Monthly Newsletters

 

 

Meet Our Team!

Ken Schwartz, MSW, gains the spotlight this month. Ken is one of our Referral Specialists who uses his social work training and experience with every client and family he meets.  He understands the client’s perspective; he is prepared if you are feeling overwhelmed and concerned.  Ken works very hard to help you feel comfortable asking every question to help you understand how home health care works. He knows the 8 ways people pay for home care and he ensures that you access every possible funding source before you pay out of pocket.  Finally, both personally and professionally, Ken is an advocate for older adults. His goal? To help you get the assistance and resources you need!

Speaking of questions about home care, one of the greatest resources Cooperative Home Care offers is a free, no-obligation assessment. You’ll meet with one of our Referral Specialists, like Ken, in a private meeting where all of your specific home care questions are answered. Many people don’t even know where to begin, and we’re prepared to help you wherever you are in your home care journey. Our free assessment is the key to feeling prepared whether you need home care immediately, or you are planning ahead for your or your loved one’s future needs.

Get started with home care today by calling us directly at 1-800-HOMECARE (in MO), and you can ask for Ken when you schedule your free assessment.  

 

 

Introducing July’s Recipe…

     Herb & Veggie Salad

Celebrate the summer season with this light and nutritious salad. Use your own homegrown herbs and veggies, or find these seasonal items at their best price and taste of the year at your local market.

 

Ingredients:

ü      ¼ cup olive oil

ü      3 Tbsp white wine vinegar

ü      2 Tbsp fresh parsley

ü      2 Tbsp light mayonnaise or plain greek yogurt

ü      1 Tbsp fresh basil

ü      1 Tbsp fresh dill

ü      1 Tbsp fresh oregano

ü      Pinch of salt and pepper

ü      ½ clove fresh garlic, minced

ü      2 medium yellow summer squash and/or zucchini, cut into ¼-inch slices

ü      2 small tomatoes, cut into wedges

 

For dressing, in a screw-top jar combine oil, vinegar, parsley, mayonnaise/greek yogurt, basil, dill, oregano, salt, pepper and garlic. Cover and shake, shake, shake!

In a salad bowl, combine squash and tomatoes. Drizzle dressing over veggies and toss.

 

Want softer veggies? Toss your finished salad in a low-heat sauté pan for a few minutes.

Thank you, fitnessmagazine.com for inspiration!

 

This Month’s Home Health Care Topic: Long Term Care Insurance

Long term care (“LTC”) insurance is a type of health care insurance that covers nursing home, skilled nursing, assisted living facility, Alzheimer’s care, custodial care, or in-home care costs for people over 65. Medicare, disability insurance, and traditional medical insurance plans do not completely cover most types of long term care. Once you qualify for long term care, you receive a daily benefit for your expenses (according to your specific policy).  Usually, you pay out of pocket first, and then you are reimbursed by your LTC insurance.

The earlier you start paying for long term care insurance, the less expensive it will be. LTC insurance can seem complicated and you must investigate your options thoroughly before you buy.

We observe that LTC insurance can be very helpful to reduce your home care costs, if you have chosen the right plan for your health care needs. This can be tricky because you may have chosen your policy long before you knew what you might need.

We stress to our clients that, while your home care costs are your responsibility, we are also very willing to help you to understand and to access your LTC policy. Unfortunately, sometimes even when you have chosen the right policy for your needs, and you have correctly filed your claim(s), your LTC insurance will not pay for services that you feel are covered services.  If this happens to you or your loved one, it is important to know what to do.

The Division of Consumer Affairs within the Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration (“DIFP”) provides consumer information and investigates consumer complaints against insurance companies. The Division works to respond promptly and completely to consumers’ insurance-related questions and complaints, to assist consumers in resolving those complaints whenever possible, and to help consumers understand their options in handling insurance-related matters.

First, before filing a complaint, contact the insurance company or agent and bring the problem to their attention. Document your phone calls by noting the name of the person you speak to, the date of the call and a brief summary of the conversation. Keep copies of all written communications with your insurance company.

If you are not satisfied with the response, contact the Division of Consumer Affairs for assistance at 1-800-726-7390. You also can file a complaint with our division so we can investigate the situation. You can submit your complaint form electronically at https://insurance.mo.gov/; or fax to 573-526-4898; or mail to PO Box 690, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0690.

Always keep your originals and send only copies of information. Good luck!             

Cooperative Home Care will work with you to access your LTC insurance, and all other home care funding options that are available for you. Call us at 1-800-HOMECARE our expert Intake Nurse Jessica will gladly help you.

 

Thank you, insurance.mo.gov for being a resource.

-The Editor