Your aging parent's Medicare plan could change in January. Your parent finds out at the doctor's office that their doctor isn't covered anymore, and guess who hears all about it? You do.

Open enrollment ends December 7th, and one letter sitting in your parent's mailbox tells you what's changing. In this episode, I walk you through where to start, who to call, why you shouldn't let the plan auto renew, and how to get your parent to bring you into the conversation, so you can help them keep the doctors they trust.

A little effort now saves you a lot of frustration later. Ask God for the wisdom to handle it, and start with one letter this week.

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Join the wait list for my online course on getting your aging parent’s affairs organized before a crisis: their documents, money, safety, health care, and who is on your care team. Put me on the wait list

You finally have the power of attorney for your elderly parent in your hand, you call to use it, and the answer is still no. Last week I told you about the insurance agent who kept asking me to send the POA. So I sent it, and what happened next was a little different than I expected. In this episode I share it with you.

You will hear why a signed power of attorney does not always open every door. Many banks, insurance companies, and offices have their own forms and their own rules, and some places, like Social Security and the VA, work differently. I explain the difference between a durable and a springing power of attorney in plain words, and what to ask when a company says no, so you are not starting over each time. If you are the daughter or caregiver who ends up on the phone for your aging parent, this one is for you. This episode is education, not legal advice. Laws differ from state to state and can change, so talk with an elder law attorney in your state.

Proverbs 15:22 says plans fail without good advice, but with many advisers they succeed. Getting the right experts around you is one way we love our parents well. If you missed last week, start with Episode 36, Send Me the Power of Attorney: Why a Parent’s Verbal OK Fails.

Join the wait list for my online course on getting your aging parent’s affairs organized before a crisis: their documents, money, safety, health care, and who is on your care team. Put me on the wait list

You are helping your elderly parent with an insurance problem, and the agent who always handled things is gone. The new agent sees a note on the account but does not know you, so they won't share much. Then you hear it: "Can you just send me the power of attorney?" I lived this while advocating for a client, and it took a few phone calls and a three-way call to get it settled.

In this episode I tell you the story and why a verbal OK from your aging parent does not hold up. Permission given to one person at a company stays with that person, not with the account. You will hear what to ask each company so your authorization is on file before there is a problem, and why your parent's own say-so matters. If you are the caregiver or the daughter who ends up making the phone calls, this is elderly care planning that saves you stress. I am not a lawyer. This is education, not legal advice.

Proverbs 27:12 says the prudent see trouble coming and prepare for it. A little paperwork now is one way we love our parents well later. Next Monday I will tell you what happens after sending the POA.

Join the wait list for my online course on getting your aging parent's affairs organized before a crisis: their documents, money, safety, health care, and who is on your care team. https://unique-sound-17454.myflodesk.com/blevhj0mq4