Jan 25 Column: Why is my Medicare Part B premium more than my husband’s? By Philip Moeller Why are Medicare Part B premiums different for a married couple if they have identical Medicare insurance plans? Journalist Phil Moeller explains. Continue reading
Jan 19 Column: Broke baby boomers, it’s time to face reality By Elizabeth White Elizabeth White had a comfortable upper-middle-class lifestyle. She lost it all. She talks about how to create a "new normal."… Continue reading
Jan 18 Care provider directories wrong nearly half the time in Medicare Advantage plan lists By Philip Moeller Most Medicare Advantage plans either prevent people from using providers not in their networks or charge them higher rates for out-of-network care. It’s thus very important that people review a plan’s network directory before enrolling in a plan. But what… Continue reading
Jan 10 Column: Social Security will reduce paper statements in 2017. Here’s why it shouldn’t By Philip Moeller The Social Security Administration just announced it would curtail sending paper statements to many people in order to save money. This is as bad an idea now as it was the last time the agency did this several years ago. Continue reading
Dec 28 Growing number of Americans are retiring outside the U.S. By MARIA ZAMUDIO, for the Associated Press Just under 400,000 American retirees are now living abroad, according to the Social Security Administration. Continue reading
Nov 02 Here’s how to find the Medicare Part D drug plan right for you By Philip Moeller For 2017 plans, active shopping may yield the greatest benefits in Medicare Part D prescription drug plans. Continue reading
Oct 26 Column: Questionable Social Security and Medicare policies put seniors in a bind By Philip Moeller Social Security announced last week that its annual cost of living adjustment would be a paltry three-tenths of 1 percent in 2017. This small increase is not only unfair to Social Security recipients, but will also trigger an absolute mess… Continue reading
Sep 28 How do the Affordable Care Act and Medicare interact? By Philip Moeller By design, state health exchanges and Medicare are not supposed to work together. Continue reading
Sep 22 I keep falling. Will Medicare cover a home health aide? By Philip Moeller Medicare usually only covers things that are deemed medically necessary by your doctor or another health care professional. But what's considered "medically necessary"?… Continue reading
Sep 14 Last year’s COLA headache is likely to return this fall By Philip Moeller The wheels started falling off this wagon last year, because there was no consumer price inflation and thus a zero COLA for 2016. Medicare expenses and premiums continued to rise, however. Continue reading