Title: After Getting Called 'Governor Hot Wheels,' Abbott Had This to Say to Crockett
Article Snip: "...Greg Abbott delivers the PERFECT response after Rep. Jasmine Crockett mocked his disability and called him “Governor Hot Wheels.”
“It’s another day and another disaster by the Democrats. The reality is they have no vision, no policy. They have nothing to sell but hate. ..."
Title: Timmy Is Racing to Walk Back These Remarks About Tesla
Article Snip: "...he’s gallivanting around hoping that Tesla’s stock drops— Minnesota’s pension fund has a lot of shares in that company....Tim Walz says the one thing that brings him joy during the day is watching Tesla stock go down. ...He says it was a “joke,” and we have no humor. Timmy, your party melts down over the sillier things. And sorry, but hoping to trash a stock while domestic terrorists are targeting it isn’t funny. ..."
Reference: townhall.comTitle: Cannabis users under 50 are 6 times more likely to have a heart attack, new study shows
Article Snip: "...A new study shows that young people who consume marijuana are six times more likely to experience a heart attack than their counterparts. Research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) documents that people under the age of 50 who consume marijuana are about 6.2 times more likely to experience a myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack, than non-marijuana users. Young marijuana users are also 4.3 times more likely to experience an ischemic stroke and 2 times more likely to experience heart failure, the study shows. Researchers surveyed over 4.6 million people under the age of 50, of which 4.5 million do not use marijuana and 93,000 do. All participants were ...
Reference: www.usatoday.comTitle: 5 Reasons Retirees Shouldn’t Worry About DOGE Looking Into the Social Security Administration
Article Snip: "...Under the Trump administration, operational changes are designed to streamline processes, but many safeguards save benefits, eligibility criteria and payment reliability from major overhauling. Here are five reasons retirees shouldn’t panic.
Existing Federal Protections for Privacy and Data Security
Recently, there have been claims that DOGE staff have been learning SSA systems, which raises the question of data security and safety, but procedures for redundancy prevent operational risks. ..."
Title: Boomers and Retirees Digest More Bad News
Article Snip: "...Social Security is not meant to serve as retirees' only or even primary source of income. But for many people, that ends up being the case.
Many current retirees missed the boat on savings. Without pensions to fall back on, they're very reliant on Social Security to make ends meet.
Now the good news is that Social Security is..."
Title: 6 Signs You're Doing Worse Financially Than the Average 60-Year-Old
Article Snip: "...If you are 60 years old, here are some signs that you are doing worse than your peers — and some suggestions for fixing the problem. ...The average amount of non-mortgage debt for people between the ages of 60 and 69 is $16,661, according to Debt.org. This type of debt includes credit cards, car loans, and other personal debt. ...You have a mortgage balance higher than $188,034 ..."
Reference: financebuzz.comTitle: Low-income Americans might not get DOGE benefits
Article Snip: "...to receive $5,000 each. Importantly, the rebate would be sent only to households that are net-income taxpayers — people who pay more in taxes than they get back — with lower-income Americans not qualifying for the return. According to the Pew Research Center, most Americans who have an adjusted gross income of under $40,000 pay effectively no federal income tax. ..."
Reference: www.nbcnews.comTitle: Schumer and Senate Democrats Are Prepared to Shut Down the Government
Article Snip: "...Thune takes procedural step to bring the House spending bill to the floor.
Vote would occur Friday morning — hours before government shutdown deadline — unless there’s an agreement to have it sooner.
60 votes would be needed. Schumer is threatening to block it. ..."
Title: How You Can Lose Your Medicare Benefits
Article Snip: "...Your Medicare coverage can be disrupted or lost through your own actions or for reasons outside of your control. Don't let that happen to you. ...If you lose your Medicare coverage, you can reapply. Depending on circumstances, you may be able to apply outside of the Medicare open enrollment period, which runs from October 15 to December 7 each year. You can reapply outside of that window if you've experienced what is considered to be a qualifying life event. In order to do this, you would typically qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). Here's a look at the ways you can lose your Medicare benefits. ..."
Reference: www.kiplinger.comTitle: The Blood of Exceptionally Long-Lived People Suggests Crucial Differences
Article Snip: "Centenarians, once considered rare, have become commonplace. ...recent study, published in GeroScience, has unveiled some common biomarkers, including levels of cholesterol and glucose, in people who live past 90. ...Twelve blood-based biomarkers related to inflammation, metabolism, liver and kidney function, as well as potential malnutrition and anaemia, were included. All of these have been associated with ageing or mortality in previous studies. The biomarker related to inflammation was ..."
Reference: www.sciencealert.comTitle: We went blind after using weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro
Article Snip: "When James Norris, a 56-year-old mechanic from Roxbury, New Jersey, went on a low dose of Mounjaro, a GLP-1 medication similar to...Then, in March 2024, shortly after his doctor upped his dosage to 2.5 milligrams (he’d started at 1.5 mg), he woke up one morning with clouded vision in his left eye. Two weeks later, vision in his right eye became blurry. ..."
Reference: nypost.comArticle Snip: "...Kane, 34, loves the confidence-boosting comments and a perceived difference in the way people treat her in public — but underneath her new skinny clothes, she’s struggling to sort out the..."
Reference: nypost.comTitle: Butter linked to higher death risk while plant-based oils may boost health
Article Snip: " The study identified a significantly lower risk of premature death among people who ate a lot of plant-based oils over three decades. Replacing butter with plant-based oils may boost your health and reduce the risk of dying early, new research suggests. ...Not all plant-based oils are created equal. Olive oil, soybean oil, and rapeseed or canola oil were all tied to lower risks of death overall as well as from cancer and heart disease – but the study did not find any link between health risks and corn or safflower oil. They also did not analyse palm or coconut oils, which are high in saturated fats that have been linked to cardiovascular diseases...."
Reference: www.euronews.comTitle: Medicare fraud possibly tied to 2024 data breach
Article Snip: "...Nebraska SHIP says she has received more than half a dozen recent calls about claims showing up on reports for durable medical equipment that was never purchased or received.
Long tells KNEB News she believes the fraudulent activity is a potential off-shoot of last year’s data breach at Change Healthcare. “It’s the big entity that holds all Medicare numbers, they had a data breach last February. So everybody on Medicare got warned about this breach, and now we’re seeing some possible effects of that,” said Long. ..."
Title: Trump repeats pledge to eliminate taxes on Social Security benefit package
Article Snip: "...In touting his plans for tax cuts, Trump emphasizes his desire for "permanent income tax cuts all across the board" and repeats his promise to eliminate taxes on Social Security benefits.
"I'm calling for no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and no tax on Social Security benefits for our great seniors," he said. ..."
Article Snip: "...USPS employees may participate in a webinar that will help explain how the new Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program and Medicare work in retirement.
The session, “PSHB and Medicare in Retirement,” will be held Monday, March 10, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern.
Representatives from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, a provider of health plans for federal employees, will lead the webinar.
Participants must register on the webinar website. ..."
Title: President Trump's Potential Changes for Social Security So Far: 3 Things You Should Know
Article Snip: "As recently as Feb. 18, Trump promised not to cut benefits. ...subject to income taxes on Social Security. The rule is based on combined income, which the Internal Revenue Service defines as half of a retiree's Social Security benefits plus other income from sources such as pensions, wages, dividends, and capital gains.
Single filers can see as much as half of their Social Security benefits taxed if they make between $25,000 and..."
"...To enroll in a Medigap Part G policy as a USPS annuitant, you need to first ensure you are enrolled in Medicare Part B, then contact a Medigap insurance company directly during your Medigap Open Enrollment period (the six months following your 65th birthday when you first enroll in Medicare Part B) to compare plans and choose the one that best suits your needs; you can do this by calling the company, visiting their website, or contacting a broker to get quotes and apply for coverage..."
Title: Researchers warn about specific prescription drugs that could trigger deadly disease
Article Snip: "Some drugs were associated with an increased risk of dementia, including antipsychotic medications.
There was "conflicting evidence" for other classes of drugs, including those indicated for blood pressure, depression and diabetes. ...Antibiotics, antivirals, anticoagulants (blood thinners) and anticonvulsants (medications used to prevent or treat seizures) were all linked to a reduced risk of dementia, according to the study. ..."
Title: Ilhan Omar Goes on Wild Rant, Calls Americans 'Idiots' Who Shouldn't Be 'Allowed' to Have Views
Article Snip: "already crushing approval ratings for the Democratic Party, Rep. Ilhan Omar joined terror sympathizer Mehdi Hasan on Sunday to fret that Americans are "idiots" who are too "stupid" to be "allowed" to hold their political views. ...There's no better vote outreach than having a chronically ungrateful, Islamist-supporting Somali refugee (who still pretends her hellish homeland is a moral bastion) call Americans "idiots" because they believe in silly things like borders and government accountability. Surely, only someone who has been accused of marrying their brother to bypass immigration laws has the intellectual heft necessary to rule the masses. ..."
Reference: redstate.comTitle: The Trump tax-cut promises Congress will likely approve
Article Snip: "...one thing Americans should keep in mind as they head into 2025 are Trump’s tax policies. While on the campaign trail the now commander in chief made at least a dozen tax cut promises, ranging from no tax on tips, no taxes on overtime, and no taxes on social security benefits, to name a few...."
Reference: finance.yahoo.comTitle: Returning to Work for the Government after Retirement
Article Snip: "...Each year, some federal retirees return to government employment, for personal, career or financial reasons. If you are thinking of becoming one of them – or if you are considering your options to do so if you signed up for OPM’s deferred resignation program, are separated via buyout or RIF, here are some things to think about.
If you are a CSRS retiree, your annuity will stop if you fall into one of the followings four categories. ..."
Title: ‘USPS Retirement Health Benefits’
Article Snip: "...Postal Service employees may participate in an upcoming webinar that will address benefits available after retirement. The session, “USPS Retirement Health Benefits: Medicare, Dental and Vision,” will be held Wednesday, Feb. 19, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern. ..."
Reference: news.usps.comTitle: Some Ozempic users are developing serious eye issues that lead to blindness
Article Snip: "...Blockbuster GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro might sharpen your figure, but they could also cloud your vision in the process.
A review published in JAMA Ophthalmology uncovered at least nine cases of patients who experienced vision loss after taking semaglutide or tirzepatide, the active ingredients in Wegovy and Zepbound, respectively.
This study adds to a growing body of research documenting vision problems in patients using these drugs. A 2024 study suggested ..."
Title: WebMD | Ozempic Side Effects
Article Snip: "Ozempic (semaglutide) helps people with type 2 diabetes lower their blood sugar if diet, exercise, and other diabetes medications haven’t worked. ...It can come with side effects, but not everyone who takes Ozempic will get every possible effect. ...GI problems are the most common side effects of Ozempic. Luckily, they tend to be mild to moderate ...About 1 in 5 people (20%) in the clinical trial had it. ...Almost 1 in 10 people (10%) in the clinical trial threw up when taking Ozempic. ..."
Reference: www.webmd.comTitle: Big Pharma Wants to Dance All Over Rural America’s Health
Article Snip: "...Pharmaceutical giants like Eli Lilly, Viatris, AbbVie, ASCEND Therapeutics, Pfizer, Novartis, and Endo International are all major companies cashing in on the high-profit transgender hormone market. Big Pharma knows if they can get a brainwashed kid hooked on non-FDA-approved puberty blockers, they have a client for life.
The worst drug dealers in America nowadays aren’t inner-city thugs; they’re guys in white lab coats.
And business is booming. Eli Lilly’s revenue at the end of the year was almost $41 billion, up 27.4 percent from 2023. ..."
Article Snip: "...Variable costs like property taxes and homeowner’s insurance premiums comprise 35% of the average monthly mortgage payment. ...Property taxes and homeowner’s insurance premiums continue to take a big chunk out of homeowners’ monthly mortgage payments. To offset these costs, homeowners are implementing various solutions, including downsizing, relocating, cutting back on expenses, and deferring large purchases. These efforts could help make homeownership more affordable for many homeowners."
Reference: www.investopedia.comTitle: The boomer housing crisis is pacing to get even worse
Article Snip: "...Many boomers find themselves aging into a system that is not willing or equipped to care for them, and instead struggle to subsidize their own care while facing an affordability crisis.
In 2021, 11.2 million seniors—about one in three—were cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing...“The senior housing industry would need to develop twice as many units as it has ever developed in any single calendar year every year to keep up.” What’s more, the early pandemic pulled the brakes on the housing industry, as leaders tell the Journal of labor shortages and weakened demand. ..."
Title: 13 Things Medicare Gives You for Free
Article Snip: "Medicare beneficiaries often pay monthly premiums, copays, annual deductibles and prescription drug costs. But what you may not know is that some services don’t cost anything at all. ...Medicare includes different parts, which provide different types of coverage — hospital insurance (Part A), medical insurance (Part B), Medicare Advantage plans (Part C), and prescription drug coverage (Part D).
While some services come at a cost, Medicare also offers many services with no out-of-pocket costs at all. That said, some of these freebies may not be available with Medicare Advantage, and there may be limitations on how often you can take advantage of a free service. Still, it’s worth knowing about these 13 things Medicare gives you for free. ..."
Title: Do you know how PSHB and Medicare work together?
Article Snip: "USPS will offer an informational webinar throughout the year...The session, “PSHB and Medicare in Retirement,” will be held from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern on the following Mondays: Feb. 10, March 10, April 14, May 12, June 9, July 14, Aug. 11 and Sept. 8.
Participants must register before each event on the webinar website. ...
"
Title: MEDICARE | 2025 Annual Update to the Code List of CPT/HCPCS Codes
Article Snip: "We maintain and annually update a List of Current Procedural Terminology (CPT)/Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Codes (the Code List), which identifies all the items and services included within certain designated health services (DHS) categories or that may qualify for certain exceptions. We update the Code List to conform to the most recent publications of CPT and HCPCS codes and to account for changes in Medicare coverage and payment policies. Code List updates for years 2022 and earlier were published in the Federal Register as an addendum to the annual Physician Fee Schedule final rule.
2025 Annual Update to the Code List
Below you will find the Code List that is effective January 1, 2025 and a description of the revisions effective for Calendar Year 2025. To submit a comment, go to www.regulations.gov and enter the docket number “CMS-2024-0301” in the search field. Select the “Comment” button and follow the instructions. To be considered, comments must be received on or before December 26, 2024.
List of codes effective January 1, 2025, published November 26, 2024
Annual Update to the List of CPT/HCPCS Codes Effective January 1, 2025 (PDF)
"
Title: What happens if a PSHB employee covered by EGWP signs up for Medicare Part D?
Article Snip: "If a PSHB employee covered by an Employer Group Waiver Plan (EGWP) signs up for a separate Medicare Part D plan, they are essentially double-paying for prescription drug coverage, as their EGWP through PSHB already provides that coverage; they should contact their PSHB plan to potentially opt out of the EGWP and enroll in their chosen Part D plan instead, but be aware that doing so could result in a gap in coverage and potential late enrollment penalties depending on their situation.
Key points to remember:
Redundant coverage:
When a PSHB employee is already covered by the EGWP, enrolling in a separate Part D plan means they are paying for prescription drug coverage twice.
Opting out of EGWP:
If a PSHB employee wants to switch to a different Part D plan, they should contact their PSHB plan to properly opt out of the EGWP and enroll in their chosen plan.
Potential penalties:
Depending on the circumstances, opting out of the EGWP without enrolling in another Part D plan could lead to a late enrollment penalty when they try to enroll later.
"
Title: NPMHU/USPS | One Time Retirement Incentive
Article Snip: "...NPMHU and the USPS have reached an agreement on the terms of a One Time Retirement Incentive. The parties have agreed that the Postal Service will make lump sum incentive payments totaling $15,000 (less applicable taxes and deductions) to eligible..."
Reference: npmhu317.blogspot.comTitle: OPM extends long-term care program suspension | New enrollments are on hold until December 2026
Article Snip: "...The U.S. Office of Personnel Management has extended the suspension period for all new Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program applications.
The agency, also known as OPM, initially suspended applications for two years beginning in 2022. This suspension has been extended until Dec. 19, 2026.
In a statement, OPM said the suspension is needed because of ongoing volatility in long-term care costs and a diminished insurance market..."
Title: Problems with Medicare Advantage Plans Keep Mounting
Article Snip: "...Complaints and problems with Medicare Advantage include denial of service and slow care approvals. Consumers need to pay attention. ... People tend to like their Medicare Advantage plans — until they don’t. ...
...
MA faces mounting criticism for denying and delaying some needed care while costing taxpayers billions more than government-run, so-called fee-for-service, traditional Medicare. ... The reasons for Medicare Advantage’s expanding popularity are readily apparent: lower costs for individuals, simpler selections and extras, such as dental and vision coverage and even gym memberships, not provided by traditional Medicare. ..."
Title: Is Medicare Part D better for a postal retiree than PSHB Part D Employer Group Waiver Plan (EGWP)?
Article Snip: "...For many retirees, Medicare Part D can be considered better than a PSHB Part D EGWP because it often offers more flexibility in plan selection, wider drug coverage options, and may have lower out-of-pocket costs due to broader access to the Medicare Part D marketplace, while the EGWP might be more limited in its drug formulary and could potentially cost more for certain medications depending on individual needs; additionally, opting out of the EGWP may result in losing prescription drug coverage altogether while still paying the same premium. ...
However, it's important to compare plans carefully before making a decision:
Review your medication needs:
Analyze which medications you take regularly and compare their coverage and costs under both the PSHB EGWP and available Medicare Part D plans."
Title: What happens to my FEGLI Basic Life premium when i turn 65?
Title: Japanese woman who was the world’s oldest person at 116 has died
Article Snip: "...TOKYO (AP) — Tomiko Itooka, a Japanese woman who was the world’s oldest person according to Guinness World Records, has died, an Ashiya city official said Saturday. She was 116. ...According to the Gerontology Research Group, the world’s oldest person is now 116-year-old Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas, who was born 16 days after Itooka. ..."
Reference: www.wsbtv.comTitle: Baby boomer homeowners fear losing their properties as they spend down their savings
Article Snip: "...Many baby boomers are struggling with rising home repair costs, insurance premiums, and property taxes while also facing a scarcity of affordable retirement housing options. And working all their lives isn't enough to prevent a growing number of older people from experiencing homelessness.
Rising rents and home prices, largely caused by a housing shortage and other cost-of-living spikes, are hitting older adults especially hard. Overall homelessness surged to its highest level on record..."
