September 2024 Newsletter
Amy : “Michael, why did the cell phone need glasses?”
Michael : “Because she lost all her contacts”
Friends,
I hope you had a nice Labor Day weekend and are enjoying the last days of summer.
The Annual Election Period (AEP) begins in 4 weeks and there are many new changes for 2025. Including a new $2,000 maximum out of pocket for prescription drugs and the end of the infamous donut hole. You will also be able to spread your out of pocket drug cost out over the entire year. My guess is this will mean higher premiums for drug plans because of these changes, but I won’t know until October. So stay tuned please.
If you know anyone who might like my monthly newsletter, please ask them to visit my website www.michaelantonini.info and then add themselves to my newsletter mailing list from the bottom of my home page. Thank you in advance.
Kind Regards,
Michael Antonini
What’s New
ANOC. This month you will receive an Annual Notice Of Change letter from your Drug plan or Medicare Advantage plan. This notice will tell you what changes will be happening to your plan for next year, 2025. Please review it.
COLA Prediction. The 2025 Cost Of Living Adjustment will be announced in October. I predict a 2.6% increase for 2025. This is much lower than the 3.2% this year and 8.7% in 2023. Hopefully, it’s also a sign that inflation is now under control and people will be able to live with just a small $48 monthly increase for those receiving the average Social Security of $1,864 a month.
If you would like the detailed explanation of the changes to the 2025 Prescription Drug Plans (PDP) that I mentioned earlier in this newsletter, you can click here to view the CMS newsroom for the full report.
On August 15, 2024 Medicare announced new price limits on 10 costly drugs that take effect in 2026. The good news is people will pay less for these drugs and Medicare will literally save billions. The other side of the coin is, since there is now a $2,000 annual cap, people who take these medicines will pay less per dose but may still hit the $2,000 annual out of pocket. It will just take more months to hit the max out of pocket. Here is an article from the New York Times for more info and a list and prices of the 10 medications.
Ask an Expert: Elizabeth Perry, AAC
Here are seven tips to help you live a life with more joy:
Celebrate: Recognize your achievements with pride, even ones that seem small.
Rest: Prioritize good sleep and regular rest for your body to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to get to your day.
Declutter: Analyze your life and avoid or adjust the things that don’t make you happy. This could be anything from redecorating your house or ending relationships with toxic people.
Maintain your values: Pay attention to your worldview and personal values, and let them guide your behavior.
Smile: Allow yourself to be carefree and find humor in everything, even when you make mistakes.
Take control: Being happy is about you. Learn how to find it within yourself, not through external validation.
Share: Surround yourself with positive influences and people who share your joy.
Let yourself feel happy
Happiness is hard to find, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Everyone deserves to find happiness and cultivate a positive mindset that helps them enjoy the good and push through the bad.
Start by identifying the things you love and finding ways to work through the things you don’t. It might take work to adjust your priorities, especially when life gets busy. But living a happier life is worth it — and your joy will influence the people around you, too.
Important Dates
Happy Labor Day, Everyone!
Happy Birthday to all born in September!
September full harvest moon is Tuesday, September 17, 2024, at 10:43 PM EDT.
The fall equinox arrives on Sunday, September 22, 2024, at 08:43 A.M. EDT.
Feast of St. Michael is Sunday, September 29, 2024.
Peace!
Michael Antonini