When you examine your Medicare plan options during this year’s open enrollment season, do not judge a Medicare Advantage plan by its stars. The government’s star-rating system is deeply...
Diane Archer
Older adults in US face high cost-related barriers to care
A new report from the Commonwealth Fund finds that cost is a large barrier to care for older adults in the US, larger than it is for older adults in 10 other wealthy countries. Consequently, many...
MedPac: High drug prices mean higher Medicare spending
Not only are drug prices rising at the pharmacy for people with Medicare, but drug prices are rising for hospital inpatients as well. MedPac, the agency that oversees Medicare, says rising drug...
New study finds no benefits to Vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acid...
A new study that looks at the value of taking vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acid supplements supports earlier findings that routine use of these supplements has little if any value for healthy people...
Increase in antibiotic resistance affecting older adults
A new study in Clinical Infectious Diseases finds that an increase in antibiotic resistance is affecting older adults, reports Modern Healthcare. The federal government needs to step in and protect...
OIG finds Medicare Advantage continues to overcharge government
The HHS Office of the Inspector General once again reports on huge Medicare Advantage overcharges to the federal government. It’s pretty clear at this point that Medicare Advantage...
US is a goldmine for pharmaceutical companies
Public Citizen released a report illustrating how the US is a goldmine for pharmaceutical companies. Pharmaceutical companies earn more from Americans who buy 20 best-selling prescription drugs than...
Coronavirus: Should you get the Pfizer booster vaccine?
The FDA gave emergency approval to Pfizer’s “booster” vaccine for people over 65 who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 at least six months. And, soon after, the Centers...
Merck charged with blocking generic competition
Paige Minemeyer reports for FierceHealthcare on a lawsuit filed by two insurers against Merck for using its power to block generic competition to its cholesterol drugs, Zetia and Vytorin. A third...
Let postal workers help care for older Americans
Elisabeth Rosenthal writes for Kaiser Health News on how postal workers could help care for older Americans. They have the time and they reach millions of homes a day. Postal workers have less mail...