HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mark McClellan have introduced a new program to help beneficiaries make the most of their health care and coverage choices with the My Health.My Medicare campaign.

“My Health.My Medicare is the next step in helping the 43 million Americans with Medicare make the most of their benefits, so they can stay healthier and spend less on their medical care,” said Dr. McClellan. “By providing personalized assistance – online, on the phone and in person, with the help of partners all across the country — we can help beneficiaries and their families make informed and confident choices about their health and Medicare coverage.”

Partners called upon to participate include the AARP, Medicare Today, the National Caucus and Center on Black Aged and the Annapolis State Health Insurance Program.

Fall is the time for beneficiaries to make changes or enroll in new prescription drug plans, between November 15 and December 31. For information on My Health.My Medicare, see the CMS website.

Lottery and sweepstakes scams are increasing and more Americans are falling victim according to the FTC (Federal Trade Commission). The New York State Consumer Protection Board reports that in the last seven months alone, more than 400 New Yorkers have lost money on these scams.

Lottery and sweepstakes scams work by tricking the consumer into thinking he or she has won a large cash prize, but insist on collecting taxes or insurance from the victim before the prize can be issued. In some cases a bogus check is sent to the victim with instructions to deposit it and then wire a smaller amount of money to the operators of the scam. In a few days the bogus check has bounced, but the money the victim sent is gone forever. Worse, these scam artists now have all the information they need to set up credit accounts in the names of the victims. This information can be sold to other scam artists as well.

The FTC warns:

Don’t pay to collect sweepstakes winnings. If you have to pay to collect your winnings, you haven’t won anything. Legitimate sweepstakes don’t require you to pay “insurance,” “taxes” or “shipping and handling charges” to collect your prize.

Hold on to your money. Scammers pressure people to wire money through commercial money transfer companies like Western Union because wiring money is the same as sending cash. If you discover you’ve been scammed, the money’s gone, and there’s very little chance of recovery. Likewise, resist any push to send a check or money order by overnight delivery or courier. Con artists recommend these services so they can get to your money before you realize you’ve been cheated.

Heart disease is America’s No.1 killer. Each year more than one million Americans have a heart attack and more than half die, usually within the first hour and before reaching the hospital.

Know the warning signs of a heart attack and if you have any of the symptoms, call 9-1-1. Do not delay because you think it might be indigestion. Getting early treatment can prevent or limit the damage to the heart and prevent death.

Here are the Warning Signs of Heart Attack according to the American Heart Association:

*Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.

* Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.

* Shortness of breath. May occur with or without chest discomfort.

* Other signs: These may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness

If you think you or someone else is having a heart attack, get emergency help, call 9-1-1. They have trained personnel with necessary drugs and equipment. The sooner you get help and treatment, the greater the chances you can avoid permanent heart damage or death.

Please read:

American Heart Association - Heart Attack, Stroke and Cardiac Arrest Warning Signs

If you’re not a “people pleaser”, if you have been called grumpy or disagreeable and you are over 60, it might be that your personality reflects greater intelligence.

A recent study on intelligence showed that having an open and extroverted nature in young adults (under 60) was commensurate with higher intelligence, as an open personality and eagerness to learn new things leads to greater knowledge.

But in the over 60 group, the most agreeable had the lowest IQs.

The study was conducted by Thomas Baker, MA of York University and Jacqueline Bichsel of Morgan State University in Baltimore.

“Agreeableness was found to have a contrary relationship with general knowledge suggesting that a disagreeable nature may go hand in hand with better vocabulary and knowledge retention in older age,” said Baker. This result supports previous research that suggests that those who are highly intelligent may be more aloof and independent.

Psychologist Denise Park, an expert on cognitive aging at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, states the findings may indicate that those with higher IQs may resent the way society treats the elderly and find it patronizing. She believes that higher IQ may be the cause of the appearance of a disagreeable nature, rather than the other way around.

Such people “have more of a sense of mastery and entitlement. So it could be high ability that’s causing their disagreeable quality and not vice versa.”

After 60, Crabbiest Are the Smartest

Grumpy Old Men Take Heart!