Tag Archives: Medicare

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RadioPublic | Stitcher | RSS In January, I became one of the millions of Americans enrolled in Medicare. The process of joining the 61 million Americans now enrolled in our national health insurance system for seniors and folks with certain disabilities …

This is the time of year when seniors face a barrage of messages about their Medicare coverage — everything from insurance companies’ direct mail blitzes and television ads to the federal government’s emails and mailings. All of it focuses on the fall open enrollment season, the annual opportunity to change …

Photo by sebra / Shutterstock.com As the leaves begin to fall and the nights grow longer, seniors across America have the chance to tweak their Medicare coverage into something that suits them better. But relatively few do so. In fact, less than half of beneficiaries — 43% — say they …

Photo by De Visu / Shutterstock.com Health care already accounts for about 10% of spending, on average, by households headed by seniors. And 2021 brings more bad news for the pocketbooks of seniors on Original Medicare. Several premiums and deductibles for folks with the traditional Medicare health insurance are increasing …

Photo by fizkes / Shutterstock.com For seniors considering switching to a Medicare Advantage plan during the current Medicare open enrollment period — which runs through Dec. 7 — choosing a plan might be tougher than ever. The number of Medicare Advantage plans for 2021 is greater than ever, according to …

CREATISTA / Shutterstock.com Retirement is a time of transition and new beginnings. That’s a nice way of saying it’s when most people first tangle with the federal government on health care. Age 65 is generally when you become eligible for Medicare, the federal health care insurance program. But the rules, …

Photo by BMPhotolab / Shutterstock.com Millions of Americans patiently count the days until they become eligible for Medicare, the federal health insurance program that primarily serves seniors. Most people gain access to Medicare when they turn 65. Qualifying for Medicare is such a key milestone that some people delay retirement …

Photo by Kzenon / Shutterstock.com Living on the East Coast has its advantages — ocean views, vibrant cities and the country’s best Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage. Four of the five states that have the best available Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage are located in the Eastern …

Hospitals across the country are charging private insurance companies 2.5 times what they get from Medicare for the same care, according to a new RAND Corporation study of hospital prices released on Friday. In a half-dozen of 49 states in the survey, including West Virginia and Florida, private insurers paid …