MEDICARE

The enhanced child tax credit, paid family leave and subsidized child care would be all help many low- and middle-income families financially.

Have you updated your Medicare coverage?

While the bill is not a done deal, the House passage means provisions to improve Medicare are a step closer to becoming law.

Workers 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.

The House has passed the largest expansion of the social safety net in decades, a $1.75 trillion bill that funds President Joe Biden's top priorities.

A surtax on millionaires is under consideration by Democrats in the U.S. Congress trying to pay for President Joe Biden’s $1.75 trillion social spending plan. The add-on could increase the top tax rate on income to as much as 45% for tens of thousands of well-off Americans, up from 37% currently. It’s an alternative to a series of proposals to tax wealth, not just income, including a proposed billionaire tax that was shot down almost as soon as it was raised.

Retirees who are "unretiring" to rejoin the workforce and are on Medicare may have a choice of whether to keep that health-care coverage or drop it.

With Medicare's standard Part B premium jumping to $170.10 next year, monthly surcharges for higher-income beneficiaries will go up, as well.

Shelia Griffith, program manager for the Alzheimer's Association, joined us to discuss the role of exercise and diet in preventing dementia.

Officials say a new Alzheimer's drug is responsible for about half of that.

The standard premium for Part B, which covers outpatient care and durable equipment, will be $170.10 next year, up $21.60 from $148.50 this year.

Medicare’s “Part B” outpatient premium will jump by $21.60 a month in 2022, one of the largest increases ever.

Medicare's “Part B” outpatient premium will jump by $21.60 next year, one of the largest increases ever. Officials said Friday a new Alzheimer's drug is responsible for about half of that. The increase guarantees that health care will gobble up a big chunk of the recently announced Social Security cost-of-living allowance, a boost that had worked out to $92 a month for the average retired worker, intended to help cover rising prices for gas and food that are pinching seniors.

Prescription drug plans are modified every year, meaning your premiums, deductibles and the cost of specific medicines could be changing.

While there is no requirement that veterans using VA health care enroll in Medicare, there are reasons they should explore the benefits of doing so.

Time is ticking because the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) for 2022 ends on Dec. 7, 2021.

Medicare 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.

If your income is lower than what the Social Security Administration thinks it is, you can appeal the monthly charges.

The $1.2 trillion infrastructure package and nearly $2 trillion "Build Back Better" plan are widely expected to lift growth and jobs in the coming years. Inflation could increase next year, but many costs would go down for lower-income households.

While adding hearing services to Medicare would plug one coverage hole, there are others that enrollees should prepare themselves for.

Medicare enrollment and benefits are an important topic, especially since the annual enrollment period for Medicare started in October.

The pharmaceutical industry has employed three lobbyists for every member of Congress this year.

Liberals frame the deal as a precedent that will allow Medicare to curb drug prices more substantially in coming years.

The Medicare-related provisions are part of Democrats' legislative plan to strengthen the social safety net.

House 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.

Democrats 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.

House Democrats added a new paid family leave program, immigrant work permits and a state-and-local tax break to President Joe Biden’s $1.75 trillion social services and environmental bill Wednesday, reviving key priorities in the rush to finish up and start voting after dismal overnight election results. The House Rules Committee convened late Wednesday afternoon to consider the updated text of the now-sprawling 2,135-page package — a crucial step ahead of initial House votes that are possible as soon as Thursday. The flurry of last-minute additions — on top of a plan to include lower Medicare prescription drug prices — comes as Democrats are desperate to deliver on Biden's signature domestic proposals after grim election results for the party in Virginia, a warning that their grip on power could be in peril in next year's midterms.

The agreement overcomes a key sticking point in ongoing negotiations over the president's domestic policy agenda.

Have questions about the Medicare annual enrollment period?

Two congressional aides say Democrats have made significant progress on adding compromise provisions curbing prescription drug prices to their massive social and environment package.

A surtax on millionaires is under consideration by Democrats in the U.S. Congress trying to pay for President Joe Biden’s $1.75 trillion social spending plan. The add-on could increase the top tax rate on income to as much as 45% for tens of thousands of well-off Americans, up from 37% currently. It’s an alternative to a series of proposals to tax wealth, not just income, including a proposed billionaire tax that was shot down almost as soon as it was raised.

Without dental insurance, William Stork has put off getting his rotten tooth pulled; Medicare doesn't cover the $1,000 procedure. Dentists can't agree whether all seniors should get that benefit.

Medicaid 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.

Biden plans to expand Medicare – the federal health insurance program for the elderly – to cover hearing benefits.

Proposals to include dental, vision and hearing coverage in Medicare, as well as expand Medicaid, may be cut as Democrats try to make a deal on budget bill.

Considering getting braces this fall for the kids or even for yourself?

Health provisions remain a sticking point in spending package amid efforts to reduce price tag, rally factions.

Now is the time for Medicare beneficiaries to make changes to Medicare coverage, as one’s health status, budget and plans can change each year.

For more than 55 years, Medicare has followed a simple policy: covered benefits are the same, no matter if you’re rich, poor, or in-between. The so-called “means test” is drawing internal opposition from many Democratic lawmakers, as well as advocacy groups for older people, like AARP. The White House did not respond to requests for comment.

While Advantage Plans have continued growing in popularity among Medicare beneficiaries, it's important to know the pros and cons of such coverage.

Do you have questions about the Medicare annual enrollment period?

With the specifics of Medicare health plans changing from year to year, not checking to see if there's a better option can be a costly mistake.

Although a majority of Medicare beneficiaries do not compare plans during open enrollment, experts say that can be a costly mistake.

The chairman of the Senate Budget Committee targeted the West Virginia moderate over his view of the role government should play.

Negotiating Medicare drug prices is a linchpin of President Joe Biden's ambitious health care agenda.

Negotiating with Medicare is a bit like negotiating with a mobster seeking protection money. Behind the thin pretense of choice lies a heavy threat of force.

A McAllen man accused of accepting more than $700,000 in bribes and carrying out a Medicare kickback scheme pleaded guilty in federal court Friday. As part of the agreement, Mallard pleaded guilty to the allegations, admitted he was bribed with approximately $766,310, and agreed to pay back that amount. In turn, the pharmacy would pay Mallard a commission from which he would be required to pay a kickback to the doctor and his son. Mallard is also tied to another kickback scheme involving the referral of genetic testing. On Friday, he pleaded guilty to the allegations related to that conspiracy as well, admitting to receiving about $710,058 from it.

With 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.

About 40% of Texas nursing home workers are unvaccinated and could face dismissal or quit their jobs under a federal vaccination requirement for the industry.

Democrats 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.

Fue un mensaje del que se hicieron eco otros, incluida la directora ejecutiva de Preventative Care Health Services, Linda Molinar. Perder a esos pacientes no es una opción, esos pacientes son la razón por la que estamos aquí ”, dijo en una entrevista la semana pasada. “Durante el aumento más reciente de casos, experimentamos las mismas preocupaciones de personal que los hospitales de todo el país”, dijo Hucke de BBRMC. Molinar estuvo de acuerdo y dijo que la escasez de personal ya existente en sus instalaciones podría agravarse con el nuevo mandato. Según CMS, los datos muestran que las tasas de vacunación más altas entre los proveedores de atención médica y el personal se correlacionan con tasas de infección más bajas entre los pacientes que los ven para recibir atención.

By Abbie PerraultFAR WEST TEXAS – Amid staffing shortages and vaccine hesitancy, some local healthcare providers are reluctant to implement mandatory vaccine policies ahead of a federal mandate that goes into effect in October. Earlier this month, President Joe Biden announced that vaccines would become mandatory for all staff at healthcare facilities that accept Medicare and Medicaid. That expanded the requirement on nursing homes to now include hospitals, home healthcare providers, dialysis facilities and more. We are already in the process of consulting with legal experts, as well as local, state and federal agencies to determine our rights and abilities under this federal mandate,” Tippin told employees. According to CMS, data shows that higher vaccination rates among healthcare providers and staff correlate to lower infection rates among patients who see them for care.

Routine cleanings and other preventative services aren't affordable for tens of millions of Americans on Medicare.

Medical news in the Fredericksburg area

Lone Mountain, home to Big Sky Resort in Montana, is whitened by the first snow of the season in this timelapse from Sept. 18 to 19, 2021.

A bill in Congress would allow Medicare to use its bulk-purchasing power to negotiate lower drug prices. Big Pharma is not pleased Congressman Scott Peters is the House’s top recipient of pharmaceutical industry donations in the 2022 election cycle. Photograph: Daniel Knighton/Getty Images The three conservative Democratic lawmakers threatening to kill their party’s drug pricing legislation have raked in roughly $1.6m of campaign cash from donors in the pharmaceutical and health products industr

A House committee has dealt an ominous if tentative blow to President Joe Biden’s social and environment package.

There's a reason Republicans and Democrats both talk a lot about controlling Medicare spending on prescription drugs, but never actually get the job done.

"I think what we're looking at is here's $1000 right away, use that to go to a dentist if you cannot afford to go," Sen. Bernie Sanders told Insider.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is proposing to kill a regulation the agency finalized earlier this year under the Trump administration that would have required Medicare to pay for any medical device deemed as a "breakthrough" by the FDA.Driving the news: After receiving public feedback, CMS determined the rule was "not in the best interest of Medicare beneficiaries because the rule may provide coverage without adequate evidence that the breakthrough device would be a reasonable and

Pelosi Democrats are focused on helping low-income Americans. Sanders Democrats would hand out money to people who need it least, to expand Medicare and government.

Despite the looming insolvency of a Medicare trust fund, Democrats' $3.5 trillion spending plan would expand the program. Here's how that could happen.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s declaration that lawmakers have less time to raise or suspend the statutory limit on federal borrowing threatened to turn up the political heat on Congress in what already is a jam-packed month.

A shrinking workforce may also pose trouble for the program, which relies on payroll taxes to finance benefits.

Biden’s budget plan would create a vast new network of European-style government entitlements that would inevitably lead to European-style taxes.

The Social Security retirement fund will be insolvent by 2033, one year earlier than previously reported and in part because of the pandemic.

A shrinking workforce may also pose trouble for the program, which relies on payroll taxes to finance benefits.

A shrinking workforce may also pose trouble for the program, which relies on payroll taxes to finance benefits.

The new projections in the annual Social Security and Medicare trustees reports indicate that the program will be unable to pay full benefits in 2034. Last year's estimated exhaustion date was 2035.

The 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.

With 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.

A physician’s assistant in San Antonio has pleaded guilty to Medicaid and Medicare fraud and could face up to 20 years in prison.

A government watchdog says that deaths among Medicare patients in nursing homes soared by 32% last year amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Affordable Care Act is now secure in the framework of the nation’s health care programs, and Democrats are eager to leap above and beyond.

Democrats are committed to passing legislation this year to curb prescription drug prices.

A new report says the $56,000 Alzheimer’s drug approved this week would raise Medicare premiums broadly.

The 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.

Medicare says it will require nursing homes to report COVID-19 vaccination rates for residents and staff.

President Joe Biden’s call for authorizing Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices has energized Democrats on a politically popular idea they’ve been pushing for nearly 20 years only to encounter frustration.

The agency oversees government health insurance programs covering more than 1 out of 3 Americans and is a linchpin of the health care system. CMS also plays a central role in the nation’s $4 trillion health care economy, setting Medicare payment rates for hospitals, doctors, labs and other service providers. The agency also sets standards that govern how health care providers operate. “She is well-respected and liked by the department veterans who have worked with her in the past.”Years ago, Brooks-LaSure worked with Biden's nominee to run HHS, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra. AdUnder Biden, Brooks-LaSure will be expected to grow Obamacare enrollment by promoting HealthCare.gov and trying to persuade holdout states to adopt Medicaid expansion.

The Trump regulation would tie what Medicare pays for certain drugs administered in a doctor's office to the lowest price paid among a group of economically advanced countries. Some opponents have likened the Trump policy to a form of socialist price controls. Trump came into office accusing drug companies of “getting away with murder” and promising to slash costs for American patients. Even if the Trump rule is ultimately blocked, the idea of using international prices to lower costs for Americans is very much alive. It's at the heart of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's legislation to empower Medicare to negotiate drug prices.

FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2020, file photo, President Donald Trump speaks from the Blue Room Balcony of the White House to a crowd of supporters in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)WASHINGTON – The Trump administration is trying to revive the president's stalled election-eve plan to send millions of Medicare recipients a $200 prescription discount card. White House spokesman Judd Deere confirmed the administration is continuing to move forward. “It’s simply good policy, and demonstrates President Trump is continuing to deliver on his promises to our nation’s seniors to lower drug prices." Pallone dismissed the latest White House push.

Dr. Rowland Reyna, founder and CEO of HealthTexas, and Glenda Pope, local sales director for United Healthcare, explain what is included in the Dual Complete plan. 1) Who qualifies for the Dual Complete plan? “People who have Medicare and find that money is tight (or are on Medicaid) may qualify for a UnitedHealthcare Dual Complete plan, a type of dual special needs Medicare Advantage health plan, which allows you to get better benefits,” Pope said. A UnitedHealthcare Dual Complete plan can help people by coordinating their care. 3) Are Dual Complete plans available in our area?

The Trump administration disputes that and says its rule could potentially result in 30% savings for patients. It also would allow private insurance plans for workers and their families get Medicare's lower prices. Trump has taken other action to lower prescription drug costs by opening a legal path for importing medicines from abroad. Also, Medicare drug plans that cap insulin costs at $35 a month are available during open enrollment, currently underway. The Food and Drug Administration has put a priority on approving generics, which cost less.

And just like the Trump administration, Biden is expected to aggressively wield the rule-making powers of the executive branch to address health insurance coverage and prescription drug costs. With COVID-19 surging across the country, Biden's top health care priority is whipping the federal government’s response into shape. “We’re going to work quickly with the Congress to dramatically ramp up health care protections, get Americans universal coverage, lower health care costs, as soon as humanly possible,” the president-elect said earlier this week. A factor that may work in Biden's favor is that many Republicans want to change the subject on health care. Coronavirus relief legislation could provide an early vehicle for some broader health care changes.

There are only a few weeks left for the Medicare annual enrollment period -- the time when millions of Americans will make important decisions about their health care coverage for 2021. Whether you’re enrolling in Medicare or looking to change your coverage, now is the time to do it. Dr. Rowland Reyna, founder and CEO of HealthTexas, and Glenda Pope, local sales director for United Healthcare, explain why it’s important to review your Medicare plans for 2021. “You will still have coverage, but it’s very important to make a decision right now, because things change,” Pope explained. “Your plan could change and your health conditions can change -- even your finances can change.

The Medicare annual enrollment period has just begun, and those who are turning 65 can explore their Medicare Advantage benefits. As Medicare terminology can be difficult to understand, the Gonzaba Medical Group is available to help answer any questions seniors may have. The deadline to make a change to your Medicare plan is Dec. 7. For those who may be looking for personalized, coordinated care, Gonzaba Medical Group has been serving the San Antonio community with premier senior care for 60 years. The medical group offers grocery giveaways for seniors, Zumba classes, free technology training, coordinated care, in-house specialty care and in-house imaging services.

The annual enrollment period for Medicare coverage for 2021 ends Dec. 7If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241.

The regulations from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, will also increase what Medicare pays hospitals for COVID-19 treatments. Under Wednesday's announcement:— Seniors with traditional Medicare will pay nothing for COVID-19 vaccines, and any copays and deductibles are waived. — The government will pay private Medicare Advantage plans to administer the vaccine to seniors. — Workplace and individual health insurance plans will cover the COVID-19 vaccine as a preventive service, with no cost sharing. — State Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance plans will have to provide vaccines for free for the duration of the coronavirus public health emergency.

WASHINGTON – Medicare will cover the yet-to-be approved coronavirus vaccine free for older people under a policy change expected to be announced shortly, a senior Trump administration official said Tuesday. It's questionable under normal circumstances if Medicare can pay for a drug that receives emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration, as expected for the eventual coronavirus vaccine. A White House-backed initiative called “Operation Warp Speed” is pushing to have a vaccine ready for distribution in the coming months. States have already begun submitting their plans for vaccine distribution to the federal government. Initially, it's expected vaccines will go to people in high-risk groups such as medical personnel, frontline workers and nursing home residents and staff.

Dr. Victor Soria with WellMed answered some commonly asked questions regarding the Annual Enrollment Period for Medicare. An alarming percentage of Americans are delaying or putting off routine screenings like a mammogram for fear of getting COVID-19. What can Medicare patients do during AEP? Switch from original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan, switch Medicare Advantage plans, dis-enroll from a Medicare Advantage plan and return to original Medicare, enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan, switch Medicare prescription drug plans or dis-enroll from a Medicare prescription drug plan. How do they communicate and coordinate care with their patient’s other care teams, such as specialists and hospitalists?

Dr. Rowland Reyna, founder and CEO of HealthTexas explains why it’s important to review your Medicare plans for 2021. Make sure your medications are covered in the Medicare plan. Confirm your preferred doctors and hospitals are available through the Medicare plan you’re considering. What advantages does a Medicare Advantage Plan have over traditional Medicare? A Medicare Advantage Plan covers all health and prescription coverage needs and includes added-value services such as dental, vision and hearing.

The Medicare annual enrollment period has just begun, and those turning age 65 can explore their Medicare Advantage benefits. “It’s an opportunity for Medicare beneficiaries, even those that are just getting on to Medicare," said Erica Gonzaba, at Gonzaba Medical Group. The deadline to make a change to your Medicare plan is Dec. 7. Often known as a Medicare Advantage Plan or Supplement Plan, this may offer additional coverage for hospital services, doctor office visits and prescription drugs. If you’re looking for personalized, coordinated care, Gonzaba Medical Group has been serving the San Antonio community for 60 years.

SAN ANTONIO – Today on SA Live, everything seniors! We’re honoring the senior citizens in our lives with healthy recipes, makeovers, art therapy, meditation, Get Fit Friday virtual physical therapy and everything you need to know about the Medicare annual enrollment period. ❤️ Share pics and look for them today from 1 to 2 p.m. on SA Live's GONZABA MEDICAL GROUP Takeover Show! 📸: Mike's parents, Fiona's mom Posted by SA Live on Friday, October 16, 2020Have questions about the Medicare annual enrollment period? Gonzaba Medical Group has answers!

Medical group offers virtual assistance for physical therapy | SA Live | KSAT12Published: October 16, 2020, 1:29 pmIf you’re looking for personalized, coordinated care, Gonzaba Medical Group has been serving the San Antonio community for 60 years. The medical group also offers grocery giveaways for seniors, Zumba classes and free technology training.

A White House official had no comment on the status of the prescription cards, which Trump announced with a flourish last month during a health care speech in Charlotte, N.C. We will provide more information about the prescription drug cards soon.”One administration official said the odds are 75-25 the plan will not happen. Among them:— The White House asserted that Medicare could legally send out the discount cards under its authority to conduct “demonstration programs” testing new ideas. The $200 would test if extra cash made seniors more likely to stay on their medications and avoid costly hospitalizations. “It would do relatively little for seniors with truly catastrophic prescription drug expenses,” she said.

Seniors, the Medicare annual enrollment period has just begun and those turning age 65 can explore their Medicare Advantage benefits. The deadline to make a change to your Medicare plan is Dec. 7. This plan pays for doctor services, outpatient hospital care, and home health care that is not covered by in Part A. If you’re looking for personalized, coordinated care, Gonzaba Medical Group has been serving the San Antonio community for 60 years. Tune in to SA Live on Friday as Gonzaba Medical Group will be answering the most commonly asked questions regarding the Medicare enrollment period.

You can spot scammers with these tips:Don’t give out personal information when you didn’t initiate the contact. Some emails seem to come from a trusted source asking you to update personal information. Medicare scamsMedicare scams often involve fraudsters posing as health care professionals or Medicare representatives who attempt to have the elderly provide personal information and/or their Medicare ID number. If contact is made via telephone, Medicare will not ask for specific account numbers, details, or personal identifying information. For more information, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau offers information on how to guard your new Medicare ID card.

Medicare enrollees can get prescription drug coverage by purchasing a “Part D” drug plan or by joining a Medicare Advantage plan. Announcing the savings cards Thursday at a speech in Charlotte, N.C., Trump called it a “historic provision” to benefit seniors. “These cards are incredible.”Using Trump's figure of 33 million people getting the $200 cards, the cost would work out to $6.6 billion, not including administrative expenses. The White House says the prescription cards are definitely coming. Oregon Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden, coauthor of the bipartisan drug cost bill that stalled even with the president's endorsement, called the whole exercise a gimmick.

The consultants, many with Republican Party ties, billed taxpayers up to $380 per hour on work largely aimed at polishing the profile of Medicare administrator Seema Verma, the investigators wrote. The contractors were “handpicked” by Verma's aides, the report said, creating “a shadow operation" that sidelined the communications staff of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. “Congress did not intend for Administrator Verma or other senior CMS officials to use taxpayer dollars to stockpile CMS with handpicked consultants or promote Administrator Verma’s public profile and personal brand,” the report said. “Given the reckless disregard she has shown for the public’s trust, Administrator Verma should reimburse the taxpayers for these inappropriate expenditures,” it said. The report released Thursday was prepared by the Democratic staffs of two Senate and two House committees.