Latest Medicare News
Kate Ashford: Can you afford health care in retirement?
At age 65, some couples may need as much as $413,000 to cover health care costs in retirement, according to a January report from the Employee Benefit Research Institute. That’s an extreme case, representing two people with high prescription drug costs — but it’s not outside the realm of...
Are you in the wrong Medicare Advantage plan? What to review now
Many people choose Medicare Advantage plans without exploring their options or noticing what changes their plan may have made, according to research from KFF, a health policy nonprofit. But now that a new year has started, you may realize the plan you picked during Medicare’s fall open enrollment...
CVS Health grows more cautious about 2024 as it deals with rising Medicare Advantage costs
Busy Medicare Advantage businesses have CVS Health and other insurance providers spooked about the new year. The health care giant said Wednesday that it was scaling back already cautious expectations for 2024 as it tries to understand why costs keep rising from the privately run...
Cigna trims portfolio by selling Medicare business for $3.7 billion to Health Care Service Corp.
The Cigna Group will sell its Medicare business to another insurer, Health Care Service Corp., for about $3.7 billion. Cigna said Wednesday the deal includes its Medicare Advantage insurance, a supplemental benefits business and Medicare prescription drug coverage. Medicare Advantage...
Late-year medical costs spike forces Humana to scale back profit expectations for 2023
Shares of Humana tumbled Thursday after the health insurer said it was dealing with higher-than-expected costs from its Medicare Advantage customers, forcing it to chop profit expectations. The update from Humana arrived less than a week after rival UnitedHealth Group surprised Wall...
Editorial Roundup: Minnesota
Mankato Free Press. January 7, 2024. Editorial: Women’s pro hockey a welcome addition to Minnesota It was no ordinary victory when the hockey game ended with a score of 3-2. The win for the Minnesota women’s professional team against Boston on...
Do I really need supplemental insurance (Medigap) with Medicare?
About 41% of Original Medicare beneficiaries had Medicare Supplement Insurance, or Medigap, in 2021, according to a February 2023 report summarizing enrollment data from AHIP, a national health insurance trade association. For the other 59%, Medicare has some “gaps” that could be costly. ...
New weight loss drugs are out of reach for millions of older Americans because Medicare won't pay
WASHINGTON (AP) — New obesity drugs are showing promising results in helping some people shed pounds but the injections will remain out of reach for millions of older Americans because Medicare is forbidden to cover such medications. Drugmakers and a wide-ranging and growing...
Hawaii announces first recipients of student loan payment program for health care workers
HONOLULU (AP) — The state has announced the first recipients of a program aimed at helping medical professionals pay off student loans in exchange for a two-year commitment to provide care in Hawaii. Gov. Josh Green on Friday thanked state lawmakers for providing $30 million to...
Community Health Network to pay government $345M to settle Medicare fraud charges
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — An Indianapolis-based health network has agreed to pay the government $345 million to resolve charges it defrauded Medicare by overpaying doctors who referred patients to its facilities, prosecutors said Tuesday. The agreement settles allegations that senior...