(Family Features) Si está inscrito en Medicare, es importante recordar que la Inscripción Abierta de Medicare es hasta el 7 de diciembre de cada año. Es el momento para que las personas con Medicare comparen sus opciones de cobertura médica y de medicamentos recetados para el próximo año.
Es importante comparar sus opciones porque los planes pueden cambiar cada año; incluso su elección actual puede estar cambiando. Sus necesidades de salud también pueden cambiar. Al comparar todas sus opciones, podría ahorrar dinero, encontrar una opción de cobertura que se adapte mejor a sus necesidades, o ambas cosas.
Cómo comparar opciones de cobertura médica y de medicamentos recetados La fuente oficial de información sobre Medicare y la Inscripción Abierta es Es.Medicare.gov. Es posible que vea información de inscripción de varias compañías de seguros y otras fuentes. Comience en Es.Medicare.gov para obtener información imparcial y encontrar el tipo de cobertura que mejor se adapte a sus necesidades.
Comparar opciones de cobertura médica y de medicamentos recetados es fácil en Es.Medicare.gov. Puede ingresar la lista de medicamentos que está tomando y realizar una comparación en paralelo de la cobertura del plan, los costos y el nivel de calidad. Si está satisfecho con su elección actual, no tiene que hacer nada. Si elige una nueva opción para 2024, podrá inscribirse allí mismo.
Antes de inscribirse en un plan, considere lo siguiente:
Verifique si sus proveedores de atención médica están en la red de un plan.
Verifique si sus recetas médicas están incluidas en el formulario de un plan y si el plan trabaja con su farmacia.
Consulte el número de estrellas de su plan en Es.Medicare.gov para ver su desempeño en calidad, servicio al cliente y más.
Recuerde que es posible que las primas mensuales bajas no siempre sean el mejor valor general para sus necesidades específicas.
Revise los costos totales estimados de un plan para usted, incluya el deducible y otros costos de bolsillo.
Verifique si los planes Medicare Advantage ofrecen beneficios adicionales, como cobertura de visión, audición o dental, si necesita estos servicios.
Recuerde que es posible que necesite una autorización previa para algunos servicios de los planes Medicare Advantage.
Ahorro en costos de vacunas, insulina y medicamentos Las mejoras al programa de Medicare ofrecen ahorros y un mejor acceso a tratamientos asequibles gracias a la Ley de Reducción de la Inflación.
Insulina: Si tiene Medicare y usa insulina, no pagará más de $35 por el suministro mensual de cada insulina cubierta. Esto incluye a las personas que tienen cobertura de medicamentos de Medicare Parte D y todas las insulinas cubiertas por la Parte B.
Vacunas: Las personas con cobertura de medicamentos de Medicare no pagarán nada de su bolsillo por las vacunas para adultos, incluida la vacuna contra el herpes zóster, recomendadas por el Comité Asesor sobre Prácticas de Inmunización de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades.
Ahorros en costos de medicamentos: En 2024, las personas inscritas en la Parte D que tienen costos de medicamentos verán un alivio en estos gastos. Cuando lleguen a cierta cantidad de pagos directos de bolsillo (lo que llamamos la fase catastrófica), ya no tendrán costos compartidos ni copagos en las farmacias.
Medicare puede ayudar Para comparar opciones y encontrar la mejor cobertura que se ajuste a sus necesidades:
Visite Es.Medicare.gov y realice comparaciones de costos y cobertura en paralelo.
Llame al 1-800-MEDICARE. La ayuda está disponible las 24 horas del día, incluidos los fines de semana.
Acceda a asesoramiento personalizado sobre seguros médicos en su comunidad sin costo, disponible en su Programa Estatal de Asistencia sobre Seguros Médicos (State Health Insurance Assistance Program, SHIP por sus siglas en inglés). Visite shiphelp.org (enlace en inglés) o llame al 1-800-MEDICARE para conocer las ubicaciones cercanas a usted.
Opciones de Medicare Hay dos formas principales de obtener cobertura de Medicare: Medicare Original y Medicare Advantage (planes aprobados por Medicare de empresas privadas). Existen diferencias entre los dos que es importante comprender al revisar sus opciones de cobertura.
Con Medicare Original usted obtiene atención médica a través de las Partes A y B de Medicare. Puede inscribirse en un plan de medicamentos separado para obtener la cobertura de medicamentos de Medicare (también llamada Parte D). Y puede visitar a cualquier médico que acepte Medicare en cualquier lugar de los EE. UU.
Medicare Advantage es una alternativa que generalmente combina su cobertura de salud y medicamentos en un solo plan. Algunos planes pueden ofrecer beneficios adicionales que Medicare Original no cubre, como ciertos servicios dentales, de visión y de audición. En muchos casos, solo puede utilizar médicos que estén en la red del plan.
Si es nuevo en Medicare o necesita revisar las formas en que puede obtener su cobertura de Medicare, visite Es.Medicare.gov y haga clic en “Comenzar con Medicare”.
Ayuda adicional con los costos de medicamentos recetados Si tiene dificultades con los costos de los medicamentos recetados, Ayuda Adicional es un programa de Medicare que puede ayudarlo a pagar las primas, los deducibles, el coseguro y otros costos de su cobertura de medicamentos (Parte D). Si gana menos de $22,000 al año ($30,000 para parejas casadas), vale la pena presentar la solicitud. Visite ssa.gov/es/medicare/part-d-extra-help o llame a la Administración del Seguro Social al 1-800-772-1213 para presentar la solicitud. El programa se ampliará para cubrir más costos de medicamentos para personas con recursos limitados en 2024. Las personas que califican para la Ayuda Adicional generalmente no pagarán más de $4.50 por cada medicamento genérico y $11.20 por cada medicamento de marca.
Información proporcionada por el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de los Estados Unidos
(Family Features) In a digital landscape crowded with influencers, it’s not every day
you find one who doubles as a board-certified physician. However, Doctor
Mikhail Varshavski – also known as Doctor Mike – made a name for himself by
pairing medical expertise with charisma and clarity.
Now, his
work is taking on new global significance as he steps into his latest role:
UNICEF Ambassador.
With more
than 25 million followers and 4 billion views across platforms, Doctor Mike
built a career translating complex health information into accessible, engaging
content. As an ambassador, he will use that same platform to raise awareness
around the mission to ensure every child is healthy, educated, protected and
respected.
This
collaboration began in 2021 with a video explaining how COVID-19 vaccines work.
Since then, he’s continued using his platform to address critical issues like
vaccine access and child nutrition. In 2024, he visited UNICEF’s Supply
Division in Copenhagen – the world’s largest humanitarian warehouse – where he
helped pack and ship life-saving supplies to families globally. Later that
year, he teamed up with Regional Goodwill Ambassador and rugby star Tendai
Mtawarira for a child nutrition quiz to raise awareness around child poverty.
“I am
proud to serve as the newest UNICEF Ambassador,” Doctor Mike said. “This role
represents an important opportunity for me to continue my work of advocating
for children’s health with an organization that provides nearly half of the
world’s children with critical vaccinations. UNICEF’s mission to ensure that
every child is healthy, educated, protected and respected has never been more
important and I look forward to amplifying this critical work on my platform.”
Born in
Russia and raised in New York, Doctor Mike earned his B.S. and Doctorate in
Osteopathic Medicine from the New York Institute of Technology. He rose to
prominence during his medical residency at Atlantic Health System’s Overlook
Medical Center by sharing behind-the-scenes insights on social media and has
since become a trusted voice on health, regularly contributing to reputable
outlets and hosting his own podcast, “The Checkup.”
As an ambassador,
Doctor Mike joins a roster of notable advocates including Selena Gomez, Sofia
Carson, Laurie Hernandez and Jeremy Lin to use his voice to help ensure every
child can survive and thrive.
Find more
information by visiting unicefusa.org.
SOURCE:UNICEF
There is currently no bird flu vaccine for people.
Digicomphoto/ Science Photo Library via Getty ImagesHanna D. Paton, University of Iowa
The flu sickens millions of people in the U.S. every year, and the past year has been particularly tough. Although infections are trending downward, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has called the winter of 2024-2025 a “high severity” season with the highest hospitalization rate in 15 years.
Since early 2024, a different kind of flu called bird flu, formally known as avian influenza, has been spreading in birds as well as in cattle. The current bird flu outbreak has infected 70 Americans and caused two deaths as of April 8, 2025. Public health and infectious disease experts say the risk to people is currently low, but they have expressed concern that this strain of the bird flu virus may mutate to spread between people.
As a doctoral candidate in immunology, I study how pathogens that make us sick interact with our immune system. The viruses that cause seasonal flu and bird flu are distinct but still closely related. Understanding their similarities and differences can help people protect themselves and their loved ones.
What is influenza?
The flu has long been a threat to public health. The first recorded influenza pandemic occurred in 1518, but references to illnesses possibly caused by influenza stretch back as as early as 412 B.C., to a treatise called Of the Epidemics by the Greek physician Hippocrates.
Today, the World Health Organization estimates that the flu infects 1 billion people every year. Of these, 3 million to 5 million infections cause severe illness, and hundreds of thousands are fatal.
Influenza is part of a large family of viruses called orthomyxoviruses. This family contains several subtypes of influenza, referred to as A, B, C and D, which differ in their genetic makeup and in the types of infections they cause. Influenza A and B pose the largest threat to humans and can cause severe disease. Influenza C causes mild disease, and influenza D is not known to infect people. Since the turn of the 20th century, influenza A has caused four pandemics. Influenza B has never caused a pandemic.
A notice from Oct. 18, 1918, during the Spanish flu pandemic, about protecting yourself from infection.Illustrated Current News/National Library of Medicine, CC BY
An influenza A strain called H1N1 caused the famous 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, which killed about 50 million people worldwide. A related H1N1 virus was responsible for the most recent influenza A pandemic in 2009, commonly referred to as the swine flu pandemic. In that case, scientists believe multiple different types of influenza A virus mixed their genetic information to produce a new and especially virulent strain of the virus that infected more than 60 million people in the U.S. from April 12, 2009, to April 10, 2010, and caused huge losses to the agriculture and travel industries.
Both swine and avian influenza are strains of influenza A. Just as swine flu strains tend to infect pigs, avian flu strains tend to infect birds. But the potential for influenza A viruses that typically infect animals to cause pandemics in humans like the swine flu pandemic is why experts are concerned about the current avian influenza outbreak.
Seasonal flu versus bird flu
Different strains of influenza A and influenza B emerge each year from about October to May as seasonal flu. The CDC collects and analyzes data from public health and clinical labs to determine which strains are circulating through the population and in what proportions. For example, recent data shows that H1N1 and H3N2, both influenza A viruses, were responsible for the vast majority of cases this season. Standard tests for influenza generally determine whether illness is caused by an A or B strain, but not which strain specifically.
Officials at the Food and Drug Administration use this information to make strain recommendations for the following season’s influenza vaccine. Although the meeting at which FDA advisers were to decide the makeup of the 2026 flu vaccine was unexpectedly canceled in late February, the FDA still released its strain recommendations to manufacturers.
The recommendations do not include H5N1, the influenza A strain that causes avian flu. The number of strains that can be added into seasonal influenza vaccines is limited. Because cases of people infected with H5N1 are minimal, population-level vaccination is not currently necessary. As such, seasonal flu vaccines are not designed to protect against avian influenza. No commercially available human vaccines currently exist for avian influenza viruses.
How do people get bird flu?
Although H5N1 mainly infects birds, it occasionally infects people, too. Human cases, first reported in 1997 in Hong Kong, have primarily occurred in poultry farm workers or others who have interacted closely with infected birds.
Initially identified in China in 1996, the first major outbreak of H5 family avian flu occurred in North America in 2014-2015. This 2014 outbreak was caused by the H5N8 strain, a close relative of H5N1. The first H5N1 outbreak in North America began in 2021 when infected birds carried the virus across the ocean. It then ripped through poultry farms across the continent.
The H5N1 strain of influenza A generally infects birds but has infected people, too.NIAID and CDC/flickr, CC BY
In March 2024, epidemiologists identified H5N1 infections in cows on dairy farms. This is the first time that bird flu was reported to infect cows. Then, on April 1, 2024, health officials in Texas reported the first case of a person catching bird flu from infected cattle. This was the first time transmission of bird flu between mammals was documented.
As of March 21, 2025, there have been 988 human cases of H5N1 worldwide since 1997, about half of which resulted in death. The current outbreak in the U.S. accounts for 70 of those infections and one death. Importantly, there have been no reports of H5N1 spreading directly from one person to another.
Since avian flu is an influenza A strain, it would show up as positive on a standard rapid flu test. However, there is no evidence so far that avian flu is significantly contributing to current influenza cases. Specific testing is required to confirm that a person has avian flu. This testing is not done unless there is reason to believe the person was exposed to sick birds or other sources of infection.
How might avian flu become more dangerous?
As viruses replicate within the cells of their host, their genetic information can get copied incorrectly. Some of these genetic mutations cause no immediate differences, while others alter some key viral characteristics.
Influenza viruses mutate in a special way called reassortment, which occurs when multiple strains infect the same cell and trade pieces of their genome with one another, potentially creating new, unique strains. This process prolongs the time the virus can inhabit a host before an infection is cleared. Even a slight change in a strain of influenza can result in the immune system’s inability to recognize the virus. As a result, this process forces our immune systems to build new defenses instead of using immunity from previous infections.
Reassortment can also change how harmful strains are to their host and can even enable a strain to infect a different species of host. For example, strains that typically infect pigs or birds may acquire the ability to infect people. Influenza A can infect many different types of animals, including cattle, birds, pigs and horses. This means there are many strains that can intermingle to create novel strains that people’s immune systems have not encountered before – and are therefore not primed to fight.
It is possible for this type of transformation to also occur in H5N1. The CDC monitors which strains of flu are circulating in order prepare for that possibility. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has a surveillance system for monitoring potential threats for spillover from birds and other animals, although this capacity may be at risk due to staff cuts in the department.
These systems are critical to ensure that public health officials have the most up-to-date information on the threat that H5N1 poses to public health and can take action as early as possible when a threat is evident.Hanna D. Paton, PhD Candidate in Immunology, University of Iowa
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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(Family Features) Throughout history, humans’ ability to rely on one another has been crucial to survival. Despite modern developments that help individuals live with minimal human engagement, the human need to connect remains.
However, in many parts of America, a trend toward isolation is emerging. Over the past two decades, people are spending more time alone and less time engaging with others in person, according to data from the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General. One segment of Americans at particular risk of social isolation, loneliness and their negative impacts are select populations who live in rural areas.
“There is an urgent need to take action and improve mental health in rural America,” said Jeff Winton, dairy farmer and founder and chairman of Rural Minds, a nonprofit mental health advocacy organization that partnered with Pfizer to raise awareness about the physical and mental risks of social isolation. “Challenges to mental health can be inherent in a rural lifestyle, including a belief in self-reliance as a virtue, fear of judgment and difficulty getting an appointment with a limited number of mental health professionals, among others.”
Many Americans are increasingly spending more time alone according to the American Time Use Survey. They are increasingly more likely to take meetings, shop, eat and enjoy entertainment at home, making it easier for them to stay within their own four walls and avoid social interactions.
Authentic human connection is a basic but often unacknowledged necessity for health, “as essential to survival as food, water and shelter,” according to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Health Effects of Social Connection and Community.
Understanding Social Isolation
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one-third of U.S. adults reported feeling lonely and about one-fourth said they don’t have social and emotional support (the basis of social isolation).
The concepts of social isolation and loneliness can go hand-in-hand, but the two are actually quite different.
Social isolation is defined by an absence of relationships or contact with others. Someone experiencing loneliness may or may not have social connections, but lacks feelings of closeness, support or belonging. Despite the distinction, both can have a negative impact on a person’s mental and even physical health.
Several factors can influence a person’s risk for social isolation and loneliness.
“Social connection is a dynamic that changes over time,” said Nikki Shaffer, senior director, occupational health and wellness, Pfizer. “Transient feelings of loneliness or solitude may be beneficial because they can serve as motivation to reconnect. However, chronic loneliness (even if someone is not isolated) and isolation (even if someone is not lonely) can represent significant health concerns.”
Isolation in Rural America
Compared to people who live in urban areas, many rural Americans experience higher rates of depression and suicide but are less likely to access mental health care services, according to the “Health Disparities in Rural America: Current Challenges and Future Solutions” study published in “Clinical Advisor.” What’s more, CDC data shows suicide rates among people living in rural areas can be 64-68% higher than those in large urban areas.
Rural areas have 20% fewer primary care providers compared to urban areas, according to a report in JAMA, and the Health Resources and Services Administration reports more than 25 million rural Americans, more than half of rural residents, live in mental health professional shortage areas.
Among rural counties, 65% lack a psychiatrist. Nearly 30% of rural Americans don’t have internet access in their homes, which complicates the option for telehealth. These figures from Rural Minds exemplify the challenges facing rural America.
“Some people in rural communities still don’t understand or accept that mental illness is a disease,” said Winton, who grew up on a rural farm. “Rather, a mental illness can often be viewed as a personal weakness or character flaw. A lot of the stigma around mental illness results in unwarranted shame, which adds to the burden for someone already suffering from mental illness.”
Health Impacts of Social Isolation
Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling; it harms both individual and societal health. In fact, loneliness and social isolation can increase the risk for premature death by 26% and 29%, respectively.
Lacking social connection can increase the risk for premature death as much as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day or drinking six alcoholic drinks daily.
In addition, poor or insufficient social connection is associated with increased risk of disease, including a 29% increased risk of heart disease and a 32% increased risk of stroke.
Social isolation is also associated with increased risk for anxiety, depression and dementia. Additionally, a lack of social connection may increase susceptibility to viruses and respiratory illness.
Learn more about the impact of social isolation, especially on residents of rural areas, and the steps you can take to reduce isolation and loneliness by visiting ruralminds.org.
Boost Your Social Connections
Take a proactive approach to combatting social isolation and loneliness with these everyday actions that can promote stronger social ties.
Invest time in nurturing your relationships through consistent, frequent and high-quality engagement with others. Take time each day to reach out to a friend or family member.
Minimize distractions during conversation to increase the quality of the time you spend with others. For instance, don’t check your phone during meals with friends, important conversations and family time.
Seek out opportunities to serve and support others, either by helping your family, co-workers, friends or people in your community or by participating in community service.
Be responsive, supportive and practice gratitude. As you practice these behaviors, others are more likely to reciprocate, strengthening social bonds, improving relationship satisfaction and building social capital.
Participate in social and community groups such as religious, hobby, fitness, professional and community service organizations to help foster a sense of belonging, meaning and purpose.
Seek help during times of struggle with loneliness or isolation by reaching out to a family member, friend, counselor, health care provider or the 988 crisis line.
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Hanna D. Paton, PhD Candidate in Immunology, University of Iowa
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
(Family Features) Throughout history, humans’ ability to rely on one another has been crucial to survival. Despite modern developments that help individuals live with minimal human engagement, the human need to connect remains.
However, in many parts of America, a trend toward isolation is emerging. Over the past two decades, people are spending more time alone and less time engaging with others in person, according to data from the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General. One segment of Americans at particular risk of social isolation, loneliness and their negative impacts are select populations who live in rural areas.
“There is an urgent need to take action and improve mental health in rural America,” said Jeff Winton, dairy farmer and founder and chairman of Rural Minds, a nonprofit mental health advocacy organization that partnered with Pfizer to raise awareness about the physical and mental risks of social isolation. “Challenges to mental health can be inherent in a rural lifestyle, including a belief in self-reliance as a virtue, fear of judgment and difficulty getting an appointment with a limited number of mental health professionals, among others.”
Many Americans are increasingly spending more time alone according to the American Time Use Survey. They are increasingly more likely to take meetings, shop, eat and enjoy entertainment at home, making it easier for them to stay within their own four walls and avoid social interactions.
Authentic human connection is a basic but often unacknowledged necessity for health, “as essential to survival as food, water and shelter,” according to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Health Effects of Social Connection and Community.
Understanding Social Isolation
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one-third of U.S. adults reported feeling lonely and about one-fourth said they don’t have social and emotional support (the basis of social isolation).
The concepts of social isolation and loneliness can go hand-in-hand, but the two are actually quite different.
Social isolation is defined by an absence of relationships or contact with others. Someone experiencing loneliness may or may not have social connections, but lacks feelings of closeness, support or belonging. Despite the distinction, both can have a negative impact on a person’s mental and even physical health.
Several factors can influence a person’s risk for social isolation and loneliness.
“Social connection is a dynamic that changes over time,” said Nikki Shaffer, senior director, occupational health and wellness, Pfizer. “Transient feelings of loneliness or solitude may be beneficial because they can serve as motivation to reconnect. However, chronic loneliness (even if someone is not isolated) and isolation (even if someone is not lonely) can represent significant health concerns.”
Isolation in Rural America
Compared to people who live in urban areas, many rural Americans experience higher rates of depression and suicide but are less likely to access mental health care services, according to the “Health Disparities in Rural America: Current Challenges and Future Solutions” study published in “Clinical Advisor.” What’s more, CDC data shows suicide rates among people living in rural areas can be 64-68% higher than those in large urban areas.
Rural areas have 20% fewer primary care providers compared to urban areas, according to a report in JAMA, and the Health Resources and Services Administration reports more than 25 million rural Americans, more than half of rural residents, live in mental health professional shortage areas.
Among rural counties, 65% lack a psychiatrist. Nearly 30% of rural Americans don’t have internet access in their homes, which complicates the option for telehealth. These figures from Rural Minds exemplify the challenges facing rural America.
“Some people in rural communities still don’t understand or accept that mental illness is a disease,” said Winton, who grew up on a rural farm. “Rather, a mental illness can often be viewed as a personal weakness or character flaw. A lot of the stigma around mental illness results in unwarranted shame, which adds to the burden for someone already suffering from mental illness.”
Health Impacts of Social Isolation
Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling; it harms both individual and societal health. In fact, loneliness and social isolation can increase the risk for premature death by 26% and 29%, respectively.
Lacking social connection can increase the risk for premature death as much as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day or drinking six alcoholic drinks daily.
In addition, poor or insufficient social connection is associated with increased risk of disease, including a 29% increased risk of heart disease and a 32% increased risk of stroke.
Social isolation is also associated with increased risk for anxiety, depression and dementia. Additionally, a lack of social connection may increase susceptibility to viruses and respiratory illness.
Learn more about the impact of social isolation, especially on residents of rural areas, and the steps you can take to reduce isolation and loneliness by visiting 
