one of the healthiest grains out there. They’re high in soluble fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, which means they do the body a whole lot of good.

The Magic of Oats

Talk to your doctor and research your options carefully before choosing any multivitamin.

Scientists used to say taking multivitamins doesn’t make you healthier. But new research says these vitamins may be very important for brain health.

A New Look at Multivitamins

You can have a great time this holiday season and still zip up your pants in January if you follow these 9 tips.

The holidays can be a time of excess. But instead of completely throwing in the towel, try following some more achievable and realistic health goals.

Health Goals for the Holiday Season

9 Totally Doable Health Goals for the Holiday Season

Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of your fist.

More than half of people over the age of 75 have kidney disease. But it’s not an inevitable part of aging. Here’s how to keep your kidneys healthy later in life.

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