For the past 36 years, Medicare benefits have provided peace of mind to millions of retirees and people with disabilities. The majority of Medicare beneficiaries take comfort in the personalized red, white and blue card that notes, for most, enrollment in Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B.

What is the difference between Part A and Part B? Medicare Part A is frequently referred to as hospital insurance. Someone once said that it helps to think of Medicare Part A as you would a bed and breakfast -- you must sleep away from home in order to qualify for Medicare Part A. For people who worked 40 quarters under Social Security or who qualified for Social Security Disability for two years there is no monthly premium for Medicare Part A.

Medicare Part B pays for Medicare eligible physician services, outpatient hospital services, medical equipment and supplies, and ambulance services. There is a monthly premium of $54 for Medicare Part B and it is usually deducted from the monthly Social Security check.

Because there is a cost for Medicare Part B, it may be tempting to postpone enrollment, especially for individuals who are generally healthy or those who feel the cost is more than they can afford. Unfortunately, there usually comes a time down the road when Medicare Part B is a benefit most people cannot do without, and that prior delay in enrollment can be costly. First, there is a 10% penalty per year for each year that a person failed to enroll in Part B when he or she was eligible. So if Ms. Jones is eligible for Medicare Part B at 65 years of age, but she does not enroll until she is 70 years of age, she faces a 10% penalty for each of those 5 years. In other words, she will pay a penalty of 50% on top of the regular monthly premium, and the penalty will be paid not just for the 5 years she was behind, but for the rest of her life. In the year 2002, her premium will be the regular premium of $54 plus the 50% penalty of $27 for a monthly total of $81.

Another problem may be the fact that she could have to wait until the next General Enrollment Period before her benefits take effect. The General Enrollment Period runs from January 1 through March 31 of each year. If Ms. Jones is diagnosed with an illness requiring regular doctor visits in July, she will pay for the costs of those visits out of her pocket until the next general open enrollment for Medicare Part B the following January.

The Initial Enrollment Period starts three months before an individual turns 65 and lasts for 7 months or three months after the birth month. There is an exception to the timetable - what is called a Special Enrollment Period - for people who have group health insurance through their own or their spouse´s employer. The Special Enrollment Period extends for eight months beginning with the month when coverage through the employer ended. Important: The employer group health coverage is limited to current or active employment. Group insurance under COBRA does not qualify.

For people who are low income, the Social Security Administration recognizes that Medicare-related expenses can be a financial burden. There are Medicare Savings Programs (MSP) available for Medicare beneficiaries whose monthly income does not exceed $987 for an individual or $1,327 for a couple. Enrollment in one of the MSP results in a waiver of the $54 monthly premium, plus a waiver of any penalties for late enrollment, and the ability to enroll outside of the open enrollment period. For more information about these programs, please call Senior Rights Assistance at 206-448-5720 or Senior Information and Assistance at 1-888-435-3377.

Medicare's Expanded Preventive Services

Over the past few years changes in Medicare have expanded benefits to cover many cancer screen tests. Since January 1998 Medicare has covered screening mammograms once a year without referral from a physician. Changes in Medicare laws passed last December increased the frequency of coverage for screening pap smears and pelvic exams from once every three years to once every two years. They're covered once every 12 months if you are high risk for cervical or vaginal cancer.

Since January 2000, prostate screening tests, including the digital rectal exam and the PSA blood test have been covered annually for all men with Medicare age 50 and older. Colorectal cancer screening tests, such as sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy, can detect polyps that can become cancerous. Recent law changes have expanded coverage of colonoscopies for all individuals with Medicare Part B. not just those at high risk.

To learn more about other preventive services covered by Medicare, visit the website at www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

This warning forwarded by Judith supplements the same warning given by one of our readers, (I think it was Bill Murphy) some time ago:

BOILING WATER IN A MICROWAVE

I recently received the following story from a friend. Since I wasn't sure of the authenticity I contacted General Electric's small appliance group and asked if it was correct. Their response supports the danger reported in the story.

Anyone who uses a microwave oven to heat water should be made aware of the potential hazards.

My 26-year old son decided to have a cup of coffee. He took a cup of water and put it in the microwave to heat it up (something that he had done numerous times before). I am not sure how long he set the timer for but he told me he wanted to bring the water to a boil.

When the timer shut the oven off, he removed he cup from the oven. As he looked into the cup he noted that the water was not boiling but instantly the water in the cup blew up into his face. The cup remained intact until he threw it out of his hand but all the water had flown out into his face due to the buildup of energy.

His whole face is blistered and he has 1st and 2nd degree burns to his face which may leave scarring. He also may have lost partial sight in his left eye.

The doctor who was attending him stated that this is a fairly common occurrence and water (alone) should never be heated in a microwave oven. If water is heated in this manner, something should be placed in the cup to diffuse the energy such as a wooden stir stick, tea bag, etc. It is, however, a much safer choice to boil the water in a tea kettle.

Here is what our local science teacher had to say on the matter: "Thanks for the microwave warning. I have seen this happen before. It is caused by a phenomenon known as super heating. It can occur anytime water is heated and will particularly occur if the vessel that the water is heated in is new, or when heating a small amount of water (less than half a cup).

"What happens is that the water heats faster than the vapor bubbles can form. If the cup is very new it is unlikely to have small surface scratches inside it that provide a place for the bubbles to form. As the bubbles cannot form and release some of the heat that has built up, the liquid does not boil, but continues to heat up well past its boiling point.

"What then usually happens is that the liquid is bumped or jarred, which is just enough of a shock to cause the bubbles to rapidly form and expel the hot liquid. The rapid formation of bubbles is also why a carbonated beverage spews when opened after having been shaken." If you pass this on you could very well save someone from a lot of pain and suffering.

GOLDEN CARE FREE HEALTH PROGRAM

The GOLDEN CARE FREE HEALTH PROGRAM for Seniors in sponsored by Northwest Hospital. You are invited to join whether you are a registered patient there or not. You can get more specific information by calling (206) 368-1475. Benefits of your FREE membership are Free Counseling for Medical Bills (from any source). Instead of calling all over town for answers, you'll have this dependable office to call for private, highly personalized attention to your needs. Quarterly newsletter Golden Care Northwest publishes a quarterly newsletter for our members. We focus on issues which are important to seniors, concerning health, fitness, family and nutrition. Physician Referral and Health Line.

If you have any questions regarding your health concerns or finding a physician call our MED-INFO line at (206) 633-4636 Special Discounts As a member of Golden Care Northwest, you will be entitled to discounts for services in our cafeteria, our gift shop and Lowry's pharmacy. Education: Our Educational Services department at Northwest Hospital provides inexpensive classes and free seminars on all kinds of health topics. And, Golden Care Northwest members receive an additional $5 discount on some hospital education classes.

FREE PARKING

As always, you'll receive free parking throughout our 35 acre campus. Who is eligible for Golden Care Northwest? Anyone 63 years or older. There is no fee to become a member of Golden Care. For questions or to receive a membership form please call (206) 368-1475.

GOLDEN CARE NORTHWEST has additional benefits: Because North Seattle has the largest
concentration of seniors in the Puget Sound area, we have a special interest in meeting
the needs of seniors. In addition to our 345 bed hospital, we have valuable services, such
as:

• The Senior Wellness Clinic for community-based nursing and social work service.
• Transitional Care Unit, a skilled nursing unit. * Hospice Northwest for the terminally ill.
• Senior Insurance Information by a State-wide Health Insurance Benefits Advisor (S.H.I.B.A.).
• Easy Street Environments for physical rehabilitation
• The SAGE Program, Safety and Gait Enhancement Program
• MED-INFO (206) 633-4636 for free health care advice and doctor referrals.
• Geropsych unit specifically designed for seniors.

Northwest Hospital is A FAMILY CARE HOSPITAL. You can think of our hospital as your"complete" health care resource. We are located at 1550 North 115th Street, just off Aurora and not far from Northgate Mall. On the world wide web.