Medicare Part D Enrollment Basics

Every year, the annual enrollment period for Medicare Part D runs from October 15th to December 7th, so new applications must be sent within this timeline for effective 2025 coverage.

Parts A, B, and C broadly cover hospital and medical insurance information, whereas Part D (where most annual changes occur) centers on medication costs.

Even for experts, it’s a complicated program, which is why we recommend all new applicants schedule a comprehensive plan review via phone or in-person appointment. In this brief meeting, our team can evaluate your options so you can move forward with the best possible coverage plan.

2025 Medicare Part D Costs Updates

The passing of the Inflation Reduction Act continues to impact Medicare, and these effects are scheduled to be implemented in 2025 and beyond. Some of the most significant and new changes for 2025 include:

• A $2,000 annual cap on all out-of-pocket prescription drug costs within Medicare
• Insulin cost cap at $35 a month via covered prescription
• New payment plan for patients to spread out costs with separate payments

Medicare Part D is divided into three phases that update annually concerning cost limit changes. Here’s what’s to be expected for 2025 in these areas:

• Phase 1: Deductible
  • Patients pay full price for in-network prescriptions until the deductible amount is reached.
  • In 2024, the annual deductible limit was set at $545.
  • In 2025, the annual deductible limit will increase to $590.
• Phase 2: Initial Coverage
  • Patients pay a fixed amount of copay or percentage of the negotiated cost of a prescription until they reach their out-of-pocket limit, which is $2,000.
  • In 2024, the initial coverage limit was $5,030.
• Phase 3: Out-of-Pocket (aka Catastrophic Phase)
  • Once the $2,000 out-of-pocket limit is reached, participants pay nothing else for covered medication

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) automatically tracks and records these costs, so the new pricing tier will immediately take effect when you reach a coverage limit.

How Community Pharmacy Can Help

With millions covered under its care, Medicare remains one of Americans’ most robust and effective healthcare programs. Understanding how it functions is essential to utilizing the services it provides.

There’s no better way to do so than by scheduling an appointment today with our team of experts, who can help you navigate all the new information and application details so you end up receiving affordable, effective coverage and medications at the lowest cost possible.

Medicare Part D annual enrollment continues until December 7th, so it’s time to take steps to ensure you have everything for continued coverage throughout 2025.

The post Medicare Part D 2025: Updates You Need to Know appeared first on Community Pharmacy.

Unfortunately, it’s quite common, as an estimated 50% of treatment failures, 125,000 deaths, and 25% of hospitalizations occur after patients fail to follow medical prescription guidelines. It’s an easy but costly mistake to make, but by setting a few guidelines, staying on track when it comes to medication adherence can become a breeze, so you receive all the support you need to recover and stay healthy.

If you have specific questions about how to best follow medical adherence related to your unique situation, contact Community Pharmacy today for a free consultation from our staff.

Make Medical Consistency Easy

When it comes to medical adherence, we are happy to provide the right resources that help make sticking to your prescribed routine simple and easy.

We’ve developed two programs designed to help you accomplish your medical adherence goals:

• Simplify My Meds
  • Service to synchronize all your monthly prescriptions so they are filled and can be collected simultaneously 
  • Save money and time with just one collection for an individual or your whole family
• Medication Adherence Packaging
  • Whether you plan to travel or want additional security about your medication intake strategy, this program has our pharmacist review and ensure your regime is the most effective option possible along with large, custom-printed details of critical information

We developed each program after years of working with countless patients, so we know the common obstacles faced and the needs of people.

Other Medical Adherence Tips

As with any health endeavor, consistency and success are often found through a combination of programs and practices that combine for a greater effect than any one effort.

In addition to the programs above, we recommend you consider adding the following practices:

• Organize Containers
  • Put medicine containers in a set place where they are visible and accessible
• Set Alarms
  • Through applications, notes, or any other method, set alarms throughout life as intake reminders
• Track Progress
  • Keep a brief journal where you can track intake regularity along with feeling to chart progress
• Stack with Healthy Habits  
  • Combine medical intake with other habits like meals or exercise so they are easier to remember and more likely to occur.

If you struggle to maintain a regular medical adherence routine, then contact Community Pharmacy today, and we can help you form a plan that works for your needs.

Prevent Complications Tomorrow Through Consistency Today

Medical adherence is a critical component of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. By making your medical intake regular, easy, and part of your daily routine, you increase the likelihood dramatically of the medication having the intended effect.

After sticking with the new routine for about three weeks, you can form a new habit that prevents future complications, so you can fall into an easy and healthy habit pattern that serves you for as long as you need it.

The post The Importance of Medication Adherence: Tips for Staying on Track appeared first on Community Pharmacy.

Compared to the often lackadaisical, long summer days, getting back into the rhythm of a more structured schedule can be a challenge for children and parents alike.

Luckily, by covering a few basic bases, and setting and holding to new schedules and health practices, most of these issues can be avoided easily enough. Taking the time to ensure your child has everything they need to succeed in school gives them the best opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.

If you have specific questions about how best to prepare your child for the upcoming school year, don’t hesitate to contact Community Pharmacy today. Our highly trained team will be happy to share advice and recommendations that are proven to help keep your child healthy.

Back-to-School Health Basics

As you prepare your child to head back into the classroom, it can be helpful to brush up on their medical background records should their school need them. 

This can be a great time to update, view, or request your child’s medical records so you have them on hand as well. In Texas, this can be done by requesting them via your primary physician, sending an email, or mail request.

While fall and winter still might feel far, they will be here before you know it. Review your child’s immunizations, vaccines, and anything else you might need before the busy holiday season arrives.

If you aren’t sure about how best to access or update your child’s medical record, contact us today and we can walk you through the process.

Set Sensible, Healthy Schedules

It’s easy for both parents and children to get swept up in the energy of a new school year, but by setting a schedule that makes sense early, it becomes far easier to maintain both a daily and weekly pattern that feels good and gives great results.

Some classic and critical areas when it comes to personal health include:

• Sleep
  • The American Academy of Sleep recommends anywhere from 8-12 hours per 24 hours
• Nutrition
  • A varied diet balanced between proteins, fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy
• Exercise
  • Roughly one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity is recommended

By making sure all three areas receive an appropriate amount of time and nutrition, your child will be well-fueled, rested, and able to keep up with the physical and mental demands of a new school year.

Hygiene and Public Health

Schools aren’t just a place of education but also socialization. On any given day, your child might be coming into contact with bacteria from the school bus, playground, classroom, and other classmates, all of which pose a health risk.

This is all perfectly normal, but taking care to keep your child clean with regular showers, grooming, and maintenance will help ensure their immune system stays healthy and ready to fend off disease should it appear.

Additional supplemental supports such as multivitamins, immune system boosters, and more can also offer a helping hand for your child’s health. Contact us today and we can make recommendations in this area as well.

Feel Good for Fall

Fall is a favorite season for many as temperatures cool, holidays approaching, and the last half of the year begins.

By just taking a few steps to ensure your child has everything they need to stay healthy throughout the school year, you give them an invaluable tool that will serve them well from day one in the classroom and beyond.

The post Back-to-School Health Checklist: Preparing Your Kids for a Healthy School Year appeared first on Community Pharmacy.

It’s important to note that everyone has unique health needs and medical backgrounds that should be considered before taking any steps or new medication. If you have specific questions about how best to handle acid reflux, then contact Community Pharmacy today for immediate feedback.

Roots Causes of Acid Reflux

The root cause of acid reflux is stomach acid and bile building and settling above the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) valve in the chest and throat area. These corrosive liquids then cause an uncomfortable burning sensation, and if left unchecked, can do serious damage to the affected areas.

Some common contributing factors that cause acid reflux are:

• Diet
  • Consuming acidic and spicy food along with carbonated beverages, which irritate or increase internal stomach pressure 
• Medication
  • Common pain relief and blood pressure medication can overly relax the LES valve and make acid reflux more likely
• Lifestyle
  • Those with weight-related or stress issues can be more vulnerable to acid reflux

The causes of acid reflux are simple enough, and with those in mind, it then becomes a question of how best to put that knowledge into practice for prevention and relief.

Simple Acid Reflux Prevention Tips

The most immediately applicable acid reflux prevention advice is to become especially mindful of food and beverage consumption, both in terms of content and timing.

Avoiding food and beverages with irritants helps reduce the chance of inflammation. As does keeping portion sizes small, so the body can steadily digest it rather than become overfull. This keeps stomach acid and bile far away from the esophagus. 

Experts agree that avoiding eating about two hours before bed can also help, as well as not lying down after a large meal. By keeping the body upright, you give your digestive tract a much better chance of processing food without issue.

How to Ease Acid Reflux Symptoms

When acid reflux symptoms appear, it’s important to take immediate steps to help ease symptoms, which usually only last a few hours at a time. If they persist longer than that, consult a medical professional.

For quick relief from acid reflux, drinking water and staying upright can help prevent stomach acid building upwards within the stomach. A short, non-strenuous walk after a meal is also a time-honored tradition to help your stomach get back on track and activate the muscles surrounding the abdomen to aid with digestion.

Additional medical support is available through antacids like TUMS or Rolaids, which are over-the-counter medications designed to relieve acid reflux and general indigestion. Having these on hand to help combat acid reflux can bring near instant relief, and when coupled with other tips, are a safe, surefire way to handle indigestion.

If you have questions about what type of antacid might be right for you, or other questions about
digestive issues and support, contact Community Pharmacy now for a recommendation.

Dial in Your Digestion

Few things affect our quality of life more immediately than a functioning digestive system, which when working well, can help fuel us along each day.

By becoming aware of acid reflux causes and solutions, you can keep your body and home stocked with the tools and knowledge necessary to overcome any health obstacle that might come your way. 

The post How to Help Keep Acid Reflux Under Control appeared first on Community Pharmacy.

How Hydration Helps Our Body in Summer

Staying hydrated is important any time of year, but especially so in summer when we lose fluids more rapidly through sweat. Virtually all of the body’s systems require fluids to function, but some specific health benefits of staying hydrated include:

• Easier internal temperature regulation 
• More resilient skin
• Lubricated joints
• Improved digestion
• Improved cognitive function
• Less chance of becoming dehydrated

Staying hydrated gives our body the supplies it needs to perform, and if you aren’t drinking enough water each day, then you might start to see some warning signs. 

Warning Signs of Dehydration

Dehydration can happen gradually over days or strike fast after rapid fluid loss, and it’s important to be mindful and catch the warning signs in the early stages. Even mild dehydration of just 2% can impair the brain and our digestive system from smoothly functioning.

When our bodies aren’t well hydrated, the following symptoms of dehydration can appear alone or in conjunction with one another:

• Dry lips
• Dizziness
• Headache and mental fog
• Increased heart rate
• Dark urine

Be aware of these signs, especially after spending extended periods of time in direct sunlight which can further drain the body of fluids. While the mild symptoms of dehydration can be offset by drinking enough water, if left unchecked, dehydration can advance to more serious forms like heat stroke.

How to Best Stay Hydrated

You’ve probably heard the classic recommendation of six to eight glasses of water per day to stay hydrated, which is a good starting point for most. The amount of water needed per day does vary from person to person depending on weight, environment, and activity, but around 3.7 liters for men and 2.7 liters for women is a good range to work within, as recommended by health experts.

Aside from drinking plenty of clean water, there are other tools you can use to help stay hydrated throughout summer.

Drinks that have electrolytes often provide a nice energetic boost, but it’s also helpful to consume supplements or foods that have specific ingredients like:

• Vitamin A, B6 & C
• Sodium
• Potassium
• Iron
• Phosphorous

All are key contributors to help keep our bodies well hydrated and supplied with the chemicals they need.

If you have specific questions about how much water you should drink per day, or what health supplements will help you stay hydrated and healthy, contact Community Pharmacy for a specific recommendation from our staff.

Stay Cool All Summer Long

If you plan to be out and about this summer, the last thing you want is for a case of dehydration to slow you down. By just becoming aware of the signs of dehydration and taking a few easy steps to stay well hydrated, then you’ll be able to better enjoy all the fun activities of summer to your heart’s content. 

The post Hydration 101: Staying Cool and Healthy in the Summer Heat appeared first on Community Pharmacy.

• Maintain a High Level of Hydration

When your body is fully hydrated and healthy, the skin has additional protection from harmful UV rays. Hydrated skin essentially gives your body a barrier function, so by drinking the recommended twelve to sixteen cups of water per day, you give your body a natural bolster to its natural defenses.

If skin damage does occur, a high level of hydration also helps the skin recover faster.

• Provide Supplemental Support

In the warmer months, adding some dietary supplements to your diet is an easy, effective tool to shore up the body’s defenses.

The following vitamins provide the body with key nutrients for healthy skin and can be easily added to your daily routine:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Zinc
• Fish Oil
• Coq10

  If you have questions about how best to keep your skin healthy with supplements, practices, or anything else, then contact the Community Pharmacy team today for quick and easy answers.

• Protect Your Skin with Dermatologist-Approved Sunscreen

Before prolonged exposure to sunlight in summer, it’s always best to apply a layer of sunscreen to prevent sun damage from ever occurring. 

Ideally, one backed by studies and approved by dermatologists that protects a broad spectrum (both UVA and UVB rays) and contains key ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium oxide. Water resistance is another useful feature for sunscreen if your outdoor plans include swimming.

For most, a SPF rating of 30 or more is sufficient to protect the skin from UV damage. 

• Choose Appropriate Clothing

When temperatures rise it’s tempting to shed layers and leave skin bare.

However, having thin, breathable clothing options along with other sun-blocking accessories like wide-brim hats and umbrellas, can give your skin some portable shade and relief from the sun as needed.

• Limit Prolonged Exposure (especially on high UV days)

It’s helpful to look at the daily and hourly UV ratings and adjust your outdoor plans accordingly. This metric uses a range of 1-12, with the lower range signifying little to no risk and the higher numbers posing a high risk.

By using a local or national UV Index map, you can become aware of what days and times the UV index typically spikes so you can prepare or avoid it as needed.

• Moisturize and Avoid Irritants

Moisturizers and lotions are a timeless tool to bring relief to the skin after long days in the sun. Ingredients like aloe, coconut oil, and zinc all bring immediate benefits with their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

On the other hand, exposure to substances like chlorine (commonly found in pools), and salicylic acids (present in some soaps and detergents) can irritate and dry the skin faster. When exposed to these chemicals, it’s best to wash them off quickly to avoid damage.

Keep That Skin Cool and Safe

Spring and summer are a wonderful time to be outside with long days full of vibrant life. By keeping your skin healthy and safe from sun damage, you can enjoy the brightest months of the year without worry.

The post Six Sun Safety Tips appeared first on Community Pharmacy.

If you have questions about how best to handle seasonal allergies yourself then contact Community Pharmacy now. Our trained team can recommend best practices and health support products that will prevent pollen from disrupting your enjoyment of spring.

Proven Prevention Tips

As with most health issues, it’s easier to prevent the problem than it is to fix it. Taking proactive steps to limit your exposure to pollen can reduce or outright eliminate their most harmful effects.

Some proven prevention tips include:

• Become aware of the daily pollen count and wind levels in your area via this interactive map provided by the National Allergy Bureau
• Wash clothes and bedding frequently, especially after exposure on high pollen count days
• Keep windows closed or covered with screens
• Wear a mask and sunglasses while outside during peak pollen times
• Maintain a high level of health through hydration, diet, and health supplements so your body is better equipped to fend off pollen’s effects

Even with a high level of awareness and prevention strategies, pollen is persistent and the microscopic grains do tend to eventually seep into living spaces. When this occurs, it’s best to deploy some healthy coping strategies to offset pollen’s detrimental effects.

Healthy Coping Strategies

If you start to notice some early signs of seasonal allergies like a runny nose, itchy throat, and watery eyes, then it’s time to enact some practices to help cope and overcome them.

Some recommended courses of action include:

• Medication like antihistamines and decongestants for immediate nasal relief 
• Herbal tea like peppermint, ginger, or turmeric for throat relief 
• Rinse the nasal passageway through a neti pot or inhale steam via a humidifier, hot shower, or sauna
• A classic spring clean throughout your home, car, and other living spaces to remove the collected pollen and stop symptoms from compounding
• For severe and persisting symptoms, allergy shots can be considered 

Before taking any major measures, it’s wise to consult healthcare providers like our trained staff of pharmacists. After describing your issues or concerns, we can provide a personalized recommendation for you and your family.

Don’t Let Pollen Become a Nagging Problem

Spring is far too beautiful to let pesky problems like pollen and seasonal allergies dim its glow. By taking just a few steps to prevent, and if necessary, help cope with the issue, you can free up both your nose and time so you can maintain a high level of health throughout this season and the next.

The post Seasonal Allergies 101 – Top Ten Prevention Strategies and Coping Tips appeared first on Community Pharmacy.

What Vaccinations Do

Vaccines are a modern marvel of scientific engineering, as they prepare the body for various diseases before they are ever actually encountered. By introducing a small, contained version of the virus, the body’s natural defense system reacts and begins to produce antibodies to combat the threat if it encounters it again in the future.

This essentially acts as a practice round for the body, so when the real virus is encountered, it has a response prepared and ready.

While vaccines do not outright stop an individual from contracting disease, they are proven to be incredibly effective at reducing the severity of symptoms for patients. This helps support a higher level of public health as a whole, as diseases spread slower and with fewer critical cases that require hospitalization.

How This Helps Serve Public Health

Vaccinations are a crucial component of the public health defense network. While they immediately help the individual avoid becoming seriously ill, they also stop the healthcare system as a whole from becoming overrun.

When major outbreaks like COVID-19 occurred and overwhelmed hospital occupancy capacity, the limitation of hospital beds and resources made treatment for unrelated issues like car accident victims, routine surgery, and other common cases more difficult to treat and perform in a safe and timely fashion. Ultimately, this made all injuries and diseases far more potentially dangerous. By cutting cases that require hospitalization down by an even small degree, a community’s health stands to greatly benefit.

Some vaccines slow the spread of contagious diseases, and others help nullify the most negative effects. Both of these serve to help keep hospital occupancy levels low, so medical resources and personnel can be directed where they are needed most.

The Value of Vaccines

Vaccines grant peace of mind to the recipient and require only a little foresight to schedule and attain.

While common side effects for most injections include muscle soreness, joint aches, and temporary fatigue, these usually only last one to two days for most vaccines. These are well worth avoiding the full-blown effects of the disease, whether it is a new flu strain or variant of COVID-19.

Unique medical history does affect what vaccines might be best for you and your family, and if you are in the process of making this decision, contact Community Pharmacy today. Together, we can talk over any specific concerns and needs and then set a course of action for your vaccination plan.

For both the individual and the community at large, vaccines are an essential cornerstone of public health that helps ensure the medical system continues to function unimpeded. 

The post The Importance of Vaccinations and Their Role in Public Health appeared first on Community Pharmacy.

Identify Your Needs and Research

Before you start making calls and writing emails, it’s helpful to stop and think about what you are looking for in a primary care physician.

Contributing factors to consider are their public-facing reviews, proximity to your house, and perhaps most importantly, whether or not they are covered within your insurance network. This last aspect is critical so you don’t end up having to cover additional costs out of pocket unnecessarily.

If you know you have specific health problems, then it can be helpful to find primary care physicians who have experience in those fields. By outlining your needs, doing a little research, and finding what options best align with your needs, you can be well on your way to finding the right fit.

Ask Qualified Experts

Once you narrow down the field by identifying needs and basic research, it can then be helpful to ask medical experts for referrals. If you are switching physicians due to a move, ask your previous doctor who they might know and recommend in your new area.

At Community Pharmacy, we have an extensive network of qualified physicians throughout the area. Contact us via phone or email explaining your situation and needs, and we can make recommendations based on your unique situation and needs.

Schedule a Consultation

Most medical clinics offer a trial consultation, and this can be a great way for patients and physicians to initially meet to get a feel for one another.

After setting an appointment, you can outline a short list of questions and concerns to ask the physician. If the consultation meeting goes well and you feel confident about your choice, you can then be all set with your new primary care physician moving forward!

The Power of Primary Care

Consistency matters with healthcare, as having one point of contact for all your baseline medical needs makes getting treatment and medicine both faster and easier.

Establishing a primary care physician doesn’t just give peace of mind should a medical emergency occur, but also provides an important source of knowledge for minor issues that invariably come up from time to time.

Once you have a primary physician that you feel good about, then all the benefits of a healthy patient-doctor relationship will soon follow.

The post How to Select the Right Primary Care Physician for You! appeared first on Community Pharmacy.

When fatigue strikes, it can feel like an overwhelming wave, one that washes away our energy and motivation to pursue the activities that we love. It’s important to not give into despair though, and recognize that there are several avenues of effective action to reclaim our energy.

For thousands of years, mindfulness techniques of some form have been practiced around the world in almost every culture. In recent years, scientific studies have proven they yield practitioners countless benefits—including a renewed sense of energy and focus. By utilizing one or several within your daily routines, you can fight off fatigue and get back to what you enjoy most in life.

If you ever have any questions about how best to win your personal battle against fatigue, then contact the Community Pharmacy team today for grounded, practical advice.

Begin a Meditation Practice

There’s no more iconic mindfulness practice than meditation, a technique based on simply sitting down, staying within the present moment, and allowing the mind to rest.

Whether you practice for just one minute or ten, there are countless benefits to meditation which include:

• Reduce Stressed
• Lower Anxiety
• Enhanced Self-Awareness
• Better Sleep
• Decreased Blood Pressure

Along with a higher resilience against feelings of fatigue. By sitting down somewhere comfortable and not pursuing any thoughts too deeply, meditation creates a deeply relaxing, restorative space further enhanced by mindful breathwork.

Bring Breathwork into Your Daily Routine

Where the breath goes, the mind and body follow, and you can use your breath as a tool for helping maintain healthy energy levels.

Whether you are trying to increase alertness or slow down at the end of the day, breathwork techniques like abdominal breathing, equal breathing, or alternate nostril breathing are all beginner-friendly practices that bring near-instant relief.

Create a Restorative Sleep Schedule

The amount of deep sleep we have each night dictates our energy levels the next day, as it’s the time when our body renews and repairs itself. Yet up to 70 million report having sleep difficulties each year.

It’s critical to not take quality sleep for granted and to create an environment where rest naturally follows at night.

Some of the best ways to mindfully set the stage for sleep are:

• Establishing a regular sleep schedule at the same time each day
• Creating a calming bedtime routine to send a signal to your body that it’s time to rest
  • Having recurring scents or sounds can help strengthen this association
• Ensure your sleep environment is conducive to relaxation

Practice Mindful Consumption

We are what we consume in both a physical and mental sense, and doing so mindfully yields powerful results for our energy levels.

Eating a healthy and balanced diet provides the key nutrients we need to field both our bodies and mind. By ensuring we consume complex carbohydrates, protein, healthy fats, and plenty of hydration, our body receives the key vitamins, minerals, and energy it needs to optimally function.

Mentally, it’s best to be mindful of what we are consuming in a visual capacity as well. Excessive blue light from screens has a proven link to adverse physical, mental, and psychological effects, and by limiting our exposure to it (especially early in the morning and late at night) we give our eyes and minds a much-needed break.

Seek Support from Trusted Sources

If you are still feeling like you are hitting a wall when it comes to fatigue, then seeking external support is a powerful tool that can pinpoint the issue and deliver personalized results.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy and emotional expression can help manage stress, anxiety, and depression, all of which can contribute to feelings of fatigue. Mental health professionals provide a helping hand for those in need, one that can transform your relationship with your body, mind, and energy levels.

If you are interested in exploring this type of practice, then contact Community Pharmacy today and we can make recommendations based on your unique situation and needs.

Fend off Fatigue with Mindfulness Practices Today

One of the most beautiful aspects of mindfulness techniques is their accessibility, as they require very little but time and attention to begin. 

If you are tired of feeling fatigued and want to make a change, then consider adding one or more of these practices to your daily routine. The amount of energy we carry into each day deeply impacts our lives and those within them, and even a small change in habit can result in a significant boost to mental acuity.

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