Jul 13 Officials propose new rules for nursing home care By Susan Jaffe, Kaiser Health News After nearly 30 years, the Obama administration wants to modernize the rules nursing homes must follow to qualify for Medicare and Medicaid payments. Continue reading
Jul 09 Once politically toxic, Medicare plans to cover end-of-life counseling By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Matt Sedensky, Associated Press WASHINGTON — Six years ago, a proposal for Medicare to cover end-of-life counseling touched off a political uproar that threatened to stall President Barack Obama's health care law in Congress. This week, when Medicare finally announced it would make the… Continue reading
Jul 08 This week’s trifecta of unpleasant Medicare surprises By Philip Moeller Ready for the unpleasant news? Medicare does not cover long-term care. It does not set which drugs are covered. And lastly, Medicare is not voluntary, but mandatory. Phil Moeller explains how to address such unwelcome surprises. Continue reading
Jul 01 Medicare woes: Why the meds your doctor prescribes are outrageously expensive By Philip Moeller If there's one area of Medicare that needs fixing it's how doctors prescribe medications and the Medicare rules under which we pay for them. While your doctor should know better than to prescribe you a drug that costs an arm… Continue reading
Jun 24 What happens to your Medicare when you marry? By Philip Moeller You may not even need Medicare right now, and contrary to folklore, it is perfectly legal to leave the program if you become newly entitled to employer group health insurance. Continue reading
Jun 17 Don’t overlook the benefits of ‘free’ Part A Medicare coverage By Philip Moeller Part A Medicare gets less attention, but it plays an important role in hospital, nursing and home health care. Continue reading
Jun 12 Medicare drug plans favor generic opioids over those designed to avoid abuse, study finds By Michelle Andrews, Kaiser Health News The abuse of prescription painkillers is a growing problem for seniors, as it is for other age groups. But Medicare drug plans are cutting back on coverage for a specially designated type of painkiller that deters abuse in favor of… Continue reading
Jun 10 Why Wall Street loves Medicare Advantage (and why this should bother you) By Philip Moeller A top issuer of Medicare Advantage plans has put itself in play for an acquisition, triggering largely bullish Wall Street reports about the investment appeal of this sector. Continue reading
Jun 03 Should I be paying for this? And more of your Medicare questions By Philip Moeller You can't sleep. Your doctor prescribes you a durable medical device to help—one that Medicare usually covers. But what do you do when the bill falls on you?… Continue reading
May 21 As they lay dying: Medicare rules rob voiceless ALS patients of the ability to communicate By Philip Moeller In early 2014, Medicare changed some of its rules and effectively took away the ability of many people with ALS to communicate. Despite upcoming changes, the current limitations are still being felt by patients and their families. Continue reading