Technology in healthcare has reached a new precipice. We may be a ways from the medical breakthroughs on Star Trek, but the healthcare industry, where once continuously behind in technology, has started to catch up. The industry is moving away from the constraints of working in analog systems and on paper and toward a digital renaissance.

Medicare Advantage (MA) plans are evolving to address their growing market—10,000 baby boomers are now retiring every day, and Medicare Advantage health plans are set to become 50% of the Medicare market by 2025—increasing programs for care management and bringing services to the home to improve care and reduce utilization in their high-risk members.

Adults age 65 and older are at higher risk for contracting contagious illnesses and diseases such as the flu, and can have a more difficult time rebounding. That’s why it’s especially important to communicate to health plan members ways they can stay happy and healthy during the busy holiday season.

Anyone age 65 and older can experience greater severity in symptoms and complications from influenza—and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, older adults accounted for roughly 60-80 percent of flu-related deaths in recent years. 

The table is set, and the turkey is carved. Your family is all at the table—for most of us, that’s a rarity. So what will be the topic of conversation with the multiple generations sitting at your table for Thanksgiving Dinner? In honor of National Family Health History Day, consider using this opportunity to discuss the chronic conditions that affect or have affected your loved ones and relatives.