Medicare’s Special Enrollment Period is underway for 5-star plans. What does that mean? It means that seniors and other Medicare-eligible beneficiaries have an opportunity to join a top quality, 5-star Medicare health plan outside of the regular open enrollment period. They may enroll in a 5-star plan from now through November 30, 2014 instead of waiting for mid-October when the Annual Enrollment Period begins.
The Medicare Star Quality Rating system is a simple way to help consumers compare health plans. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services assigns Medicare health plans an overall star rating between 1 and 5 stars, with 5 being the highest for quality and service.
If you’d like to learn more about the Medicare Star Quality Ratings, see the infographic above for more 5-star facts (click for a larger view), or visit kp.org/medicarestars and kp.org/share for the latest news and information. Also, check out kp.org/carestories for health-related member videos.
Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-star rating system. Star ratings are calculated each year and may change from one year to the next. Seniors and individuals with disabilities must meet applicable enrollment criteria and live where a 5-star plan is offered.
It’s the season of open enrollment for health insurance plans, and if you have an HSA (Health Spending Account – sometimes called a Health Reimbursement or Flex Spending Account), it’s time to max it out! Tax laws have changed, and this coming year, 2012, is the last year that you can place the maximum $5,000 in your HSA. Starting in 2013, the maximum allowed in any Health Savings Account will be $2,500, which means that the entire cost of laser eye surgeries such as 
The first and only eyelash treatment approved by the FDA, 
Dr. Grochmal
It’s no secret that our eyesight gradually decreases as we age. However, certain conditions may cause the loss of vision to happen more rapidly. Cataracts are a common cause of vision loss, affecting millions of people over the age of 65.
The winter months can often be brutal. The bitter cold and unpredictable weather can not only take a toll on your life, but can also cause considerable damage to your eyes.
If you’re experiencing a burning or stinging sensation in your eyes, light sensitivity, eye redness, blurred vision, or any similar concerns, you may be one of the many living with dry eye syndrome. Also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca, or KCS, dry eye is estimated to affect over 3.2 million Americans. So what exactly is this condition, and how can it be treated?
