By Phil Galewitz, Holly K. Hacker
Carrie Lester looks forward to the phone call every Thursday from her doctors’ medical assistant, who asks how she’s doing and if she needs prescription refills. The assistant counsels her on dealing with anxiety and her other health issues.
Lester credits the chats for keeping her out of the hospital and reducing the need for clinic visits to manage chronic conditions including depression, fibromyalgia and hypertension.
“Just knowing someone is going to check on me is comforting,” says Lester, 73, who lives with her dogs, Sophie and Dolly, in Independence, Kansas.
At least two-thirds of Medicare enrollees have two or more chronic health …