ArcaMax

This week’s Medicare column consists of “What if” Medicare questions from Toni Says readers around the United States.

1. What if I did not enroll in Medicare Parts A and B when I should have, because I do not want to pay that extra Part B premium each month? I do not go to the doctor or take any prescriptions. Can I enroll later?

Toni ...Read more

Imagine having an entire gallery of Picasso paintings to enjoy, practically all to yourself. Wandering from one gallery to another, losing yourself along the timeline of an artist’s emerging genius through 5,000 of his works. This is a reward of traveling during the offseason in January to Barcelona, Spain, and the Winter Riviera.

The Winter ...Read more

Hi Toni,

I need your guidance. In September I turn 65, and I am unemployed. I’m on COBRA since retiring in May after I had a heart attack, and I don’t know what to do about enrolling in Medicare. The cardiologist informed me last week that the only thing that will improve my health is having heart surgery.

What health network does Medicare...Read more

Estate planning often sits at the bottom of people’s to-do lists, but it plays a crucial role in securing your family’s financial future. It ensures your loved ones are provided for after you pass away, and outlines how your belongings are distributed.

“Estate planning is for everyone, not just wealthy people,” says Stephen Kates, a ...Read more

For those nearing retirement, there is no shortage of advice about whether to save more, spend less or somewhere in between.

And while those general principles certainly help increase the probability that you will enjoy a more comfortable retirement, there are three specific choices that a person will make as they approach their golden years ...Read more

Morning, Toni:

I am retiring in January, when I turn 70 and my wife, Sharon, will be 66. I have heart issues, with atrial fibrillation (AFib), and Sharon is a diabetic. Last month, we each applied for a long-term care policy and were both denied due to our health. The agent who helped us search for long-term care insurance plans said that ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota is on a top 10 list no one wants to be a part of, with the second-highest rate of deadly falls for people age 65 and older, after Wisconsin.

The deadly falls are twice the national average and rising.

Nearly 142 Minnesota seniors per 100,000 died from injuries sustained in a fall in 2021, according to recently released...Read more

Dear Readers: Recently, I received a text message from a Toni Says Medicare client that I would like to share with you. The text reads Toni: I need to put together a 24/7 home care recovery plan after a liver transplant. The surgery is over a year out, but I would appreciate your advice on how to plan for this medical event. Thanks in ...Read more

CHICAGO -- Forty-two stories above ground, Jon Gottlieb traced his bicycle route. From his vantage point by the pool, on his building’s roof, he could see the stop sign where he turns right, the road he hates crossing, the park he rides through and the tunnel that leads to the Lakefront Trail bike path.

Gottlieb, 75, rode this route at least ...Read more

CHICAGO -- Forty-two stories above ground, Jon Gottlieb traced his bicycle route. From his vantage point by the pool, on his building’s roof, he could see the stop sign where he turns right, the road he hates crossing, the park he rides through and the tunnel that leads to the Lakefront Trail bike path.

Gottlieb, 75, rode this route at least ...Read more

Hello Toni,

My sister has collected your articles on Medicare for years and suggested that I contact you about my Medicare issue. I turn 65 on October 20 and am preparing to retire next February. I have a question about my enrollment timing.

I plan to work through January 2026 to help with the transition of my job...Read more

Dear Toni:

I recently had a hospice agent knocking on the doors in my neighborhood who said he represented Medicare. He was giving away free hospice gifts and told me that I could receive these Medicare services at no charge for me and my husband. I told him that I did not give out personal information to anyone that I do not know because I ...Read more

Toni:

I have just enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B because I turned 65 in June. I am still working, and my husband, James, and I are on my employer health insurance plan. I recently received a letter from Social Security saying that I am being charged a much higher premium for Part B because of my 2023 tax return showing higher earnings. Now ...Read more

Hello Toni:

Thank you for teaching my husband Charley and me the value of finding the right Medicare option for him since he retired at age 70 a few months ago. Charley wanted to pick a Medicare Advantage PPO plan because it had a $0 monthly premium and he could still keep his doctors even though many of the offices were out of network. He ...Read more