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How much does a funeral cost? Dear Savvy Senior, How much does an average funeral and body burial cost? I need to make funeral arrangements for my aunt, who’s terminally ill, and would like to have a cost idea going in so I can plan and budget appropriately. The Executor Dear Executor, It definitely pays

Healthcare reform has been in the headlines for years, and it seems like the only point everyone agrees on is that something needs to be done to improve the system. While politicians debate who should pay for healthcare and how, a group of healthcare professionals, patients and community advocates have set forth new guidelines to

Although many in Missouri think about mushrooms when the morels are at their peak in April, people who grow mushrooms at home or commercially need to be thinking about them much of the year, says a University of Missouri Extension nutrition and health education specialist. “There are many kinds of mushrooms besides our local wild

AARP on Jan. 30 launched a comprehensive campaign to protect Medicare in the face of proposals by some in Congress that would hurt hardworking Missourians who have paid into the program their entire working lives. Congressional proposals to change Medicare into a voucher system would dramatically increase health care costs and risks for both current

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) recently received DNA results from a confirmed mountain lion in Shannon County. Those results indicated the mountain lion was a female with a probable origin in the Black Hills of Wyoming and South Dakota, and Northwest Nebraska. This is the first definitive confirmation of a female mountain lion being

How to guard against Medicare fraud Dear Savvy Senior What are the steps seniors need to take if they suspect Medicare fraud? Suspicious Sandy Dear Sandy, Medicare fraud costs taxpayers more than $60 billion every year, making it one of the most profitable crimes in America. Here’s what you should know, along with some tips

As Americans, our health is far from perfect, but over the decades, we’ve seen great improvements to medical care and lived longer lives. But new health data in a recent report might shake up our complacency: The federal government finds that life expectancy for Americans has dropped for the first time in 25 years. Though

Losing weight and increasing exercise commonly make the top of New Year’s resolution lists. Yet many people fall short of their wellness goals each year. What can you do differently in 2017 to ensure you’re among those who succeed? “Mental health and taking time for yourself can greatly improve your chances of achieving your health

My Fellow Missourians: All federal and state government offices observed Martin Luther King Day on Monday, Jan. 16.  It was nice to have Monday as a holiday because it gave me the opportunity to do some work at the ranch and tend to the animals after several days of icing, rain and cold temperatures.  I