Sep 23 HHS hints at major changes to Medicare that could mean higher costs for patients By Erin Mershon, STAT WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is signaling it will pursue significant changes to Medicare that could put beneficiaries on the hook for higher costs. In an informal proposal on Wednesday, federal health officials hinted at several new pilot programs it… Continue reading
Sep 20 Does Medicare make sense for seniors with employer health coverage? By Philip Moeller In the past, I usually told employees turning 65 that they did not have to get Medicare and could simply keep their employer plans. My thinking has changed. Continue reading
Sep 14 To prevent identity theft, government will issue new Medicare cards By Lauran Neergaard, Associated Press While the first mailings of new cards begin next April, Congress has set an April 2019 deadline for all beneficiaries to have received one. Continue reading
Sep 13 Standard Medigap plans are learning some new tricks By Philip Moeller If you are considering a certain Medigap letter plan, don’t assume that all such plans will offer the same features. Continue reading
Sep 13 WATCH: Sanders introduces a bill to expand Medicare for all By Alan Fram, Associated Press WASHINGTON — Americans would get health coverage simply by showing a new government-issued card and would no longer owe out-of-pocket expenses like deductibles, according to legislation Sen. Bernie Sanders released Wednesday. Continue reading
Aug 30 Health care watchdog sends urgent alert on potential nursing home abuse By Philip Moeller The government’s health care watchdog office has issued an early alert in advance of its upcoming formal report on egregious abuses of patients at skilled nursing facilities. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General says… Continue reading
Aug 23 How do I get the Medicare coverage I want with the lowest out-of-pocket cost? By Philip Moeller If your overall objective here is to get the coverage you want with the lowest annual out-of-pocket expense, you can use Medicare's own online tools to get a good idea of available Part D drug plans and Medigap supplement plans. Continue reading
Aug 16 Column: The real health care fight is coming, and it's about seniors' access By Philip Moeller Older citizens and their families need to be vigilant about efforts to raise the price of their health care, restrict their access to care or deny it to them altogether. Here are three such efforts to be aware of. Continue reading
Aug 09 Social Security says I owe money for Medicare coverage I didn't get. How do I appeal? By Philip Moeller A cautionary tale about how even the most straightforward Medicare applications can turn into nightmares. Continue reading
Aug 03 Watch 4:46 Tax reform is the next big GOP push. Here's what to expect By PBS News Hour Republican leaders are starting to make decisions on how they will approach tax reform, an issue that's equally important as health care to Republicans, and one that's arguably even tougher to solve. Lisa Desjardins sits down with Judy Woodruff to… Continue watching