As they say in Georgia, გამარჯობა gamarjoba. May this blog find you in amazing health 💪 with your Medicare insurance coverage 🏥 working properly.
For Medicare questions, quotes, or quandaries, email Gray@TheBig65.com or book a time on my calendar and we’ll get it sorted.
No, my wife Q and I are not in Atlanta. Instead, I’m working from Tbilisi, Georgia, the oldest Christian country in the world, half way round the world.
Here in Liberty Square, there used to be a statue of Lenin. When the people threw off the communist yolk, the citizens replaced him with a statue of St. George (and the Dragon), the patron saint of the nation.
Georgians trace their lineage back to Kartlos, who is considered a great-grandson of Noah. It’s a fascinating place.
So after helping Medicare clients all over the US, I then love to walk this 1,600 year old city late at night in search of local food, like this khachapuri, cheese bread, yummy and inexpensive.
If you ever see a Georgian restaurant or food truck, try the khinkali, soup filled meat dumplings that are addictive and delicious.
What surprised us most about Tbilisi? The food️ 🍽️, the wine 🍷, the buildings️ 🏛️?
Actually, it was all the well-kept street dogs 🐶😲! Even on the Peace Bridge in the middle of the night, the dogs were everywhere.
This is so different from the way we keep our dogs in the US. See Stevie below, the amazing rescue Huskey who loves to watch TV animal shows (and is spoiled by clients’ Ron and Karen in northern California).
These Georgia dogs (not to be confused with my Georgia College football Bulldawgs in Athens) live outside on the streets as protected mascots of the city.
They are chipped, spayed, or neutered, and receive food, vet care, and vaccinations to keep them healthy.
Which brings us to today’s topic: preventive health screenings.
Whether you have a Medicare Supplement or a Medicare Advantage Plan, preventive health screenings are an essential part of wellness.
Appropriate preventive screenings track health risks, manage chronic health issues, and reduce the risk of an acute visit to the Emergency Room.
That’s the upside of preventive screenings. A recent article questions whether American health consumers are being screened too often for certain cancers.
In 2021, the United States spent $43 billion on screening for five types of cancer—breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, and prostate—according to a study published in The Annals of Internal Medicine. This figure represents a significant portion of the annual expenditure on cancer care, which likely exceeds $250 billion.
Colonoscopies, my least favorite procedure, account for 55% of the total screening expenditures.
This dog, next to Q, slept like a rock, until lunch was served, then suddenly he was awake. Coincidence?
Despite the high costs of screenings, experts argue colonoscopies are valuable as they can both detect and prevent cancer by allowing surgeons to act quickly.
These old stairs in the back streets of Tbilisi made me think of a colonoscopy or maybe an Escher drawing! Better be friends with your neighbors here.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force supports screening for four of the five cancers studied, particularly highlighting its effectiveness for cervical and colorectal cancer. However, the benefits for prostate cancer remain inconclusive, and the task force is currently updating its guidelines.
As a Medicare Insurance broker, I hear from you daily on the successes and the frustrations of navigating the healthcare system. It’s challenging to know the right thing to do, isn’t it?
Perhaps some contemplation and prayer in the Sioni Cathedral, built in the 7th century? It certainly couldn’t hurt.
Now, experts are advocating for a more nuanced discussion on the true value of cancer screening.
While screening does have benefits, its impact on overall mortality is often modest, suggesting that other factors, such as improved treatments and lifestyle changes, also play crucial roles in reducing cancer death rates.
So what should we do as consumers when it comes to preventive screening?
Well, you could ask our tour guide Giorgi (one out of every 12 Georgian men is named Giorgi!), but I don’t think he would know. Here’s our advice:
The next time you get a notification to have a preventive screening, talk to your doctor.
If you’re in an actual appointment, get your healthcare practitioner to look up from his or her dadburn screen and say:
“Hey Doc, if you were in my situation, or, if it was your mom or dad in this situation, would you have them complete this preventive screening? What would you do, really?”
You might be surprised by their response. The bottom line: every Medicare consumer needs to self advocate. Challenge the system and ask good questions. Don’t be shy. Get your provider to slow down and treat you like a human.
That’s how the Georgians threw off the commies (maybe not exactly, but you get my drift). I’m rooting for them and their freedom and you know I’m rooting for you and your health!
In the meantime, wake up and smell the flowers, life is short!
Keep squeezing the juice out of life and look for ways to help others!
If family or friends need help… referrals are the lifeblood of my business.
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Medicare questions or problems?
Book a time on my calendar or email Gray, Gray@theBig65.com.
Let us know what’s going on and please send pictures :).
Karl Bruns-Kyler
(877) 850-0211
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Karl Bruns-Kyler is a Medicare insurance broker and independent Medicare agent licensed to help Medicare recipients in thirty states around the country, including:
Alabama
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The Big 65 Medicare Insurance Services does not offer every plan available in your area. Currently, we represent 10 organizations that offer 50 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.
