We Help You With Medicare.
You get a lot of junk mail. But each month, there is one letter you will want to catch, and that’s the monthly report from your Part D Prescription Drug Program. All Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Programs have four stages (deductible, initial coverage, coverage gap, catastrophic coverage). Movement during the year to the next stage is based on accumulating drug costs. This monthly statement has important information including prescriptions that were filled during that month, the co-pay you paid for each, and the amount the plan paid for each, which together equals the total drug cost. Another key piece of information is the accumulated total drug cost so far this year. As prescriptions are filled from month to month, the report will show totals to date and how far you need to go before you reach the initial coverage limit (the 2022 ICL is $4,430 of total drug cost). The majority of people do not reach the ICL.* For those who do max out initial coverage and move into the coverage gap, the amount a member will pay for each prescription changes from the co-pay to a percentage — 25% for both generic and brand drugs. Please review your monthly report because going into the coverage gap or “doughnut hole” is even more unpleasant when you find out about it at the time of your next fill at the drug store! The amount the member pays in deductible (if applicable), co-pays in initial coverage, and percentages in the coverage gap are together IT’S NOT ALL JUNK (MAIL)
known as the “True Out of Pocket” amount, or TROOP. If the TROOP reaches $7,050 (not counting premiums), the member has reached the catastrophic stage for the remainder of the year, where the cost of prescriptions goes down to the greater of 5% or $3.95 for generics and $9.85 for all other drugs. Also, during the coverage gap, drug manufacturers contribute 5% of each brand drug price to the member’s TROOP. The silver lining in this cloud is that if you are in the gap or catastrophic stages, all accounts are reset to $0 each Jan. 1, and you are back in the initial coverage stage. If you have any questions about your Part D Prescription Drug Program, do not hesitate to call us. Prescription drug costs can be frustrating. While we can’t bring drug costs down, we try to help you understand your program better and review potential options. *For those with low-income subsidy through Medi-Cal or Medicare Extra Help, coverage gap and catastrophic do not apply as they pay a specific co-pay throughout the year.
SUDOKU
GRILLED CORN AND RICOTTA DIP
Ingredients
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6 ears of corn
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups ricotta
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2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp unsalted butter, diced
2 tbsp thyme, finely chopped
Chives and scallions, finely chopped
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 F. 2. In a large grill pan on high heat, cook the corn until charred on all sides. Let cool, then cut the kernels from the cob. 3. In a food processor or blender, purée two-thirds of the kernels with the cream, ricotta, flour, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in remaining whole kernels. 4. Pour into an 8-inch baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top, and dot with butter.
Bake for approximately 1 1/2 hours, until bubbly. 5. Garnish with chives and scallions before serving.
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CA# 0D96309
805-646-6409
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