Renew Family Medicine

10/24/2026

Is your Medicare Advantage plan ending in 2027? You're not alone. N...

10/21/2026

10/20/2026

10/17/2026

Why does an insurance company have the final say in the patient's evaluation and/or treatment plan?

10/17/2026

10/16/2026

As pediatricians, AAP grieves with the children, families, and educators affected by the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon. This devastating loss is one more painful reminder of how deeply gun violence harms our children, their schools, and the communities around them.

Behind every news alert are children who walked into their classrooms expecting to be safe. They deserve more than our sorrow. They deserve action.

Gun violence threatens the health and safety of children and teens everywhere. AAP and pediatricians will keep pushing for evidence-based policies that protect children and end gun violence.

10/16/2026

Medicare open enrollment starts today.

For anyone who is looking at a Medicare Advantage plan, here is an example of the difference between a Medicare Advantage plan versus traditional Medicare part B that I have seen play out many times in my practice:

-Patient A needed a MRI to evaluate for a suspected medical condition. She has traditional Medicare part B and a supplement. I faxed the MRI order to a local imaging department. Patient called the next day and was able to fit into their schedule 2 days later. We have the MRI report 3 days after I sent the order. There was no authorization needed with traditional Medicare part B.

-In the same week, I ordered a MRI for patient B to evaluate a different suspected medical condition, and faxed the order to the same imaging department. I warned patient B that he will likely need prior authorization from his Medicare Advantage plan. A month later, I asked patient B if he had completed the MRI yet. He told me that the imaging department is still waiting for approval from insurance. I confirmed this with the imaging department. Three months later, still no go.

What’s the difference Medicare Part B and Medicare Advantage?

These aren’t two versions of the same thing.

-Part B is one part of Original Medicare. You can generally see any doctor or use any hospital in the U.S. that accepts Medicare. Referrals and prior approval are usually not required for covered services.

-Medicare Advantage is called Part C. It is a private plan that REPLACES how you receive your Part A and Part B benefits, and often limits patients' ability to receive care through requiring prior authorizations and referrals from an in-network primary care physician. You may need to use the plan’s network for routine care. Out-of-network care may cost more or may not be covered, depending on the plan.

Please also be aware that some insurance brokers receive commission for each patient that they sign with a Medicare Advantage plan.

For free, unbiased help comparing options, contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) or Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

10/13/2026

Whether you have diabetes, prediabetes or are just looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle, here are some small changes to avoid having high blood sugars after a meal:

🥦 Fill about half your plate with non-starchy vegetables, such as leafy greens, broccoli, or peppers.
🍗 Add a protein, like eggs, fish, chicken, tofu, beans, or yogurt.
🌾 Choose fiber-rich carbohydrates, such as beans, fruit, oats, or whole grains, as part of your meal.
🥤 Opt for water or unsweetened drinks rather than sugary beverages.
🚶 If it’s safe and comfortable for you, take a short walk after the meal. Even 10 minutes is helpful to keep the blood sugars from spiking high.

10/13/2026

A child in Montana has reportedly died from invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib).

For many parents today, Hib is a disease they have barely heard of. There’s a reason for that.

Before routine Hib vaccination, this bacterium was a leading cause of bacterial meningitis in young children and could also cause bloodstream infections, pneumonia and life-threatening swelling of the airway. Today, Hib disease is uncommon in the United States because vaccination dramatically reduced it.

That success can create a dangerous illusion: when vaccines work well enough, we stop seeing the diseases they prevent, and eventually we can forget why we vaccinate against them in the first place.

Even RFK Jr’s proposed childhood vaccine schedule changes did not touch the Hib vaccine, which is usually given starting at 2 months old and then 2-3 additional doses are given depending on the product used. However, his anti-vaccine rhetoric and other disinformation campaigns over the years aimed at other vaccines is possibly causing a halo effect where people are less inclined to vaccinate their children for all vaccines.

This child’s death is a tragedy. It is also a reminder that vaccine-preventable diseases have not disappeared. The protection matters precisely because these infections can still be devastating.

Vaccines don’t just prevent illnesses. Sometimes, they prevent the illnesses we’ve been fortunate enough to forget.

10/13/2026