For millions of Tennesseans age 65 and older, Medicare can be a vital resource and it is the time of year to give their coverage a closer look.

Around 1.4 million Tennesseans rely on Medicare for their health care, along with supplemental plans covering additional expenses and prescription drugs.

Dr. Rhonda Randall, chief medical officer and executive vice president of UnitedHealthcare Employer and Individual, said reviewing your current plans is essential to ensure they meet your health and budget needs, as some plans change from year to year. And you should also explore coverage options for mental and behavioral health care.

"You want to look for a plan that has a variety of options, things that range from self-help, digital services, virtual behavioral health visits as well as your more traditional in-person behavioral health visits," Randall outlined. "Some plans will offer that virtual behavioral health care at a zero-dollar copay."

Randall pointed out it is important to know the difference between a basic Medicare supplement plan and a Medicare Advantage plan. Advantage plans cost more but include additional benefits, like dental, vision and hearing care. Next year, Part D drug plans will cap out-of-pocket prescription costs at $2,000. The deadline to adjust coverage plans is Dec. 7.

Michele Johnson, executive director of the Tennessee Justice Center, said the open enrollment period to purchase health insurance through the federal marketplace begins Nov. 1. She urged Tennesseans to research health plans to find coverage with their preferred doctors and medications. She added it is the time to shop for affordable, comprehensive health insurance to protect their savings and family.

"It's a record number of Tennesseans have been signing up, and that's because many people can get coverage; with the tax subsidy, they can get coverage for $10 a month," Johnson pointed out. "I'm talking comprehensive health coverage for $10 a month. So, people might think they're not eligible. The rules have changed, and they might be eligible."

Johnson noted adults with insurance through an employer may not qualify for marketplace insurance themselves but their children may be eligible. She added if the cost to cover kids through an employer's plan was unaffordable, it used to be you could not get coverage for them through the federal marketplace but it has changed.

"Now, depending on your income, you might be able to get coverage for your children," Johnson explained. "As of last year, it's estimated that about 125,000 Tennessee children will now be eligible for marketplace coverage who weren't previously eligible."

Johnson recommended Tennesseans visit HealthCare.gov between Nov. 1 and Jan. 15 to apply. To have coverage starting Jan. 1, enroll by Dec. 15. For those with employer-sponsored health plans, open enrollment usually lasts two to three weeks between September and December.

People who are part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, will be dropped from their CoveredCA health plans at the end of August.

The move comes after the Trump administration changed a Biden-era definition of "lawfully present" to revoke health care eligibility for thousands of immigrants.

Christine Smith, policy and legislative advocate for the nonprofit Health Access California, said people only have a few weeks to get medical appointments in before their coverage ends.

"If you're enrolled in Covered California and you're a DACA recipient, the Trump administration just ended your coverage," Smith emphasized. "People should use as much of your health care as you can before the August 31st deadline."

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services defended the move, saying it will save taxpayers money. CoveredCA estimated the change affects about 2,400 DACA recipients in the state who make too much to qualify for Medi-Cal and have jobs not providing health insurance. They can still buy private insurance but it is much more expensive. People who prepaid for their coverage can seek a refund.

Smith predicted it will be a blow not just to those who lose coverage but to the state's health care system as a whole.

"The lines in the ERs are going to be longer because people are not going to be able to get affordable preventive care," Smith projected. "They're just going to get sicker and then end up in the ERs. People will overall incur more medical debt. Hospitals will have more uncompensated care."

The change is nationwide. As of mid-July, about 538,000 people in the DACA program across the U.S. are ineligible to enroll in any state-based insurance marketplace and are unable to access premium subsidies or cost-sharing assistance.

Artificial intelligence is appearing more prominently in many aspects of life and research suggests older populations are curious, yet remain wary of using the technology in their everyday lives.

According to Stats Indiana, there are more than 1.5 million Hoosiers aged 65 and older, or 18% of the state's population. Experts said it is likely the demographic will use AI in some form in the next few years, either by choice or necessity.

Dr. Shaun Grannis, vice president of data and analytics for the Regenstrief Institute on Aging, said AI offers real benefits.

"It can reduce loneliness through conversation, provide reminders for medications and appointments," Grannis outlined. "It can support cognitive stimulation via games, storytelling, news updates."

The technology can also offer a low-pressure way to access information on public services, he added, which is valuable for those with mobility issues or those who feel intimidated by technology.

Grannis cautioned any tool which can be used for good can also lead to problems. He noted AI can create a false sense of companionship and mask social isolation. Overdependence is a legitimate concern, he argued, if the technology becomes a "crutch" for all forms of interaction.

"All cognitive activities or decision-making, it can actually lead to and create a negative feedback loop, lead to a decline in engagement and even basic self-management skills," Grannis explained. "This is risky."

Grannis believes one solution is designing AI systems to complement, not replace, human interaction. He stressed it can be done though building broader support ecosystems including family, friends, caregivers and community services. Grannis emphasized it would encourage real-world activity, prompting the user to go for a walk, call a grandchild or attend a local senior event.

If you have an extra five minutes, you can save a life because you can learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation at no cost from a new mobile, hands-only CPR kiosk.

The new kiosk is in the lobby of Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica. The machine's touch screen gives a brief overview of hands-only CPR and you can practice right there, on a mannequin.

Dr. Rigved Tadwalkar, cardiologist at St. John's, said it is an easy way for people to get more comfortable giving chest compressions in an emergency.

"It's a lot like a video game but of course, a lot more important than a video game," Tadwalkar pointed out. "It gives real-time feedback about the depth and rate of compressions, proper hand placement, which are all factors that influence the effectiveness of CPR."

The American Heart Association operates the St. John's mobile kiosk and a stationary model at L-A-X with support from the hospital. Santiago Canyon College in Orange County also has a mobile hands-only C-P-R kiosk now through September, sponsored by Edwards Lifesciences.

Steven Munatones, an Orange County business owner, said he survived what's known as a "widowmaker" heart attack which led to cardiac arrest nine years ago, thanks to his 17-year-old son, who gave him immediate CPR with instructions from a 911 operator.

"You don't have to put your mouth to anybody's mouth," Munatones explained. "You just put your hand on their chest and pump. He saved me, and others can do the same, anywhere. So, it's absolutely a lifesaving, heroic act that anybody can do."

Statistics show 350,000 Americans suffer from cardiac arrest outside a hospital each year and about 90% die, in part because they do not receive CPR. About 70% of those cardiac arrests happen at home, so people often depend on family or friends to give CPR before an ambulance arrives.