Make no mistake. Traditional Medicare, which is government-administered, and Medicare Advantage, which is administered by corporate insurers, are as different as night and day. But, it’s easy to...
Diane Archer
Congress should eliminate the cap on Social Security...
In an opinion piece for Bloomberg News, Teresa Ghilarducci explains why Congress should eliminate the payroll contribution cap on Social Security. The current cap is $160,200, which means that at...
Retirement Reboot: What you should know and how to plan ahead
Once you retire, how will you replace your working income to maintain your standard of living? In his new book, Retirement Reboot, Mark Miller offers simple, practical guidance to help ensure that...
Hospitals overbill Medicare, driving up costs for everyone
At the end of last year, the HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report listing its top recommendations to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that CMS has not...
Germans force competition among drug companies; should the US...
In an article for Health Affairs, James C. Robinson argues that the US should take a page from Germany to drive competition among pharmaceutical companies and to lower drug costs for individuals...
What are your Medicare premium and other costs in 2023?
In 2023, the standard monthly Medicare Part B premium, which covers medical and outpatient care, is $164.90, a monthly decrease of $5.20 from $170.10, for people with annual incomes of $97,000 or...
Government rules won’t curtail Medicare Advantage bad acts...
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the agency charged with overseeing Medicare, recently released a series of proposed rules intended to limit harmful behavior in Medicare...
2023: Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage and costs
Whether you are enrolled in traditional Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan, Medicare covers the prescription drugs you get from the pharmacy under Medicare Part D. The vast majority of people with...
Chocoholic? Beware of lead and cadmium
If you’re a chocolate lover like me, choosing a good chocolate bar is easier said than done. A new Consumer Reports study finds dangerously high levels of lead and cadmium in some dark...
Non-profit hospital systems compromise patient safety
The New York Times reports on how Ascension, a non-profit hospital chain operating in 16 states and serving millions of patients a year, created its own staffing crisis while building an $18 billion...