For years, government agencies and independent experts have reported that Medicare Advantage insurers game the Medicare payment system to generate billions of dollars in extra revenue from the...
Diane Archer
Even with Medicare, older adults struggle to afford their care
Maggie Shaw writes in AJMC about new findings reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine that many older adults struggle to pay the $1,600 Medicare Part A deductible. These findings corroborate a...
Blue Zones: Do they really promote long lives?
Twenty years ago, Dan Buettner started writing about Blue Zones, places on this earth where people allegedly live long healthy lives. The public has been transfixed. While people in the Blue Zones...
Senate investigation shows high Medicare Advantage denial rates...
One thing’s for sure. If there’s a way for the UnitedHealth, Humana and CVS/Aetna to profit off of Medicare Advantage, they will find it. We know that they overcharge the government more...
New treatment for baldness?
Lots of men struggle with male pattern baldness as they age, as do plenty of women. Tom Howarth reports for BBC Science Focus on what may be a new cure. It’s a sugar that we create naturally in...
Getting public assistance? Beware of Medicare Advantage flex...
Maya Goldman reports for Axios on the risks of Medicare Advantage flex cards for people getting public assistance. The extra money people think they’re getting through a flex card could mean...
2024: What to know this Medicare Open Enrollment Period
During this Medicare Open Enrollment Period, here’s the most important thing you need to know: You gamble with your health if you are in the Medicare Advantage program. Your upfront costs are...
2024: Get your flu shot!
It’s important to get a flu shot every year, no matter how old you are. It’s particularly important for older adults. Now that it’s sweater weather and fall is here, it’s time to get your flu...
2025: Fewer Medicare Advantage plans get five stars
To encourage insurers to perform well and help people choose a Medicare Advantage plan, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which administers Medicare, rates the performance of...
Insurers pay Medicare Advantage brokers to steer you away from...
Medicare Advantage insurers incentivize brokers to mislead people about their Medicare choices. A number of Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) Commissioners want to stop Medicare Advantage...