Costco Diving Deeper Into The Prescription Drug Market

A table with many different types of pills on it.


Amazon.com and Walmart Inc. have both jumped into the online pharmacy market and now Costco Wholesale Corp. is taking a different approach, with a focus on helping make prescription drug prices transparent for employers.  It has partnered with Navitus Health Solutions LLC, a small pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) which has a different business model than most PBMs.  Rather than taking a cut of rebates and discounts, they charge a flat free.  Costo recently purchased a minority stake in Navitus in a partnership which should benefit both employers and consumers.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-22/costco-cost-health-care-approach-differs-from-amazon-amzn-walmart-wmt

Carmel, CA Tip On Diabetes Management : Take A 10 Minute Walk After Dinner

A blood glucose level chart showing the optimal levels.


Keeping yourself healthy when you have Type 2 Diabetes can be a challenge.  However, according to Diabetes Forecast (September/October 2020, page 40), people with type 2 Diabetes who took a 10-minute walk after dinner had a smaller rise in their after-meal blood glucose levels than when they took a 30-minute walk at another time of the day.  The data comes from a study which was published in Diabetologia.    To get more information on diabetes, visit Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, CHOMP’s, Diabetes and Nutrition website.  You will find useful information about support groups, classes and more.

https://www.chomp.org/locations/location-profile/diabetes-and-nutrition-therapy/#.X9F3p9hKjcs

Another useful resource is Community Health Innovations.  A full 45% of Monterey County residents have Diabetes or pre-Diabetes!

https://communityhealthinnovations.org/what-we-do/diabetes-prevention-management/

AARP Tele-Town Halls : Listen To The Experts

A man and woman posing for the camera.


AARP has lined up a number of expert speakers for its town halls.  Hear directly from health experts  on important health, financial health, emotional well-being and how to care for an infirm parent.  “Our intention is to host these events on a regular basis to respond to changing needs during this pandemic,†AARP Senior Vice President Jean Setfand, told AARP The Magazine (August/September Issue, page 76).  An average event attracts between 75K and 100K people.  For a schedule of upcoming tele-town halls, including topics, speakers, and instruction on how to log in, go to www.aarp.org/townhall where you can also listen to past events. 

Monterey, CA Nonprofit Opens To Provide Dental Care For Veterans At No Charge

A dentist is examining the teeth of a patient.


Dr. Hugo Ferlito saw over a year of work come to fruition as he opened his free dental clinic with services for veterans.  He will work with Dr. George Yellich, an oral surgeon affiliated with Montage Health, and several other volunteer dentists.  It’s not clear why the government doesn’t offer dental benefits to Veterans and Seniors have no coverage either under Medicare.  “Veterans Affairs has done a really good job with medical care but it’s crazy they don’t cover dentistry,†Dr. Ferlito told The Herald.  Letting oral health problems go unchecked can have severe negative consequences on your health.  The office is at the Montage Wellness Center on 2nd Avenue in Marina.  Funding has been provided by Monterey County Gives, Montage Health and local Rotary clubs.  Montage is allowing the dental office to use the office space free of charge, and also paid for construction improvements and is paying for utilities

Monterey, CA Coronavirus Update From A Carmel Caregiver : Monterey Outlook Is Terrible

A blue background with some type of virus


The Monterey County Health Department put out a bulletin that there were a massive 3,304 new cases reported yesterday, bringing the total to 22,255 cases, a jump of 17% over yesterday’s count.  There was a report on twitter than the jump in the cases in Monterey and the rest of California was due to processing backlogs, with about half of the new cases from California State Prisons.  Nationwide, the number of new cases rose by 238,189 to 17.734 million while deaths rose by 2,384 to 312,573.  In California, the number of new cases rose by 42,775 to 1.783 million while deaths rose by 227 to 22,221.  These numbers are not good, please stay at home as much as possible.

Monterey, CA Senior Diabetics Take Note : Sleep Habits Can Alter Your Circadian Rhythms

A blood glucose level chart showing the optimal levels.


Getting a good night’s rest is important to seniors, however, sleeping a consistent number of hours is important as well.  A review of studies which was published in Endocrine Review found that a sleep shift of even an hour was enough to decrease insulin sensitivity.  To get more helpful tips on diabetes, visit Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, CHOMP’s, Diabetes and Nutrition website.  You will find useful information about support groups, classes and more.

https://www.chomp.org/locations/location-profile/diabetes-and-nutrition-therapy/#.X9F3p9hKjcs

Another useful resource is Community Health Innovations.  A full 45% of Monterey County residents have Diabetes or pre-Diabetes!

https://communityhealthinnovations.org/what-we-do/diabetes-prevention-management/

Make Sure You Get Enough Vitamin D


AARP The Magazine recently published an article about the fact that most seniors don’t get enough Vitamin D.  With COVID-19 keeping people indoors more, this is becoming more of a problem.  The article said that more than half of Americans might be Vitamin D deficient.  If you can’t get outside, try foods like fatty fish (salmon, trout and mackerel) and Portobello mushrooms.  Fortified milk is also a good source.  If none of this works for you, get some supplements!

Monterey, CA Nonprofit Opens To Provide Dental Care For Veterans At No Charge

A woman with grey hair sitting in a chair.


Dr. Hugo Ferlito saw over a year of work come to fruition as he opened his free dental clinic with services for veterans, timed to be open for Veterans Day 2020.  He will work with Dr. George Yellich, an oral surgeon affiliated with Montage Health, and several other volunteer dentists.  It’s not clear why the government doesn’t offer dental benefits to Veterans and Seniors have no coverage either under Medicare.  “Veterans Affairs has done a really good job with medical care but it’s crazy they don’t cover dentistry,†Dr. Ferlito told The Herald.  Letting oral health problems go unchecked can have severe negative consequences on your health.  The office is at the Montage Wellness Center on 2nd Avenue in Marina.  Funding has been provided by Monterey County Gives, Montage Health and local Rotary clubs.  Montage is allowing the dental office to use the office space free of charge, and also paid for construction improvements and is paying for utilities.