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Apps

Medicare coverage app

Does Medicare cover that? The feds have a new app to help determine what your costs will be.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services “has launched a new ‘What’s Covered’ app that lets people with Original Medicare, caregivers and others use their mobile device to check whether Medicare covers a specific medical item or service,” according to the agency.

It’s a great way to compare costs, get price transparency and avoid surprises. The What’s Covered app is available for free in both Google Play and the Apple App Store.

Moving help on call

Let’s say you have to move something large. Something heavy. And you don’t have a truck or even a friend to help you. Do you rent a moving van and sweat it out on your own?

A new app for your smartphone called Bungii can help. Think of it as Uber, but for trucks. “No couch left behind” is the company’s motto.

First, download Bungii to your phone. Then you can schedule a pickup or request a truck right away. You’ll be asked to upload a photo of the item to be transported. Then you’ll get an immediate estimate and pickup time. A vetted, background-checked driver will come to help you haul that new Ikea sofa, junk or antique table you found on Craigslist. (You follow the truck in your own car.)

The average move costs about $40, depending on the time spent. It’s about $1 per minute and $1 per mile per driver, with a $39 minimum. For a little extra money, you can hire two helpers with a truck and save your own back.

Bungii, which started in 2014, is now in the Washington, D.C. area. For more information, visit bungii.com or download the app from the Apple App store or Google Play.

The caregiver’s helper

If you’re taking care of an aging parent who lives alone, Tochie, an app and related devices, can help send reminders to take medicine, visit the doctor or even turn off the stove.

A caregiver can download the app and record a personal reminder with their own voice. Then you can schedule automatic reminders, which will be relayed in the parent’s home from a small speaker.

The service starts­ at $89 and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. For more information, visit http://www.tochtech.com/tochie.

Links

Test your fake news sensor

Can you tell the difference from a factual statement and an opinion? Pew Research Center has a quiz for you — see if you can answer all five questions correctly.

According to a recent Pew report, “When Americans call a statement factual they overwhelmingly also think it is accurate; they tend to disagree with factual statements they incorrectly label as opinion.”

Take the quiz at pewresearch.org/quiz.

National Park passport

If you are 62 or older, consider a pass to our National Parks. The Annual Senior Pass is $20 (plus a $10 processing fee), and the Lifetime Senior Pass is $80 (plus the $10 fee).

These replace the former Golden Access and Golden Age Passports. Learn more at store.usgs.gov/senior-pass.