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www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know Retirement I received many thoughtful comments from readers in response to my columns on the growing role of artificial intelligence in health care. Most came from patients who are already using chatbots to navigate care. This newsletter is dedicated to answering ques- tions about how best to use these tools when seeking medical information and advice. Many readers shared how AI helped themmake sense of their diagnoses and treatment options. Sharon from Rhode Island wrote that when her 2-year-old daughter was diagnosed with a rare brain cancer, she was terrified. The wait to see a specialist felt endless, so she turned to ChatGPT every day with the questions that she wanted to ask a doctor. “By the time the appointment came around, I knew more or less what to expect,” she said. She still uses a chatbot after every visit to clarify her doctor’s recom- mendations. It also helps her manage everyday concerns so she can “save” the most important ones for the next appointment. Nancy fromMaryland hasn’t found chatbots to be as helpful. “My son, who works in technology, said that the problem isn’t AI, but the questions I’m asking,” she wrote. “So how do I ask better questions?” The key to getting useful medical information from a chatbot is to ask specific, well-framed questions, provid- ing as much context as possible. Instead of simply asking why you have a sore throat, give details. For instance, “I’ve had a sore throat for three days. I felt hot and was sweating but didn’t measure my temperature. I’m a 62- year old, pretty healthy, on lisinopril for hypertension. I live with my grandkids, one of whom is sick. What are possible causes?When should I see a doctor?” The more context you provide, the better the response will be. At the very least, give your age, health history and timing of symptoms. Don’t hold back additional details, such as how the symptoms have interfered with daily ac- tivities, if anyone around you is sick and what diagnoses would concern you. If the initial response isn’t what you were looking for, keep asking. Reformulate your question and engage in a dialogue, as you would with a human clinician. The same principle applies when you’re asking the chatbot to explain a test result or recommended treat- ment. For example, a question like “My blood test is abnormal, what does that mean?” probably wouldn’t generate a useful response. Try adding detail: “I am a 69-year-old with diabetes. I have no symptoms, but I just went for a checkup. My blood test shows a creatinine of 1.9. Six months ago, it was 1.6. What could cause that? What questions should I ask my doctor?” Similarly, don’t just ask, “What are side effects of met- formin?” Instead, you could say, “I just started metformin a week ago and have nausea. I can keep food down but I can’t eat as much. Will this go away, or do I need to stop taking it?” The key is to frame your question so the chatbot can give you an explanation that fits your specific situation, not just a list of possibilities. Kevin fromVirginia wrote that AI has been especially helpful in changing his day-to-day habits. “A year ago, I had a mini-stroke,” he said. “I thought I was pretty healthy. I had no idea I had high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.” His doctor prescribed medications but offered little practical guidance beyond advising him to eat better and exercise more. It was AI tools, Kevin said, that gave him concrete steps, such as helping him plan meals, track his numbers and build a realistic exercise routine he could follow. Kevin’s experience highlights a good point: While us- ing AI for diagnosis still carries risks and uncertainties, providing support for lifestyle changes is one area where chatbots already excel. People can use them to plan balanced meals for diabetes, design safe workouts for arthritis pain and develop bedtime routines that improve sleep. Used this way, chatbots can be a kind of digital health coach that helps people turn big goals, such as los- ing weight or starting exercise, into actionable steps. “I have found AI to be immensely helpful as I recently went through menopause,” wrote Karen fromMinnesota. “But my doctor seemed immediately dismissive when I tried to tell her what I found. Any advice?” There’s a long history of tension between doctors and patients who seek medical information outside the exam room. Before AI, “empowered patients” came armed with printouts from Google searches and, before that, from medical journals. Some doctors react negatively because they worry about the extra time needed to explain the information. Others worry about the accuracy of the in- formation. And some simply feel their authority is being challenged. That said, it rings a bit hollow when doctors dismiss patients for using AI, given how many clinicians now rely on these tools themselves. A recent American Medical Association survey found that nearly two-thirds of physi- cians reported using AI in 2024. Younger doctors, in particular, are turning to the tech- nology for help with diagnosis and treatment decisions. Two medical educators told me that nearly all of their students and residents use OpenEvidence, a free AI tool trained on medical literature. Wolters Kluwer UpToDate, the gold-standard clinical reference used by as many as 90 percent of physicians, has also added AI features that generate tailored recommendations for specific patient scenarios. My advice is to frame your curiosity as collaboration, not challenge. You might say, “I was trying to learn more about menopause and found this information. What do you think of it?” You might even ask your doctor if she uses AI herself. That question can open the door to understanding whether the discomfort stems from the technology itself or from a deeper resistance to patients taking a more active role in their care. Leana S. Wen, a Washington Post contributing columnist who writes the newsletter The Checkup with Dr. Wen, is an emergency physi- cian, clinical associate professor at George Washington University and author of “Lifelines: A Doc- tor’s Journey in the Fight for Public Health.” Previously, she served as Baltimore’s health commissioner. -Special to TheWashington Post By Leana S.Wen News India Times (October 25, 2025 - October 31, 2025) October 31, 2025 4 Opinion Answering Your Questions About Using AI As A Health Care Guide Photo:TheWashington Post Disclaimer:The views and opinions expressed on this page are those of the authors and Parikh Worldwide Media does not officially endorse, and is not responsible or liable for them. Social Security Checks Will Get A 2.8% COLA Increase In 2026 M illions of Social Security re- cipients will see a 2.8 percent cost-of-living increase in their monthly checks next year, the agency announced Friday. The ongoing government shutdown delayed the annual COLA announcement, which is tied to the consumer price index, by about a week. On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said prices rose 3 percent in September, year-over-year, compared with 2.9 percent in August. The COLA means the average senior, who collects about $2,000 a month, will see an additional $56 come January. While the increase is in line with overall inflation for the year, it trails categories that are particularly relevant to seniors. Friday’s CPI reading showed that medical care climbed 4 percent from a year earlier, while electricity and piped gas jumped 5 and 11.7 percent, respectively. AARP, the interest group for seniors, suggested in advance of Friday’s an- nouncement that the benefits bump would fall short of filling seniors’ needs in today’s economy. According to an AARP survey conducted in September, 77 percent of seniors feel a cost-of-living increase around 3 percent would not be “enough to keep up with rising prices.” That view held across political affiliation, with 75 percent of Republicans and 79 percent of Democrats calling 3 percent insufficient. More than 51 million retirees receive Social Security benefits. The agency also disburses disability benefits for more than 7 million people, and 8 million receive survivor and dependent benefits. Social Security is the only source of in- come for more than 1 in 4 adult recipients. Each person’s monthly benefit is based on their earnings and age at retirement. The program faces a potential crisis in the years ahead: As America’s popula- tion ages, shifting the balance between workers who contribute to Social Security and those who benefit from it, the trust fund that fuels the program is running out. The trustees’ latest estimate predicted the trust fund will run dry in 2033. At that point, the program could only pay beneficiaries using new money coming in from payroll taxes. Without a change to the law, that would mean a 23 percent cut in benefits. -TheWashington Post By Julie ZauzmerWeil