MEDICARE

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) on Wednesday defended his proposal to sunset all federal legislation after five years and slammed President Biden as “confused” in response to Biden’s claim at the State of the Union address that some Republicans want to sunset Social Security and Medicare. “In my plan, I suggested the following: All federal legislation…

Rep. Ruben Gallego accused Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of neglecting to applaud President Biden calling for Medicare to negotiate drug prices in his State of the Union address.

The president is hitting the road to make the case for economic initiatives that were highlighted in Tuesday night's address to a joint session of Congress.

The State of the Union is marked by an unusual back-and-forth between President Biden and Republican lawmakers, notably Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., screamed, “liar” after President Biden claimed during his State of the Union address Tuesday that some Republicans aimed to cut Medicare and Social Security programs.

Republicans erupted when the president said they wanted to cut Social Security and Medicare.

Debt ceiling woes have led to fierce debate about the future of Social Security and Medicare. But how lawmakers address those programs is up for debate.

Twitter flagged a tweet Sunday from President Biden that claimed Republicans threatened to cut Social Security and Medicare – a popular White House notion on the debt ceiling.

Legislation passed in 2020 eliminates the coverage delays that some beneficiaries have faced when they enrolled in Medicare, effective this year.

"It’s totally unrealistic to assume that you can balance the budget and not touch Social Security, Medicare," a fiscal watchdog tells Fox as Congress debates the debt ceiling

A Detroit doctor has been sentenced to nearly 17 years in prison for organizing a vast opioid scheme. The doctor would bill Medicare and insurers for unnecessary prescriptions for opioids.

Debt ceiling negotiations between Democrats and Republicans should not include Social Security and Medicare, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Sunday.

If you picked a Medicare Advantage Plan during the most recent fall annual enrollment period and it's not a good fit, you can make a change through March 31.

The White House hit back after Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said he wants to “strengthen” Medicare and Social Security, arguing on Sunday that the House GOP leader and his conference actually want to slash spending on the entitlement programs. McCarthy said in an interview on CBS’s “Face the Nation” earlier Sunday that he wants to…

WASHINGTON (AP) — For all the sound and fury about raising the nation's debt limit, most economists say federal borrowing is not at a crisis point ...[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]

For all the sound and fury about raising the nation's debt limit, most economists say federal borrowing is not at a crisis point.

By playing up his consistent vow not to cut Social Security and Medicare, the former president hopes to put his chief 2024 GOP rival, who repeatedly voted in Congress to slash both programs, on the back foot.

With one of Medicare's funding sources facing projected insolvency in 2028, the Republican Study Committee includes program changes in its proposed budget.

Spending cuts to balance the budget will require difficult choices that Congress has avoided.

I was proud to vote for the Inflation Reduction Act, because I’m already hearing stories about Americans who can now afford the healthcare they need.

Republicans have indicated that they're willing to hold off on raising the debt ceiling in order to secure cuts to Medicare and Social Security.

Three men were indicted in San Antonio on charges related to a Medicare fraud scheme that totaled $14.5 million.

Trump's comments put him at odds with prominent House Republicans who are pushing for major reductions in the entitlement programs and array of others in exchange for raising the nation’s debt.limit.

The Republican party is continuing to oppose real health care reform. Long-term, it will hurt the GOP politically. But short-term they are dug in.

If debt ceiling negotiations are unsuccessful, the U.S. could default on its debt. Here's what that may mean for Social Security and Medicare.

The deficit has ballooned so much largely because of policy decisions made by Republicans. They are not the party of fiscal responsibility.

A Mississippi orthopedic clinic has agreed to pay $1.87 million settlement. A health care provider at the company allegedly submitted false claims to Medicare and Medicaid.

The federal government for the first time has the power to negotiate Medicare drug prices due to the Inflation Reduction Act.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy made concessions to far-right GOP members to win his seat, which likely include cuts to Medicare and Social Security.

Financial Adulting 101: Here’s why your paycheck is less than you thought it would be.

Most seniors who are eligible for the treatment will have to pay for it out of pocket because Medicare has limited coverage to people participating in studies.

The House GOP is itching for a fight over spending cuts — including to major entitlement programs.

An Alzheimer's drug that removes the substance amyloid from the brain has received a conditional approval from the FDA. A large study found the drug decreased the loss of thinking and memory by 27%.

For some Medicare beneficiaries, a Medigap plan ends up being the best fit for supplemental coverage. Here's what to consider when choosing one.

Patients with long Covid may experience disruptions to their health insurance coverage if they lose their job. Fortunately, they have other options to turn to.

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The government is leaving billions of dollars on the table. Here’s how to fix it.

Millions 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 officials said 254,000 beneficiaries may have had identifying information exposed in a ransomware attack that occurred in October.

Health care is a major issue that has been virtually ignored by Cloud and his GOP compatriots.

Nowhere is that more evident than in federal health programs including Medicare and Medicaid, where several regulations — and laws — add to patient and program costs without improving the quality of care. Those policies include prescription requirements for many medications that have proven safe enough to be sold over the counter. Dallas entrepreneur Mark Cuban, for example, recently opened a cost-plus direct-marketing outlet to provide prescription drugs at lower prices. The company now is talking with hospitals around the country to determine which medications are most used and in short supply. The goal is to increase production of those medicines, such as insulin and cancer drugs, hoping that greater supplies will drive down the traditionally high costs.

Nowhere is that more evident than in federal health programs including Medicare and Medicaid, where several regulations — and laws — add to patient and program costs without improving the quality of care. Those policies include prescription requirements for many medications that have proven safe enough to be sold over the counter. Dallas entrepreneur Mark Cuban, for example, recently opened a cost-plus direct-marketing outlet to provide prescription drugs at lower prices. The company now is talking with hospitals around the country to determine which medications are most used and in short supply. Operating government medical plans less like a bureaucracy and more like an open market would improve Americans’ health care, and improve its fiscal health as well.

For more than two decades, Congress has not found a fix so doctors can continue caring for the nation’s vulnerable Medicare patients.

Medicare Advantage Plans and prescription drug plans often make changes from year-to-year, which means it's worthwhile evaluating your costs for next year.

“People are rightfully concluding,” says former House speaker Paul D. Ryan, that Trump “is becoming more of a political liability.”

The Biden administration announced that it will extend the payment pause on federal student loans while its forgiveness plan remains blocked in the courts.

Taxpayers footed the bill for care that should have cost far less, according to records released under the Freedom of Information Act. The U.S. government may charge insurers $650 million as a result.

The midterm election results were "positive for seniors." Yet some say a fight over Social Security could still be brewing with debt ceiling negotiations.

The effort could further protect patients and taxpayers without harming innovation.

If 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.

In certain situations under current rules, new Medicare beneficiaries have had to wait months for coverage to kick in. Next year, those delays will disappear.

House Republicans who may regain majority in midterm elections say "miracle" of longer lives necessitates raising retirement age.

As beneficiaries are encouraged to review their coverage for 2023, fraudsters may try to capitalize on that and cast a broad net to lure in victims.

The Supreme Court seems likely to reject a call to overturn decades of precedent and limit the ability of individuals to use federal civil rights law to sue.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday seemed unlikely to agree to overturn decades of precedent in a case about civil rights lawsuits, a result that would preserve the ability of individuals to use federal law to sue. The justices had been asked to use a case about a nursing home resident who claimed a violation of his rights to more broadly limit the right to sue. The justices were told that result could leave tens of millions of people who have rights under federal programs including Medicare and Medicaid without access to the courts.

With 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.

The 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.

Many beneficiaries don’t realize that plans change every year, and there are plans specifically tailored to meet one’s needs.

What are the options available?

For 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.

Community First Health Plans is honoring the more mature residents in San Antonio by hosting a Senior Citizen Celebration.

President Joe Biden has signed Democrats’ landmark climate change and health care bill.

Some older Americans are cheering news of a deal on Capitol Hill that could lead to lower drug costs.

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.

The 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.

Senate Democrats want to boost taxes on some high earners and use the money to extend the solvency of Medicare.

A 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 recipients will get a premium reduction — but not until next year.

May is Stroke Awareness Month. Here are steps to best detect if you have symptoms of a stroke.

Biogen is looking for a new CEO less than a year after its launch of its Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm largely fizzled.

Medicare 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.

Medicare says that millions of enrollees will finally have access to free over-the-counter COVID-19 tests at drug stores.

The House has passed a bill capping the monthly cost of insulin at $35 for insured patients.

When the end of the COVID-19 pandemic comes, it could create major disruptions for U.S. health care.

Legislation to limit insulin costs for people with diabetes is getting a new push in the Senate.

Two widely supported bills are encountering delays in the Senate.

The Biden administration says people with Medicare will be able to get up to eight free over-the-counter COVID-19 tests per month, starting in early spring.

Medicare says it's shining a light on key markers for nursing home quality.

Medicare says it will limit coverage of a $28,000-a-year Alzheimer’s drug whose benefits have been widely questioned.

U.S. health secretary Xavier Becerra is ordering Medicare to reassess a big premium increase facing millions of seniors this year.

The head of a Senate panel that oversees Medicare says the Biden administration should cut back a hefty premium increase soon to hit millions of enrollees.

A 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.

President Joe Biden is pledging his social agenda legislation will deliver tangible savings on prescription drugs for all Americans.

Sen. 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.

There are still a few days left to get enrolled for Medicare, as the annual enrollment period runs through Tuesday, Dec. 7.

A recent Stanford study stated that access to primary care providers is associated with a longer life span for populations.

Have you updated your Medicare coverage?

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Do you have questions about the Medicare annual enrollment period?