BREAKING NEWS
Walz unveils Harris' plan for rural voters as campaign looks to cut into Trump's edge
Read full article: Walz unveils Harris' plan for rural voters as campaign looks to cut into Trump's edgeDemocratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz unveiled his ticket’s plans to improve the lives of rural voters as Vice President Kamala Harris looks to cut into former President Donald Trump’s support.
In South Texas congressional race, Monica De La Cruz and Michelle Vallejo spar over health care
Read full article: In South Texas congressional race, Monica De La Cruz and Michelle Vallejo spar over health careThe topic is playing a major role in one of Texas’ only competitive congressional races this year as the competitors debate Medicare, abortion and expanding coverage.
Medicare Advantage shopping season arrives with a dose of confusion and some political implications
Read full article: Medicare Advantage shopping season arrives with a dose of confusion and some political implicationsThinner benefits and coverage changes await many older Americans shopping for health insurance this fall.
An appeals court has revived a challenge to President Biden's Medicare drug price reduction program
Read full article: An appeals court has revived a challenge to President Biden's Medicare drug price reduction programA constitutional challenge to the Biden administration program enabling Medicare to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs has been revived by a federal appeals court.
Are you eligible for a special enrollment period? Here are 7 things you need to know.
Read full article: Are you eligible for a special enrollment period? Here are 7 things you need to know.Life happens and circumstances can change all the time, which is why the special enrollment period exists.
Lost chances to treat overdose survivors are documented in new Medicare study
Read full article: Lost chances to treat overdose survivors are documented in new Medicare studyPeople on Medicare who survived a drug overdose were much more likely to later receive opioid painkillers than any medication to treat addiction — and some went on to die of an overdose.
Can Medicare money protect doctors from abortion crimes? It worked before, desegregating hospitals
Read full article: Can Medicare money protect doctors from abortion crimes? It worked before, desegregating hospitalsThe Supreme Court's decision regarding Idaho's abortion ban may hinge on whether federal spending power can protect doctors against a state's criminal code.
Medicare and Social Security go-broke dates are pushed back in a 'measure of good news'
Read full article: Medicare and Social Security go-broke dates are pushed back in a 'measure of good news'The go-broke dates for benefit programs Medicare and Social Security have been pushed back as an improving economy has contributed to changed projected depletion dates, according to the annual Social Security and Medicare trustees report.
CVS Health chops 2024 forecast as cost struggles with Medicare Advantage persist
Read full article: CVS Health chops 2024 forecast as cost struggles with Medicare Advantage persistCVS Health missed first-quarter expectations and chopped its 2024 outlook more than a dollar below Wall Street’s forecast.
About 1 in 4 US adults 50 and older who aren't yet retired expect to never retire, AARP study finds
Read full article: About 1 in 4 US adults 50 and older who aren't yet retired expect to never retire, AARP study findsAbout one-quarter of U.S. adults age 50 and older who aren't yet retired say they expect to never retire and 70% are concerned about prices rising faster than their income.
Biden sees a $35 price cap for insulin as a pivotal campaign issue. It’s not that clear-cut
Read full article: Biden sees a $35 price cap for insulin as a pivotal campaign issue. It’s not that clear-cutPresident Joe Biden frequently cites insulin prices as he promotes a $35 price cap for Americans with diabetes who are on Medicare.
Understanding health insurance terms: KSAT Explains
Read full article: Understanding health insurance terms: KSAT ExplainsAs if picking a plan wasn’t tough enough, you first have to decipher a long list of terms when it comes to health insurance coverage. The KSAT Explains Team put together a glossary to make that tedious task a little easier.
The federal debt tops $34 trillion and some in Congress want a commission to find ways to tackle it
Read full article: The federal debt tops $34 trillion and some in Congress want a commission to find ways to tackle itA bill to create a bipartisan commission that would tackle the nation’s soaring debt and make policy recommendations to Congress has won approval from a House committee.
Is a local Medicare Advantage plan the best option for you? An expert weighs in.
Read full article: Is a local Medicare Advantage plan the best option for you? An expert weighs in.As the time for Medicare open enrollment nears, people often have many questions. One of the biggest is: Which plan is best for me?
The percentage of uninsured Texans in 2022 dropped to the lowest in a decade
Read full article: The percentage of uninsured Texans in 2022 dropped to the lowest in a decadeTexas is still the state with the highest percentage of uninsured residents, at nearly 17 percent, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau survey released Thursday.
Merck sues federal government, calling plan to negotiate Medicare drug prices extortion
Read full article: Merck sues federal government, calling plan to negotiate Medicare drug prices extortionMerck is suing the federal government over a plan to negotiate Medicare drug prices, calling the program a sham equivalent to extortion.
Debt limit deal is in place, but budget deficit is still a multi-decade challenge for US government
Read full article: Debt limit deal is in place, but budget deficit is still a multi-decade challenge for US governmentEven with new spending restraints included in the congressional debt limit deal, the U.S. government’s deficits are still on course to keep climbing to record levels over the next few decades.
Biden says he's expanding some migrants' health care access
Read full article: Biden says he's expanding some migrants' health care accessPresident Joe Biden says his administration is expanding eligibility for Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance exchanges to hundreds of thousands of immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children.
Most oppose Social Security, Medicare cuts: AP-NORC poll
Read full article: Most oppose Social Security, Medicare cuts: AP-NORC pollAmericans are deeply opposed to cutting into Medicare or Social Security benefits, and most support raising taxes on the nation’s highest earners to keep Medicare running as is.
Medicare, Social Security could fall short over next decade
Read full article: Medicare, Social Security could fall short over next decadeAn annual report on Social Security and Medicare says the financial safety nets millions of older Americans rely on and millions more young people are counting on will run short on funds to pay full benefits within the next decade.
Poll: Cut federal spending — but not big-ticket programs
Read full article: Poll: Cut federal spending — but not big-ticket programsIn the federal budget standoff, the majority of U.S. adults are asking lawmakers to pull off the impossible: Cut the overall size of government, but also devote more money to the most popular and expensive programs.
Haley wants entitlement program changes for younger people
Read full article: Haley wants entitlement program changes for younger peopleRepublican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is proposing changes to entitlement programs for younger generations, opening the door to potential cuts to Social Security and Medicare if elected.
Sen. Rick Scott alters policy plan causing heartburn for GOP
Read full article: Sen. Rick Scott alters policy plan causing heartburn for GOPRepublican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida has amended a plan to overhaul how the federal government works after Democrats repeatedly seized on it to accuse Republicans of looking to cut Medicare and Social Security.
Biden warns of GOP plans for Medicare, Social Security cuts
Read full article: Biden warns of GOP plans for Medicare, Social Security cutsWhen President Joe Biden suggested that Republicans want to slash Medicare and Social Security it brought howls of protests from the GOP side of the aisle during the State of the Union address.
Millions to lose Medicaid coverage under Congress' plan
Read full article: Millions to lose Medicaid coverage under Congress' planMillions of people who enrolled in Medicaid during the COVID-19 pandemic could start to lose their insurance plans by April 1 if Congress passes the $1.7 trillion spending package leaders unveiled Tuesday.
Medicare checklist: Be prepared during the annual enrollment period
Read full article: Medicare checklist: Be prepared during the annual enrollment periodIf you haven’t enrolled in Medicare or reviewed your plan, now is the time to do so. The Medicare Annual Enrollment is going on now through Dec. 7, and choosing a plan is one of the most important health and financial decisions a person can make.
Medicare enrollees warned about deceptive marketing schemes
Read full article: Medicare enrollees warned about deceptive marketing schemesWith Medicare’s open enrollment underway, health experts are warning older adults about an uptick in misleading marketing tactics that might lead some to sign up for Medicare Advantage plans that don’t cover their doctors or prescriptions and drive up their out-of-pocket costs.
Get prepared, understand your health needs during the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period
Read full article: Get prepared, understand your health needs during the Medicare Annual Enrollment PeriodThe Medicare Annual Enrollment Period goes until Dec. 7, but now is the time to start thinking about your choices when it comes to your health.
Millions of Americans will save on Medicare fees next year
Read full article: Millions of Americans will save on Medicare fees next yearFor the first time in a decade, Americans will pay less next year on monthly premiums for Medicare’s Part B plan, which covers routine doctors’ visits and other outpatient care.
The Public Health Emergency will soon end. Here’s what you need to know.
Read full article: The Public Health Emergency will soon end. Here’s what you need to know.During the Public Health Emergency (PHE), millions of Americans have benefited from continuous and uninterrupted Medicaid or CHIP coverage. Soon the PHE will end, and Medicaid and CHIP recipients will need to take action to keep their Texas health care benefits.
Pharmacies can't discriminate on reproductive health scripts
Read full article: Pharmacies can't discriminate on reproductive health scriptsThe Biden administration is warning pharmacies not to discriminate against women who may seek reproductive health prescriptions, including some that might be involved in ending a pregnancy.
Go-broke dates pushed back for Social Security, Medicare
Read full article: Go-broke dates pushed back for Social Security, MedicareA stronger-than-expected economic recovery from the pandemic has pushed back the go-broke dates for Social Security and Medicare, but officials warn that the current economic turbulence is putting additional pressures on the bedrock retirement programs.
Medicare weighs premium cut after limiting Alzheimer's drug
Read full article: Medicare weighs premium cut after limiting Alzheimer's drugMedicare says it’s considering a cut in enrollee premiums, after officials stuck with an earlier decision to sharply limit coverage for a pricey new Alzheimer’s drug projected to drive up program costs.
$56K Alzheimer’s drug avoiding Biden’s cost curbs, for now
Read full article: $56K Alzheimer’s drug avoiding Biden’s cost curbs, for nowA new $56,000-a-year Alzheimer’s medication that’s leading to one of the biggest increases ever in Medicare premiums is highlighting the limitations of President Joe Biden’s strategy for curbing prescription drug costs.
Sanders to Biden: Cut back looming Medicare premium hike
Read full article: Sanders to Biden: Cut back looming Medicare premium hikeSen. Bernie Sanders is asking the White House to cut back a big Medicare premium hike set to take effect in weeks and tied to a pricey Alzheimer’s drug whose benefits have been widely questioned.
Cap on drug price hikes for privately insured sparks battle
Read full article: Cap on drug price hikes for privately insured sparks battleWorkers and families with private health insurance would reap savings on prescription drugs from a little-noticed provision in President Joe Biden's social agenda bill.
Questions to go over with Medicare beneficiaries before the annual Medicare enrollment period ends
Read full article: Questions to go over with Medicare beneficiaries before the annual Medicare enrollment period endsTime is ticking because the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) for 2022 ends on Dec. 7, 2021.
Real Medicare drug savings in Dems' bill — but not overnight
Read full article: Real Medicare drug savings in Dems' bill — but not overnightMedicare enrollees who take expensive medicines could save thousands of dollars a year under the Democrats’ sweeping social agenda bill, but those dividends won’t come overnight.
Democrats reach drug price deal, Biden upbeat on Manchin
Read full article: Democrats reach drug price deal, Biden upbeat on ManchinDemocrats say they have sealed a deal to lower pharmaceutical drug costs for most older Americans as part of President Joe Biden’s sweeping $1.75 trillion domestic proposal.
Paid leave, immigration, tax changes added to Biden bill
Read full article: Paid leave, immigration, tax changes added to Biden billHouse Democrats have added paid family and medical leave, immigration law changes and a state-and-local tax break to their $1.75 trillion social services and environmental bill.
Dems see progress in adding drug cost curbs to budget bill
Read full article: Dems see progress in adding drug cost curbs to budget billTwo congressional aides say Democrats have made significant progress on adding compromise provisions curbing prescription drug prices to their massive social and environment package.
Medicaid issues, not Medicare's, get fixes in Biden budget
Read full article: Medicaid issues, not Medicare's, get fixes in Biden budgetMedicaid issues are turning up as winners in President Joe Biden’s social budget framework even as divisions force Democrats to hit pause on far-reaching improvements to Medicare.
Updating your Medicare coverage? These medical experts discuss commonly asked questions
Read full article: Updating your Medicare coverage? These medical experts discuss commonly asked questionsNow is the time for Medicare beneficiaries to make changes to Medicare coverage, as one’s health status, budget and plans can change each year.
Need Medicare coverage? This group explains the basics of plans offered
Read full article: Need Medicare coverage? This group explains the basics of plans offeredWith Medicare enrollment right around the corner, it’s important to be prepared during this next phase of life and to help guide your loved ones during the process.
Texas nursing homes turn to state for help with staffing woes as vaccine mandate looms
Read full article: Texas nursing homes turn to state for help with staffing woes as vaccine mandate loomsAbout 40% of Texas nursing home workers are unvaccinated and could face dismissal or quit their jobs under a federal vaccination requirement for the industry.
Agonizing choices as Dems debate shrinking health care pie
Read full article: Agonizing choices as Dems debate shrinking health care pieDemocrats are fretting about how they’d divide a shrinking pie amid signs that negotiations over President Joe Biden’s massive domestic policy bill could yield a smaller serving of health care spending.
COVID recession pushed Social Security insolvency up a year
Read full article: COVID recession pushed Social Security insolvency up a yearThe sharp shock of the coronavirus recession pushed Social Security a year closer to insolvency but left Medicare’s exhaustion date unchanged, the government reported Tuesday.
As COVID rises, a vexing hunt for nursing home vaccine stats
Read full article: As COVID rises, a vexing hunt for nursing home vaccine statsWith COVID-19 on the rise again and many nursing home staffers unvaccinated, families still lack easy access to crucial Medicare immunization data that will help them pick the right facility for their loved one.
San Antonio physician’s assistant, clinic owner admits to fraud, kickback scheme, US Attorney’s Office says
Read full article: San Antonio physician’s assistant, clinic owner admits to fraud, kickback scheme, US Attorney’s Office saysA physician’s assistant in San Antonio has pleaded guilty to Medicaid and Medicare fraud and could face up to 20 years in prison.
Feds take down Medicare scams that preyed on virus fears
Read full article: Feds take down Medicare scams that preyed on virus fearsThe Justice Department is announcing criminal charges against more than a dozen people from Florida to California in a series of Medicare scams that exploited coronavirus fears to bill tens of millions of dollars in bogus claims.