BirdTalk Featuring the letters & concerns of our members SEND YOUR LETTERS TO Bird Talk, c/o CSANews 180 Lesmill Road Toronto, Ontario M3B 2T5 or by e-mail: csawriteus@snowbirds.org Bird Talk Dear Bird Talk, From time to time, I see articles in Bird Talk regarding questions on telephone services between Canada & U.S. Prior to departing Canada in 2016, I signed up with a company called Comwave which was advertising a six-month promotional deal for unlimited Canada & U.S. long distance for $19.95 per month. Sounded like a no-brainer, since I was paying out $35.00 per month to my provider for local calling only. The Comwave system uses yourWi-Fi. My only issue here was what conditions applied with Comwave when I go seasonal. Well, to my disbelief, the agent indicated to me that would not be a problem; for an additional cost of $10.00, I could take my wireless phones with me along with my local phone number to use in the U.S. at no additional usage fees other than my Wi-Fi service. I could alsomake unlimited long-distance calls throughout the U.S. and Canada using my local Canadian phone number from my U.S. residence. With nothing to lose for the first ‘free’ six months, I signed up and Comwave handled the transfer of my local phone number to their company. Everything seems smooth and the systemworked well in Canada for a month before being set up at our U.S. residence, where it has been working flawlessly too. So snowbirds, check out the websitewww.comwave.net. Your 911 can be configured to either address. Merrill Andrews St. John’s NL Ed.: We don’t usually print this type of e-mail as it is sort of an advertisement. This sounds pretty good to me, though, and I thought that we should pass it along. CSA does not recommend any particular phone carriers, as their rules and costs seem to change every day. Dear Bird Talk, In the fall 2016 issue, a writer asked if blood pressure medication containing both hydrochlorothiazide and another medication was considered as ONE medication. Your reply was “it is only counted as one pill (medication).” I, as an RN, was rather surprised at this… should this not be explained on the application form? Something to the effect of: a pill that contains hydrochlorothiazide COMBINED WITH a second blood pressure medication is considered to be ONE medication. I have considered it as two medications when I have filled in the application in the past; now I know not to. I have a question about medication: I take one (combination hydrochlorothiazide/ irbesartan) medication for my blood pressure. After an episode of atrial fib this past January while I was in FL (andMedipac was great!), I was started on metoprolol to slow my pulse. HOWEVER, it can also be used to treat high blood pressure. So in Medipac’s eyes, am I now on two blood pressure medications? And I have a question about coverage: We are thinking of taking a cruise in 2018 that goes through the Red Sea and Suez Canal. The Canadian government states there is a travel advisory against these areas…althoughmany cruises a year sail there. Medipac states there is no coverage if there is an advisory in place. Does this mean I am not covered for THAT part of the cruise, or for the whole cruise? If I am treated on board by the ship’s MD in that area, am I covered? Does it mean I am not covered for ANY medical emergency in that area (i.e. anMI), or only for any medical injury that arises due to war, terrorism, etc. Thank you. Marian Bowles Newmarket, ON Ed.: Lots of great questions. Let’s start with one pill containing two medications. I think that Medipac is unique in still considering this as one medication. We felt that many seniors were not totally aware of the content of their individual pills and it was unfair to expect them to be pharmacists. So, one pill counts as one medication even if there are two or more medications contained in that pill. This combining of medications is getting to be very common now. The metoprolol, in your situation, is considered a heart medication as it is to protect your heart from beating too fast. You do not have to count it as a blood pressure medication, but the A-fib (if occurring in the past five years) does place you in the Standard rate class. The cruise question is easy – again with Medipac, we consider this as a temporary stopover and you would be fully covered both on and off the boat, even if the destination was on the government’s travel advisory. CSANews | SPRING 2017 | 9
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