The Insurance Mom, brought to you by Alison Gordon Insurance Services, Inc, CA Lic. 0780178

… die?   It’s expensive!  Cedars Sinai Medical Center billed Medicare $132,000 (yes!) for ONE week of care.    I don’t want this to be morose but I do want to use my father’s death a couple of months ago as a life lesson about how to be pro-active in your own medical care.

The doctors wanted to run every diagnostic test they…

OpenTable for MDs

This recently came across The Insurance Mom’s e-desk and, although I can’t give it a thumbs up or down, it does look intriguing!   Let me know how it works for you.

Waiting days for a doctor’s appointment can make you extremely uneasy — not only do you not know what that lump is, but, more importantly, how…

Do YOU know what tests you need to ask your doctor about every year?

The Insurance Mom wants you to really take care of yourself.    Everyday I talk to people who, seemingly all of a sudden, get sick — and it comes as such a surprise to them.    What would be different if, every year, you have some simple tests…

$183,998.   That’s a lot of money!   On a national average, it’s what you’ll pay  if  your Mom or Dad lands in a nursing home for the average stay of 2.4 years.   That’s really a ton o’money!!

If your Mom or Dad would prefer to get better at home (and who wouldn’t?), the cost of home care is about double.…

If you’re taking Lipitor for high cholesterol (no more chocolate chip cookies and milk for you!), then you’ll be interested to hear about Pfizer’s new $4 program.

If you have health insurance and your co-pay is less than $54, you’ll be able to buy Lipitor for $4 with Pfizer’s new discount card, for up to 12 months.     If your…

The Insurance Mom wants you to stay healthy!  When you stay healthy then you don’t have to go to the doctor, get all kinds of expensive tests and treatments and worry about the high deductible on your health insurance plan.

Here’s a great little article about how we can easily take care of ourselves.   And, with the new federal…

Want more take-home money in your paycheck?  Of course you do!   If you’re an employee (not an independent contractor) and are looking for ways to have more $$$$ in your checking account, then this article is for you.

Eva Rosenberg, aka TaxMama, has some great advice… it’s even easy to follow!   The Insurance Mom wants you to fight for your…

The Insurance Mom says that everything is negotiable… including the cost of your medical care.   You wouldn’t think twice about negotiating with an car dealer or a CraigsList vendor, right?  Well, you can — and should — do the same with your doctors, labs and hospitals.  Saving money is a good thing!  The Insurance Mom wants you to fight for…

If you or anyone you know is currently on Medicare and enrolled in a Part D drug plan, the new “Stealthcare” reform laws enacted this year are now starting to offer you a small safety net… really small.   If you reach the dreaded “doughnut hole” — that place where you have to pay full price for your prescriptions until the…

It could be a matter of life and death.   If you are hospitalized here are 3 ways to make sure mistakes don’t happen:

1.   BE THERE! Stay with the patient at all times.  NEVER leave a hospitalized friend or family member alone.  Even if you have to hire a private duty nurse for night times.

2.  ASK QUESTIONS! Don’t worry…