As people age, many decide to forgo their individual health insurance plans and opt for Medicare as soon as they become eligible to do so. Many people switch to Medicare because individual health insurance premiums can be high and Medicare offers inexpensive prescription drug plans.

Under the Affordable Care Act, people stand to benefit even more from having Medicare. Recently, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that 1 million Medicare beneficiaries have received assistance with paying for their prescription medications.

The government has been helping those on Medicare who fall into the "donut hole" by mailing $250 rebate checks to those who qualify. The "donut hole" is a gap in coverage for those who have Medicare prescription drug coverage and aren't receiving Medicare Extra Help.

"These checks will make a difference in helping seniors continue to get the medications they need, and are one of many ways that the Affordable Care Act is helping seniors," said Sebelius.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, prescription medication costs have increased faster than other areas of the healthcare industry.

Doctors and nurses have long been hailed as those with all the knowledge and answers related to healthcare. Now, however, pharmacists are finding themselves being increasingly mixed into the equation.

An international survey reveals that pharmacists are frequently being questioned by patients about ways to improve their health. Many pharmacists reportedly feel that are expected to give advice more now than ever before. Nearly three-quarters of pharmacists report providing health management services, according to the survey.

International Pharmaceutical Federation CEO Ton Hoek says most pharmacists enjoy their expanded role of being more than just a person who a customer hands over their individual health insurance card to.

"Pharmacists' roles are changing, and we find ourselves increasingly working with patients and other healthcare professionals to prevent and treat disease," said Hoek. "This survey shows that pharmacists welcome this expanded role, as it highlights what they like doing most - helping deliver better patient outcomes - while increasing visibility of pharmacists' expertise."

It's important to patients to realize that while pharmacists are knowledgeable professionals, they are not trained physicians. There are certain situations in which only a doctor should be consulted.

When a person becomes ill and needs medication, in most cases they can easily obtain a prescription drug that will treat their ailment. However, even with the best health insurance available, some conditions can't be treated because they are resistant to frequently used medications.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority recently announced they are awarding funds worth between $27 and $464 million in contracts to help support research of antibiotics used to fight bioterrorism and antibiotic resistant infections.

"This new antibiotic is part of our push against antibiotic resistance for certain bacterial infections, and at the same time could provide a new treatment for plague and tularemia biothreats," said BARDA Director Dr. Robin Robinson. "It's the first time BARDA research and development funds have been used in a multi-use approach like this."

The National Network for Immunization Information says antibiotic resistance is growing in common illnesses such as meningitis and pneumonia. They cite the frequent use of antibiotics, sometimes when not necessary, for the growing level of resistance.