Advanced Edition
Leo J. Borrell, M.D.
President & Senior Medical Consultant

Our Mission
It is our pledge to provide compassionate service, care, and treatment for the emotional,  social and physical well-being of the elderly, their family and caregivers.

Our Goal
Our goal is to allow seniors to retain the highest possible level of comfort and cognitive  ability while maintaining their quality of life.

Because 50-90% of patients are undiagnosed with dementia and other brain or psychiatric problems that lead to behavior problems they are under treated or over treated. This often results in difficulties with Medicare surveyors with the consequences of F501, F329, F330 and F429 tags. Senior PsychCare, in cooperation with nursing staff, has developed a progress to conduct initial screening s on all patients. We utilize objective tests to evaluate the neurocognitive status of patients and cover a range of mental processes, such as motor performance, attention, and memory if there is suspicion of a problem. We ten have professionals so neurobehavioral evaluations and if indicated a more comprehensive computer assessment called BCNI (Borrell Cognitive Neuropsychiatric Inventory) is conducted. This assessment allows to:

• Establish and document current status and use in later treatment decisions
• This distinguishes early mild or subtle behavioral problems in patients through comparison to other individuals his/her age
• This leads to decision making on the course of action to take. Counseling, medications, and social treatments to maintain quality of life are provided.
• It helps families understand the problem that effect emotion and behavior. Also it allows making a
prediction of the future functions, emotional, and social needs to improve the quality of life.

Senior PsychCare will make best efforts to use the evaluation to direct treatment in collaboration with the family, facility, staff and primary care physician.

More information about the screening process is available by contacting Tammy Simon, FIR Director at SPC, at 713 850 0049. Based on the fact that we are committed to providing the best and available care, we are providing there services under the professional staff of your long-term health care center. Thus we comply and are compliant with all HIPAA regulations.

Thank you for your time and patience.

The Utility of Mandatory Depression Screening of Dementia Patients in Nursing Homes

Carl I. Cohen, M.D.
Kathryn Hyland, Ph.D.
David Kimhy, M.D.

Depression in Assisted Living is Common and Related to Physical Burden

Lea C. Watson, M.D., M.P.H., Susan Lehmann, M.D.,
Lawrence Mayer, M.D., PhD., Quincy Samus, M.S.,
Alva Baker, M.D., Jason Brandt, Ph.D.,
Cynthia Steele; R.N.,M.P.H., Peter Rabins,
Adam Rosenblatt, M.D., Constantine Lyketsos, M.D., M.H.S.

In the first clinical study implemented by geriatric psychiatry professionals in AL, depression was found to be common, under treated and related to physical burden. AK is a rapidly growing segment of long-term care and represents an important setting in which to find and treat serious depression. (Am J Geriatric Psychiatry 2006; 14:876-883)

Why Screening is Indicated on all Ltc. Residents for Depression and Dementia
Neuropsychological testing in Skilled Nursing Facilities: The Failure to Confirm Diagnoses of Dementia

Irwin J. Mansdorf, Ph.D., Mary Harrington, LCSW, Jacqueline Lund, LCSW, and Nancy Wohl, LCSW

Dementia diagnoses may be inaccurate for 90% nursing home residents. Using objective measurement of cognitive functioning provided by neuropsychological testing could result in greater diagnostic accuracy and help provide for more accurate and appropriate treatment planning (J Am Med. Dir. Assoc. 2008; 9: 271-274).

Why Do We Do Screening

This tool was developed to aid primary care clinicians in caring for their patients who suffer primarily from Dementia and Alzheimer’s. However , many of the tools will also be useful for managing chronic depression and minor depression, secondary to Dementia and Alzheimer’s. The care management process recommended here builds on the earlier guidelines from the Agency for Health Care Policy and research (AHCPR)- now known as the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)- which have been updated and adopted from other evidence based sources including recently published multi-site trials and current studies.

Quick Facts About Psychological Counseling
• In psychological counseling, patients with depression work with a qualified health care professional who listens to them, talks and helps them correct overly negative thinking (which reinforces depressed mood) and improve their relationships with others
• Psychological counseling for depression is not talking about your childhood, but rather focused on current concerns and ways to address them.

Treating Depression with Psychological Counseling
Psychological counseling has been shown to be effective as antidepressants in treating many people with depression. Psychological counseling can be done individually (only you and a mental health professional). in a group (a mental health professional, you and others with similar problems) or it can be family or marriage counseling where a mental health professional, you and your spouse or family members participate: -More than half of the people-with mild to moderate depression respond well to psychological counseling. While the length of time that persons are involved in counseling differs, people with depression can typically expect to attend a weekly hour-long counseling session for 6- 20 weeks. If your depression is not noticeably improved after 6-12 weeks of counseling, this usually means that you need to try different treatment for your depression. Psychological counseling by itself is not recommended as the only treatment for persons whose depression is recurrent, more chronic or severe. Medication is needed for those types of depression and it can be taken in combination with psychological counseling.

What Can You Do To Help SPC and Senior Psychological Most Effectively Treat Your Depression With Psychological Counseling?

• Be honest and open and ask questions
• Work cooperatively by completing tasks assigned to you as part of the psychological counseling
• Be available and tell your mental health care professional how well the psychological counseling is working (e.g., whether your depression is getting better or worse).

Information for Clinicians, Administrators, and Primary Care Physicians about Screening

We believe that our integrated Model of Care (psychotropic management and therapy) and protocols developed over the years can provide your families with a distinct advantage in day-to-day operations resulting in a higher quality of care for your residents.

The integrated Model of care stresses regulatory compliance for long-term care facility by addressing medical management (F-329, F-4290), assessment, and administrative tag (F-501). Reduction in medications result in reduced falls and engage residents in more activities of daily living. This results in better participation in psychotherapy modules and behavior modification provided by higher training psychologists and therapists adhering to our protocols to further the quality of life of your clients. When residents respond to mediation and therapy, hospitalization is therefore reduced resulting in higher occupancy for the facility.

As you are aware, the more engaged the residents, the less prone to agitation they become. This reduces stress on your caregivers and turn over. You are bale to attract an retain happier staff and other clinical members of your facility. With stable occupancy and staff it is easier to plan for staffing, and scheduling, Educating physicians , family and the general public are also part of our responsibility.

If we can be of any assistance to you, please do not hesitate to contact any of us. We look forward to working with you.

Sincerely,
Leo J. Borrell

Reducing Psychotropic Drug use is Easy

67.7% of assisted living residents have dementia and 26.3% have an active non-cognitive psychiatric disorder. Screening has been found to be helpful in assisted living facilities and nursing homes.

Research shows that in nursing homes with treatment:
• 51% of participants with dementia and depression did improve their quality of life.
• 58% of those with depression alone, receiving counseling and medication recovered six months later and had a better quality of life.
• Only 25% of those receiving medication alone improved, but did not have a significantly better quality of life.
• Patients need to be seen 1-4 times per month in order to monitor-the constant fluctuation of behavioral and psychiatric symptoms and medical problems.
• Post stoke depression usually resolves in 6 months but can last two years.

In conclusion, patients who received psychotherapy (counseling) did 100% better than those that received medication alone. They also had a significant decrease in behavioral problems sooner and a better quality of life for longer.

Without psychotherapy, individuals with depression or dementia or both:
• 20% continued to-exhibit behavioral symptoms.
• 40% exhibited physically and/or verbally aggressive behavior

Because of these residents at nursing homes and assisted living facilities:
• Need to be routinely screened for depression
• All patients with behavioral problems need to be evaluated by a team of psychiatrist and mental health professionals.
• Most patients with many medical illnesses are not depressed.
• Staff needs to realize that many demented people will not spontaneously engage in activities because of depression or Alzheimer’s.
• Residents with dementia are taking several medications for problems such as insomnia or anxiety, the resident’s physician needs to review and possibly reduce the number of medications.

In conclusion, early evaluation and accurate comprehensive diagnosis is necessary. Medications alone are not enough. A comprehensive plan of 6-24 months with counseling is necessary to maximize results, prevent relapse and improve lie quality of life.

Screening is Important on Admissions to Nursing Homes

Psychiatric and Behavioral Symptoms in Dementia

• 80% of Nursing Home residents have psychiatric symptoms that progress unless properly treated.
• The elderly account for 20% of all suicides and have the greatest amount of depression, delirium, and dementia.
• Improving social skills, social involvement, the ability to participate in psychotherapy, coping skills, and avoid adjustment problems.
• Proper Diagnosis Important – Pseudo Dementia, Psychosis, and Cooperation.
• Psychotherapy minimizes the use of psychiatric medications and improves communicational development of the families.

Initiation of Services for Psychotherapy & Psychiatry
For All Primary Care Physicians and Charge Nurses

Please give completed form to the Director of Social Work.

Please refer to the list below as a guideline for determining which patients could benefit from psychiatric and/or psychotherapy treatment. If you have a question about whether or not a patient would benefit, please go ahead and refer that patient and an evaluation will be done to determine the course of treatment, if any.
Appropriate Mental Health Referrals include:
1. Residents who are newly admitted and dealing with adjusting to the loss of their previous residence and the nursing home setting.
2. Residents who are not new, but still struggling with adjusting to the nursing home setting and loss of their prior life.
3. Residents who are not complying with their medical or rehabilitation treatment needs.
4. Residents who are depressed about family or personal issues.
5. Residents who are nervous, anxious, or agitated.
6. Residents who have a history of depression, anxiety, or “nervous breakdown”.
7. Residents who have behavioral difficulties such as aggression, attempts at elopement, and resistance to A.DLS.
8. Residents who express a wish, intent or plan to die.
9. Residents who are dealing with chronic illness or disability (such as an amputation or gait disturbance with forced use of walker or wheelchair, etc).
10. Residents who are experiencing chronic pain and/or somatic symptoms that fail to remit with treatment.
11. Residents who are having difficulty resolving conflicts especially with their roommates.
12. Residents who are facing family conflicts.
13. Residents who are not responding to psychotropic medications.
14. Residents with previous psychiatric problems such as insomnia, depression, anxiety or previous psychiatric medications or hospitalizations.
15. Residents who are referred for Psychotherapy should also be seen by the Psychiatrist for medication review.

Please Evaluate: ? Psychiatric Medication Management ? Psychotherapy ? Other
Facility Name: ______________________________________________________________
Date: __________________ Referred by: ________________________________________
Send to DON or the Social Worker who is the coordinator of Mental Health referrals and if it is an emergency then call (210) 438-1900 or fax form to (800) 605-2138.

Lists of Patients:
Patient Name Room Number
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
SCREENING FOR PSYCHIATRIC MEDICATIONS AND PSYCHOTHERAPY REFERRALS

This form is to assist staff of non professionals in identifying behavior and psychiatric problems that require evaluation and treatment. Please have the Director of Social Work complete the request for Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Family Evaluation and forward it to SPC by fax at the number listed above.

Staff Member who completed this form:

Name: ____________________________________________

Primary Care Physician: ______________________________

REASON FOR REFERRAL
MEDICAL PROBLEMS/MEDICATION PROBLEMS

1. Having hallucinations/delusions/disordered thinking
2. Crying and/or persistent feelings of sadness/depression
3. Suicidal ideation (talks about suicide)
4. Persistent verbal/physical aggression toward others
5. Not coping well with terminal illness
6. Sexually inappropriate behaviors
7. Appears anxious/fearful
8. Significant change in eating/sleeping habits
9. Significant decline in physical/cognitive functioning or loss of limb
10. Death of family member or friend
11. Persistently low self esteem
12. Family issues that adversely effect resident’s emotional state
13. Has a new/old mental illness diagnosis Dx: ________________
14. Agitation and/or depression related to unrealistic expectations for rehabilitation
15. Somatization (obsessive health complaints not consistent with current physical status)
16. Withdrawal from activities/isolation
17. Resistant, uncooperative to counsel
18. Behavioral or cognitive side effects of psychoactive medications
19. Diagnosis of alcohol, drugs or pain medication dependence/addiction
20. Having significant difficulty adjusting to nursing home environment
21. Recent or impending loss of limb, speech or hearing
22. New medical problem that may affect behavior
23. Family concerns or problems
24. Evaluate medication

Other/Comments: _______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

SENIOR PSYCHCARE, INC. IN AFFILIATION WITH SENIOR PSYCHOLOGICAL CARE, INC.
4314 Yoakum Blvd. Houston, Texas 77006 Phone: 713-850-0049 Fax: 713-850-0036 Toll-Free Fax: 800-605-2138
Web:http://www.SeniorPsychiatry.com
Patient Name:
Nursing Home:
Room #
Date Consultant :
Age:

FACILITY REFERRAL REQUEST FOR PSYCHIATRIC MEDICATIONS/PSYCHOTHERAPY CONSULTATIONS
(Short Form – for more detail use the Long Form)

Consent Form/ Face Sheet appreciated at time of consult. PCP order and info required before patient can be seen.
*******************TO BE COMPLETED BY REFERRAL MANAGER/ NURSING HOME STAFF***************
(CIRCLE) 48HRS / Routine: 3 to 7 Days Requested by______________________ Primary Care Physician______________
Urgent: Call Dr. Borrell at 713-850-0049; if no response, call cell phone 832-265-2882_______________________________
Nature of Urgency: ___________________________  Resistant to Care ? Family Session  Other: _________________
Please Check One:
Psychiatric
Psychotherapy
Both
Medicare Part A
SNF
Guardian
Chief complaint or immediate reason for Referral (Please Check all that Apply):
Depression
Anxiety
Psychosis
Agitation
Aggression
Suicide
Confusion
Other: ___________________
Chief complaint or immediate reason for Referral (Please Check all that Apply):
Depression
Anxiety
Psychosis
Agitation
Aggression
Suicide
Confusion
Other: ___________________
Dementia
Yes
No
Other Diagnoses: _________________________________________________________
A. EMOTIONAL SIGNS & SYMPTOMS (*E1,a,b,c,d,e,f,g,l,m,h,I) A resident’s emotional status interferes or enhances his/her ability to adjust to the institutional environment or to achieve self-actualization. Description:
A1. Anger
A2. Anxiety
A3. High Risk Behavior
A4. Reduced Social Interaction
A5. Depression/Sadness
A6. Sleep Problems
Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
PSYCHOSIS:
Delusions
Hallucinations Description: _________________________________________________

B. INTERACTIVE SIGNS & SYMPTOMS (*C-1, 2, 3, 4, 5) Communication problems may interfere with an individual’s ability to interact in positive ways, putting them at risk for isolation and sensory deprivation. The following are indicators.
B1. Aphasia
B2. Hearing
B3. Rarely understands others
B4. Rarely understood by others
B5. Sight Impairment
B6. Speech
Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

C. BEHAVIORAL SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS (*E4) Behavior associated with cognitive, emotional or diagnostic symptom logy may interfere with the efficient and safe operation of a facility. Such behaviors include:
C1. Disruptive Behaviors (also consider C3)
C2. Resistance to Care or ADL/Medications
C3. Inappropriate Behaviors (also consider C1)
C4. Aggressive Behaviors (Verbal/Physical)
C5. Wandering (also consider C2b, C2c, F3-Elopement)
C6. Weight Loss
Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

D. COGNITIVE SIGNS & SYMPTOMS: Many factors contribute to changes or decline. If addressed, symptoms may be minimized to improve quality of life.

____________________________________________________
D1. Confusion (also consider B3 and B4)
D2. Delusions
D3. Disorganized Speech
D4. MR/Developmental Disorder with Organic Condition
D5. Restlessness
D6. Short/Long-term memory problems
Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

E. SOCIAL SIGNS & SYMPTOMS Difficulties in social relationships may lead to emotional and/or behavioral problems.
E1. Adjustment Difficulty
E2. Conflict/Anger with family and/or friends
E3. Constantly Critical
E4. Loss of Close Family Member or Friend
E5. Sadness/Anger/Emptiness over Loss of Status
E6. Unhappy with Others
Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

F. OTHER CONCERNS
F1. Substance Abuse
F2. Discharging
F3. Elopement (also consider C5-Wandering)
F4. End Stage
F5. Wants and Needs
????F6. Pain ????F7. Evaluations
Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dementia can be caused by several different brain disorders. It is commonplace for older people to have more than one disorder contributing to dementia. These include:

Alzheimer disease — Alzheimer disease is affiliated with the death of nerve cells (neurons) in important sections of the brain. Scientists have not yet ascertained precisely why and how Alzheimer disease formulates, but they do acknowledge that the brains of patients with Alzheimer disease build up deposits of a protein called beta amyloid (these deposits are also known as plaques), and that individuals also develop disordered volumes of protein fibers within the brain cells known as neurofibrillary tangles.

Vascular dementia — People with vascular dementia have lost or damaged regions of brain because of decreased blood flow. This can take place when the blood vessels in the brain get congested with blood clots or fatty deposits. This form of dementia is more common among people who have had strokes or are at risk for strokes, especially those with long-term high blood pressure and diabetes. It can occur together with Alzheimer disease.

Dementia with Lewy bodies — Dementia with Lewy bodies is a kind of dementia caused by irregular protein structures called Lewy bodies forming within brain cells. It oftentimes happens with symptoms of Parkinson disease, such as trembling, stiffness, and slowness. This disorder often causes colorful and prolonged delusions.

Parkinson disease dementia — Dementia can also occur later in the course of Parkinson disease and has symptoms that are very analogous to dementia with Lewy bodies.

Frontotemporal dementia (formerly called Pick’s disease) — Like Alzheimer disease, frontotemporal dementia stimulates nerve cell loss in the brain, but frontotemporal dementia targets two specific components of the brain, called the frontal and temporal lobes.

Frontotemporal dementia ordinarily develops at an earlier age than Alzheimer disease. Three forms are more commonplace than others: One induces personality alterations and irregular societal demeanor; one impairs speech and eventually leaves the patient unable to talk; another causes trouble in understanding speech.

Other causes of dementia — Dementia can also be induced by cumulative harm to the brain, which can occur in individuals with long-term alcohol addiction or recurring head injuries (eg, among former professional boxers or football players).

When Doug Foth, a retired accountant in Grandview, Wash., got set to sign up for Medicare last summer, he recruited his daughter, a human- resources director, to help him.

“We worked through the Medicare Web site pretty exhaustively, and when we got finished, I am not certain I knew any more than when I began,” states Mr. Foth, sixty-eight years old. “It is really difficult.”

He turned to among a handful of services that have started up, or expanded, in the past 3 years to help elderly adults select from an increasing amount of Medicare selections. He paid $150 to a new service titled Allsup Medicare Advisor to shed light on the possibilities—and got help avoiding a penalty for signing up after age sixty-five.

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the six-week “open registration” season for Medicare, during which folks who employ the health-insurance platform can make modifications to nearly every portion of their coverage (with the exclusion of Part A, which is fundamentally hospital insurance).

The addition of Medicare’s prescription medicine benefit in 2006 and the far-flung loss of corporate retiree health benefits have made those alternatives more complex—and potentially pricier—both for current and aspiring beneficiaries.

That’s why more services are intervening to provide advice. Some level a fee; others are complimentary to consumers but get commissions from underwriters. Still more services, principally backed by the government and nonprofit groups, allow for more-limited online tools or phone counseling at no charge.

Where to begin? Scan through “Medicare & You 2010,” the government’s overview of the program and your most common alternatives. (Go to medicare.gov and look below “Learn More.”)

At that point, if you require assistance, you may want to merge complimentary tools with advice from a compensated service. Here are a few possibilities.
For a Fee

Allsup Inc. charges $200 for its Medicare-advisory service (costs have risen since the summertime). For that fee, the Belleville, Ill., company will allot the client a consultant for a procedure that commonly traverses many telephone calls. That includes a consultation to pull together personal data, such as prescriptions and physicians utilized, after which the consultant studies the often dozens of program choices accessible locally to the buyer.

The advisor then walks the client through a custom-built written report laying out many programs that Allsup regards the most beneficial match for his or her demands—and then will remain the telephone as the client enrolls with the insurance company he or she chooses. (You will be able to examine examples of their work at medicare.allsup.com; the telephone number is 888-271-1173.)

Additional services, such as Healthcare Navigation LLC, Fairfield, Conn., Provide more hand-holding—and are less affordable. Most of the company’s Medicare consultations cost about $1,000, but some top out at $3,000, states Maura Carley, chairwoman and President.

Healthcare Navigation’s Medicare work frequently necessitates working person-to-person with senior adults who have had employer insurance coverage past age sixty-five and have not yet registered in Medicare Part B (outpatient coverage) or Part D. They occasionally fall into a snare: They choose to carry on their employer coverage for eighteen months after exiting the job. “But if you do that, you neglect your opportunity to enroll in Part B without a penalisation,” Ms. Carley states.

Amid additional services, Healthcare Navigation (healthcarenavigation.com or 877-811-8211) assists retirees enrolling in Medicare work through administrative snafus induced by previous employers’ human-resources departments, consider their retiree health benefits through a former employer versus “Medigap” insurance coverage (programs that fill holes in basic Medicare coverage), and appraise Medicare drug programs.

A different service, American Medical Claims Inc., works with individuals sorting through Medicare claims, attempting to choose drug plans or arriving at the transition to Medicare for the initial time. American Medical (amcstl.com or 888-569-2131) charges $250 for its Medicare Transition Package, during which “we sit down with [customers] or talk about [coverage] over the telephone so they realise precisely what their alternatives are,” states Richard Grote, the company’s president. For assistance establishing Medicare Part D (drug coverage) and Medigap, the company charges an extra $125. For extra conferring, the charge is $125 an hour (with a ceiling of $250).
Commission-Based

A more conventional method to acquire assistance shopping for Medicare policy programs is to confer with an autonomous insurance broker. Such brokers commonly get compensated a commission to sell you an insurance policy, though they provide plans from a number of suppliers. There’s a directory by city and/or postal code at the internet site for the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (iiaba.net). Only keep in mind that brokers generally aren’t acquainted with all the Medicare plans in your marketplace; rather, they specialize in the ones they represent.

Agents that attend to customers nationally claim to operate with a broader amount of insurance companies*. They include Senior Educators Ltd. (senioreducators.com or 800-505-8575) and Extend Health Inc. (extendhealth.com or 866-322-2824).

Senior Educators was initiated in 2005 by a former McKinsey & Co. Advisor to assist consumers shop for Medicare insurance coverage employing a scoring system that reflects a plan’s benefits, premiums and co-payments, and the insurer’s repute. Senior Educators has operated with 100,000 clients in 4 years, and represents insurers tendering approximately 70% of the Medicare plans accessible, states Brian Poger, chief executive director. The company provides data about the ones it does not get compensated by, also.

Extend Health, organized in 1999, works with more than fifty carriers and has supervised Medicare registration for over 250,000 folks. The company provides what it calls a “decision-support tool” that helps people think about subjects including physician networks, prescriptions and ramifications for those who split up their time between 2 places.

Consumers with inquiries can get hold of the bureau that runs Medicare, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, at 800-633-4227. The internet site medicare.gov has tools that compare health and drug programs where you dwell, distinguish which drugs may or may not be covered or limited, and compare price ranges for programs in your residential area. There are likewise worksheets at cms.hhs.gov/center/openenrollment.asp.

State Health Insurance Assistance Programs, called SHIPs, furnish complimentary telephone or personal guidance locally through federal awards directed to the states. You’ll be able to discover a program in your region by calling 800-633-4227 or going online to shiptalk.org.

The Medicare Rights Center (medicarerights.org), a New York State advocacy group, staffs a hotline at 800-333-4114 to help resolve inquiries about Medicare, including registration matters, at no charge.

To work out whether a drug program could leave you in the “doughnut hole,” a disruption in insurance coverage for most or all prescriptions that can transform into $4,550 in out-of-pocket expenses in 2010, Association for the Advancement of Retired Persons, the Washington-based advocacy group for elderly Americans, formulated a Doughnut Hole estimator. It is accessible online at aarp.org/doughnuthole.

One caution about World Wide Web tools: There may be a retardation, especially at this season, before data gets updated online about an insurer’s particular Medicare benefits for the approaching year. The drugs covered by a Part D program could have transformed, for example. So make sure to corroborate directly with an underwriter what it will pay for in 2010 prior to enrolling in a plan.

No matter where you turn for assistance or what plan you ultimately select, confirm that the physician, hospital or drug that matters most to you is still covered at the time you enroll. The consultant for one of Allsup’s first Medicare-service customers discovered while on the telephone to help enroll the customer in a Medicare Advantage plan that the pricey medicines she was consuming would not be covered in the doughnut hole, even though both the plan’s Web site and Medicare’s Web site alleged they would. Allsup helped her discover an alternative.

Through the course of the year, “there are points when coverage switches,” states Paul Gada, director of personal fiscal planning at Allsup. “In this instance, the government was slow to post the switch on Medicare’s internet site.”