Year: 2021

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A Goldfish Christmas

Mork is the name

A Goldfish by fame.

I live in a bowl

 That spins and rolls.

Wend-ee, my Wend-ee

She loves me so

AS I swim around

My goldfish bowl.

I heard her talk

To a friend one day.

She said Christmas

 Was on its way.

She was excited

As I could see

By her rosy red cheeks

Smiling back at me.

As I watched her

 From a far

Her hair flew round

As she jumped

 Up and down.

Mork Oh Mork

 You silly goldfish

You could care less

You’re only a fish.

Not true, not true, Wend-ee

 hear me please

I just want to decorate

My own Christmas Tree.

How can I say this

 Wen-dee

When you don’t even

Speak fish-e-nese.

Here is your food

 You hungry fish-ie

Enjoy it there’s more

 When you finish this.

I have a tree in my bowl

As you can see

I could decorate it

With the food you give me.

Maybe she’ll get

 The idea fin-a-le

That I want my bowl

To look like a tree

Mork oh Mork

You silly gold fish

What are you doing

Giving me fits.

You silly girl

Can’t you see

I’m decorating

My Christ-mas Tree.

I don’t believe it

But I think I see

 You want to decorate

A Christmas tree.

I’ll bring you Lights

And other delights

 Do your thing

I’ll check back tonight.

0h Mork oh Mork

 I see by your heart

This Christmas Tree

Really look’s smart.

Linda Meckler/author 6/03

Updated 2021 Copyright to Linda Meckler

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Drugs and Copays

When you go to the pharmacy you might have a copay to pay.

If you do and the druggist gives you an amount you know is wrong, question it.

This happened to me. I had taken this drug once before and my copay was $9.00. When I went to pick up my medication again the druggist asked for 99.00 dollars.

Do you think I paid 99.00 dollars?

Of course not. I said that is wrong.

The druggist said this is what the computer says.

I said, “check this my insurance company and call me when it is fixed.”

I received a call back from the pharmacy, and it was a computer error.

So, if it was a computer error is it my fault?

Stand up for yourself.

If you need your drugs speak out.

Get the pharmacist to call your insurance company.

Thank you for reading my article.

Copyright Linda Meckler 2021

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Drug Check

When you are picking up your drugs from the pharmacy these are the things you should check before you take them home. This could be a life or death drug mistake.

Make sure your name is spelled correctly. There are many people with the same name or others with similar names.

Check the date of birth on the bottle. Is it yours?

Check the name of the drug. Is this what you take?

Check the amount of the pills in the bottle.  Is it correct?

Check to see if the refills have been applied to your drug.

Yes, the label is computer generated but humans put the information into the computer and humans make mistakes.

In most cases, your prescription is emailed to your pharmacy without anyone having to read the doctor’s handwriting. But there are still handwritten prescriptions and the person reading it could read it wrong.

BE AWARE.

Thank you for reading my article.

Copyright Linda Meckler 2021

 

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A Goldfish Christmas

Mork is the name

A Goldfish by fame.

I live in a bowl

 That spins and rolls.

Wend-ee, my Wend-ee

She loves me so

AS I swim around

My goldfish bowl.

I heard her talk

To a friend one day.

She said Christmas

 Was on its way.

She was excited

As I could see

By her rosy red cheeks

Smiling back at me.

As I watched her

 From afar

Her hair flew round

As she jumped

 Up and down.

Mork Oh Mork

 You silly goldfish

You could care less

You’re only a fish.

Not true, not true, Wend-ee

 hear me, please

I just want to decorate

My own Christmas Tree.

How can I say this

 Wen-dee

When you don’t even

Speak fish-e-nese.

Here is your food

 You hungry fish-ie

Enjoy it there’s more

 When you finish this.

I have a tree in my bowl

As you can see

I could decorate it

With the food you give me.

Maybe she’ll get

 The idea fin-a-le

That I want my bowl

To look like a tree

Mork oh Mork

You silly goldfish

What are you doing

Giving me fits.

You silly girl

Can’t you see

I’m decorating

My Christ-mas Tree.

I don’t believe it

But I think I see

 You want to decorate

A Christmas tree.

I’ll bring you Lights

And other delights

 Do your thing

I’ll check back tonight.

0h Mork oh Mork

 I see by your heart

This Christmas Tree

Really look’s smart.

Linda Meckler/author 6/03

Thank you for reading my poem. Copyright Linda Meckler 2021

Updated 2021

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The Miracle of Hearing Aids and Tinnitus

I was one of these hard-headed people who didn’t think I needed hearing aids. Every year I had a hearing test and it came out within-in normal hearing.

This last hearing test came out differently. It said my hearing was declining. Is that why I turned the television up? Is that why I always used my phone on speaker so I could hear the person speaking?

I checked out a few hearing aid places and from the prices being sky high and their presentation, I wasn’t impressed.

My tinnitus or white snow sounds were harboring on I want brain surgery to remove whatever was shrieking in my ears 24-7. After years of asking why I have tinnitus and what causes it, I was answered. My usual answer was there is not a known reason for tinnitus. But this time I was given the reason. The brain receptors were broken. Instead of the brain commuting with other receptors of the brain it was broken and the brain filled in the space with white noise, or electricidal screaming, or whatever you hear. Also, the nerve was shutting down. It was nice to know what was making my life so miserable.

I made an appointment for Costco where I know people that have gotten their hearing aids there. I was very impressed with the presentation and I had a free hearing test different from the usual hearing tests. This test was geared to the blue tooth hearing I needed.

After the hearing test, I was shown the hearing aids I needed and told the price and was happy to hear that the hearing test was free and it was under warranty for two years.

Three weeks later I received my hearing aids. The hearing aids sit on top of the ear not behind. There is a small piece that goes in the ear.

Because of the blue tooth capabilities, I can hear clearly on the phone. I can answer the phone even if it is in another room. My tinnitus while wearing my hearing aids is down. I haven’t had them long and I hope it will get better than this. But when I remove them, my tinnitus comes back full blast.

Hearing aids have come a long way from the old battery-powered ones.

Thank you for reading my article.

Copyright Linda Meckler 2021

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Broke At Christmas

What if you don’t have any money at Christmas? How do you cook that fabulous dinner? How do you give presents to your family and friends?

This is a tough project but maybe you can. Think about it what do you like to do?

Do you love photography? A nice photo that you take and print would be a present that would not bankrupt you.

Do you like to draw or paint? Making a painting or drawing would be wonderfully received.

Maybe, you can spare some time to do some errands or cleaning for your loved ones.

A letter written by you and hand-delivered or mailed is another thought.

Think you are a creative person. An idea will come to you.

Thank you for reading my article.

Copyright Linda Meckler 2021

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Who is Santa Clause

Is there a real Santa Clause? Has there ever been a real Santa Clause?

Santa Clause maybe as far as looking at yourself in a mirror.

Santa Clause is fun and family.

Santa Clause makes the family Christmas experience what it is for you and your family.

You don’t need to get into a sled and fly around the world.

All you have to do is think about what will make you and your family happy.

Thank you for reading my article.

Copyright Linda Meckler

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Medicare Blunders For You To Prevent

If you have Medicare the way to find out if you are going to be charged for a procedure or for anything you use your medical insurance for is read this.

First of all, your doctor prescribes some type of procedure for you to have either in his office or at an outpatient surgery center. The doctor’s office receives the authorization for you to have this procedure.

What is it going to cost you?

You think because you have an HMO or other type of insurance that it will be covered.

Don’t assume anything.

The only way to find out for sure is to get the CPT and ICD codes from your doctor’s office  and call your insurance company. In this way, you should have an accurate amount that will be billed to you or it might not be exact but you will have an idea.

When the procedure is over and the bills come in you won’t stress over the copay that was the patient’s responsibility.

All this information is in my book Medicare and Other Health Insurances.

Thank you for reading my article. Copyright Linda Meckler 2021

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Medicare Is Tricky

Why is there mass confusion when it comes to Medicare? Even when you think you have a handle on it and understand your Medicare plan it can backfire on you.

I needed to go to the emergency room a few months ago for a minor problem with slivers of wood in my foot, but I needed to have this visit. The doctor spent ten minutes with me and I was fine.

I expected an emergency room copay of $85.00. That was supposed to be the only charge.

I received the bill and didn’t think anything about it. Then I received a bill for over a thousand dollars. What was this bill for?

This bill was for the physician’s bill which was sent from a separate billing service. I began to hyperventilate. The date of service which is what is the most important thing on the bill was missing. I called the phone number and found out the bill had never been billed to my medical insurance they didn’t have that information.

If you have read my book Medicare and Other Health Insurances it talks about this. After being on hold forever both at the billing company and my insurance company the bill will be sent to my medical insurance. But are they going to pay all of it? Will there be a co-pay left for me to pay?

When I talked to my medical insurance, I asked the question of why this bill when I was only supposed to pay for the ER visit.

  1. I thought it was an error.
  2. I thought I might have gone to a hospital that was not contracted to with my medical insurance. (I was told that I could go to any hospital for an ER visit. If admitted I needed to go to a specific hospital.)

When I asked my insurance company If this hospital was contracted with them? I didn’t get an answer. I will have to wait and see if it is paid or denied on my explanation of benefits and for what reason.

3. They didn’t have my medical insurance information.

Thank you for reading my article. Copyright 2021 Linda Meckler

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Medicare and Other Insurance Plans

Do you understand Medicare?

If you have Medicare, do you understand it?

Do you understand how Medicare works?

Do you know what parts A, B, C, and D mean?

If you do not understand this you do not understand Medicare.

Medicare is complicated. 

I don’t know why it is this way.

Do you?

Maybe it could be simplified.

Maybe it could be easier to understand.

What do you think?

What do you not understand?

Thank you for reading my article.

Copyright Linda Meckler 2021